Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 17/02) - A proposal to put more cabs on Inuvik streets was postponed at last Wednesday's council meeting.

Council was to give third and final reading to an amendment to the town's controversial taxi bylaw, but the amendment was tabled until council's next meeting.

The amendment was proposed by Coun. Denny Rogers, who says the public wasn't being properly served with the existing bylaw.

The amendment proposes two types of permits: transferrable and non-transferrable, but does not fix the number of licenses.

Although 30 licensed drivers is what council would like to settle on, the amendment proposes that seven new taxi licenses be sold for the fee of $10,000, bringing the number of licensed cabs to 30.

Option to buy permits

The 23 drivers now operating will have an option to buy their permits or continue on as they are until they retire or leave the business. When that happens, the permit comes back to the town and put up for sale. Coun. Vince Sharpe moved the matter be tabled until the town's bylaw officer had a chance appear before council.

"I've asked that he be here for the past two meetings and he hasn't shown up yet, so I propose a motion that this bylaw be tabled until he comes here and answers some questions I have," Sharpe said.

Coun. Rogers said he has spoken to bylaw regarding the issue and says adding more drivers cannot do the town any harm.

"We've talked this thing over and over and we've heard the same sides over and over again," Rogers said. "Again, I challenge anyone to tell me what the detriment is going to be to the town by passing this."

Too high a price

Further in his argument to table the amendment, Coun. Sharpe said the $10,000 permit price was too much to ask drivers to come up with by the deadline of Aug. 31.

"The only ones who are going to be able to come in here and buy these things are the guys who are dealing drugs and bootlegging," Sharpe said. Coun. Rogers clarified that the Aug. 31 deadline is just for those drivers who wish to renew their permits to the transferrable permit. They may still operate under the old permit, but once it expires, it cannot be renewed.

After the meeting, Coun. Sharpe clarified why he wants the bylaw officer to appear at council.

"He has pertinent information that counsel hasn't heard," Sharpe said.

He says the issue of not enough cabs on the road is exaggerated and says the bylaw officer has only received one complaint about slow taxi service.

"He told me he has one complaint and that's not what I'm hearing from Denny Rogers, he says there are lots of complaints, but (bylaw) says he has only one," Sharpe said. At the April 24 meeting of council, the first and second reading of the bylaw amendment was passed with Couns. Sharpe and George Doolittle voted opposed.

Coun. Sharpe's motion to table was seconded by Coun. Doolittle and voted passed by additional votes from Coun. Clarence Woods and Coun. Richard Binder.

Further discussion and third and final reading of the amendment will be held at the next council meeting on May 22.