As we wrote, the City Council hearing week before last awarding a new taxi franchise was crowded and controversial, with at least one speaker doing his cause no favors. Here, in all its cringe-inducing glory, is cabbie Ray Castro’s question of whether council is “lining their pockets,” followed by the mayor’s angry reply. (Astute readers may remember we crossed Ray’s path in a feature story on the disbanding of Roy’s Taxi, “Fare Fight.)”
Obviously, this ain’t the way to go about it, unless you want Mayor Wynn to get all Sandman from the Apollo on yer ass. The franchise is up for second reading this week; we’ll see if council sticks with Lone Star Cab or jumps ship for staff-recommended Capital City Cab; with a 4-3 vote, some on the dais are obviously itching to.
This article appears in April 13 • 2007.