If people are looking for ways to subsidize safety measures for taxicabs need I remind folks that the City accepted a substancial gift from Target for cameras downtown, a measure many of us thought was foolish or cosmetic at best.
Just think if they had put that money toward safety for cabbies. Too bad one of our seven CM's who voted to accept the gift had not given this consideration. The city could do well without the River City trolley, which is subsidized indirectly by the city through the GMCVA,after first taking all the cabbies on the guided tour. When I'm visiting a city for the first time I will often flag a cabbie for the guided tour. I remember an especially fine evening in Washington, D.C. on such a ride. Personally I love listening to immigants' stories. They can be a balm for the cynicism of this society and culture. The city could also help with marketing for cabbies. Get Clear Channel or one of the other conglomerates who wants favorable treatment to pony up space. This should be right up the Mayor's alley. Start a campaign. Call it "Ask a Cabbie" or something like that. Promote our cab drivers rather than undercutting them with trolleys and courtesy vans and Super Shuttles. Go back to previous cab levels before Joe Biernat sold out the industry to accomodate his campaign contributors from Green and White. Make it possible for them to make an active contribution to their own safety. As for Wizard's suggestion, I'll never ride in a cab with a barrier if given a choice. The cabs are too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter and unlike bus drivers collecting fares a cabbie relies on personal engagement to garner tips. This is all long overdue. I hope the cabbies hold out for more than empty rhetoric from the Grandees at City Hall. Tim Connolly __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
