amen, I think.

as cab driver for mor than tweny years I tell you every cab driver know that making money is not the issue here and the gas prices will not effect the income that much. The issue here should be the unexplainable increase the price of the medallion and the monopoly and who is behind it. The city should work to find common intrest between preserving cab drivers dignity by allowing them to hold on their dream of owning their own medallion. Also trimming the influance of special group whose trying to control cab drivers destiny.

Here's a posting that's right on the money --- gas prices do make some difference in a cab driver's day-to-day income, but the outrageous and ever rising price tag on medallions held by monopolists, many of whom aren't even living in the Midwest is much more distressing long term.

The real squeeze isn't just going to come from the oil barons around the planet, and the focus of the concerned in our community needs to be on controling this commodity first and foremost.


Donald Nathan

The City resolutely ignores any talk of re-instituting the so-called "senior driver" medallion lottery.

It's Rule 18 or 19, which used to authorize the medallion lottery, but now authorizes the "auction," which should be outlawed, if it isn't, in light of state law and case law providing for "licensing" at cost to the licensing agency.

But in these economic conditions and times, as well “home rule” laws in the current Illinois State Constitution, which The Honorable Richard Daily helped write, to the City it means "act like the mob, take what you can get by hook or by crook."

Thus by manipulating medallion "auction" prices (setting fake prices), “auctioning or more accurately-“selling” instead of ISSUING the licenses, the City scores huge bucks and the "buyers" score more power and more cash generators (cab drivers behind the wheels of their cabs).

The current scheme of things: Push the price high enough to get single-medallion holders to sell out, which then can be gobbled up by front-men for the big fleets and "outsider" fleet operators, with unknown and undisclosed financial backing, from who-knows-where, even Russian and Kuwaiti "banking interests" might be involved.

It is not a new story: Little guy gets squeezed out, big guys take over, with the help of the government.

The idea of "trimming influence" really means making the lawful authorities RESPONSIBLE and ACCOUNTABLE for their decisions and actions.

But then you have to institute laws that govern the government and reduce or diminish or mitigate their current level of power and influence.

I would venture to speculate that the last thing our City government wants on its individual and collective back is more laws that protect the public from the government, in this case, cab drivers and medallion holders.

After readig your artical agree one hundred pecent but the government has the laws it needid, but it needs the will to infors it .
examble: one company it keeps over hundred cabs in it"garage to keep demand high in the street for cabs so they justify thir increases the weekly leass.
the city shuld make sure every cab fits to be on the street, be on the street at rush hour time.