NNSL (Dec 17/97) - Yk Cabs owner John Dalton says he's being painted as a bad guy because the city is not enforcing the new taxi bylaw.

"I'm getting a little annoyed at the process of being painted in this light," Dalton told council during a noon hearing Monday that ended with council voting to suspend Sunshine Cabs' licence to do business in the city.

"Don't hang it on me," he said, referring to the investigation of whether Sunshine Cabs' was fulfilling the 10-car minimum requirement of the bylaw.

At a hearing held last week to deal with the same matter, city administrator Doug Lagore told council the investigation was sparked by a complaint from YK Cabs.

"It was an inquiry, not a complaint," Dalton told council. "I wanted to know when council was going to deal with this issue."

Dalton said it was quite apparent, even to casual observers, that Sunshine did not have 10 operational cars.

"I think there are individuals in here who are unwilling to live up to their responsibility," he said.

Dalton later noted Sunshine's difficulty in meeting the minimal requirements of the bylaw date back to shortly after it was introduced.

Asked about the suggestion, made at the hearing, that Yk Cabs is using the bylaw to reduce competition, Dalton replied, "I don't consider them as competition, with three cars on the road, and that's all they have on the road."