Chelsea, MA Unsorted, 11 May 2023

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From YouTube: Licensing Commission of 5-11-23

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City of Chelsea

A

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight. This is a meeting of the Chelsea licensing. Commission today is Thursday May 11th I am joined this evening by fellow Commissioners Mike mcateer Emily cherniac myself, Marnie McAlpine, as well as licensing admin, Naomi LeBron and Captain David Betts from the Chelsea Police Department to start things off this evening. I would like to get an adoption of the minutes from the April 13th licensing meeting. If I could get a motion.

A

All in favor next up, we have a clerks update. Naomi, if you wouldn't mind running through the update for me.

B

Concerning the taxi cab rates from several cities inside your packet, I sent the responses I received from Everett Malden in Boston I reached out to Revere, but still waiting on their response. Okay and concerning uh we call Latino update I, believe they served their suspension.

C

Reoccurrences of any points that were similar to what we had received and I believe they were compliant with. You know what the commission had suggested.

A

I believe today is the final day of their suspension. You.

B

Remember correctly, yes,.

A

Okay glad to hear that there hasn't been any instance of not following through.

C

Complying with you know the council's recommendations and no issues fantastic.

A

C

Been up there a few times to follow up as well as a few of the other offices, and everything was fine. It's.

D

A

That's it! That's it on that wonderful! So next, we'd like to open up a public hearing to consider the public comments on the proposal of a taxi cab, Fair rate increase throughout Chelsea. If there's anybody from the public that would like to speak on the matter, I would ask that you to please step up to the microphone state. Your name and address. Please speak clearly and I'd open up the mic to anybody. Who'd like to speak.

A

E

Okay, so yes, everybody saw I. Think everybody knows what is the research sir.

A

E

Please I'm, sorry, no! That's! Okay, I'm, sorry! So my dear Jose Ventura I ordered the Ventura Taxi in the my address, 19 Forestry Mass, everybody know I, think everybody knows the reason that we why we are here is because the light is very Spencer and the power and the fix and everything you know so we're looking for the couple three dollar, restaurant or three dollars in the car. You know everybody in other place and they try. The in Boston is as soon as possible. They, the mirrors, coming up.

E

It started in 380., you know and Link everybody. They don't have a the the trip, the three dollar that the Moa is uh saving up. You know we over here and Chelsea from we have a doubt. Sometimes three, the three dollars. You know if we buy the coffee in the regular, we're very tired and something you know what I mean yeah. This is the reason why we are here because.

E

They don't make money, you know, so we pay everybody I, think I paid 64 attacks on a year. Insurance I had to work a very great every day. When I am sorry you know for making see you ask her to me right now. I know pay. My rent I got the order, the business you made it one week.

E

You know sorry um I I talked to everybody over here. Please help me, you know so the other competition we have. They were driving no work because we, we know no make money, they work a properly car. You know, so you would see the Market Basket Club nature, 10 11 over here local. We we charge three 475 575, you know so I, remember, I am in the business two or two I started with the blue cup and two or two you know. So when we started I remember the meter started.

E

One night is from a square to 100 belly from 190.

E

In the in the commission he gave me one one sector, I think because I started one sector right now. You know we talk about it, sure two or two fights something like that. You know, but that's not that day for today you remember, you know the gasoline in that time, gallo right now, almost five five and something what gasoline you use you know. So we are very Christian right now. So this is the reason we we say help, please, because we need it. Nobody want to work. We we because they don't make money.

A

Makes sense I see based upon what was reported, that currently, the rates here in Chelsea were established on July, 1st 2005 and the rate for the first Eighth Mile is a dollar sixty. It is then 45 cents for each additional Eighth Mile with a 50 fuel surcharge and a 24-hour prorated hourly waiting time in the other towns that were pulled.

A

Malden is 225 for the first Eighth Mile with 50 cents, each additional Eighth Mile and a 22 dollar waiting time.

A

Everett just recently increased theirs from two dollars to two dollars and forty cents for the first Eighth Mile, and each additional Eighth Mile was just increased from 45 cents to 55 cents and their waiting time was just increased from 22 dollars an hour to twenty six dollars an hour.

A

Boston was formerly two dollars and sixty cents that has been raised to 3.80 for the first first, seventh Mile, with each additional seventh mile being 40 cents with tolls. Additional and Boston's did note that they were going to revisit those rates in six months uh and see if it needed to come back down, but they did that temporary increase. Due to the current gas prices, so our pricing is definitely lower, uh I think significantly. So when is the last time we.

F

Increased uh based.

A

Upon this, since 2005.

F

It's a long time so.

A

It is a very long time.

A

Yes, sir, please step up. Please state your name.

G

Yeah, my name is Blue Taxi and.

G

I gave you one place for you.

F

F

B

B

F

No, they want to increase it's 160 now.

A

The letter that we were just given State steer Chelsea licensing commission through this proposal that we are presenting as taxicab companies in Chelsea. We want to request the increase for taxicab Fair rates due to the cost of living that increases every day and which our companies are also being affected, requesting an increase that considers both the consumer and their pockets.

A

It is important to emphasize that the prices of taxicab Fair rates in Chelsea have not been raised in almost 20 years, and we consider that it is time for this increase in the most understandable way for our companies. We look forward to your cooperation and understanding.

A

Our proposal for the taxicab Fair rate is to increase three dollars for the for the start uh and then a dollar, oh I'm, sorry to increase three dollars for the start more than the current a dollar sixty uh that's already stipulated from 2005, and this is signed by Blue Taxi, Inc, Venture, taxi Inc and c m taxi Inc.

F

And so there's no like this is only for the beginning. There's no like after X miles an increase in The Proposal right. Is it.

A

Just uh not in the notation here.

B

A

This is what they're asking for so.

B

A

F

So is there, is there a reason why you did not do by per mileage.

A

If you could, if you could, please.

D

A

Up to the microphone that would be appreciated.

H

And I write the proposal. Thank.

D

H

I just do it used for the start. I did do them. You know like the.

A

Additional yeah is there a request from the taxicab companies for a change to the additional mileage rate as well or just for.

H

Them I believe yeah. If you guys can do that, it's gonna be fine too. It's just because you.

F

Won't say no yeah.

H

Basically, use I wrote, The, Proposal, yeah.

A

Is there anybody else from the public that would like to speak on the matter.

E

Thank you for everything.

E

You know it's everywhere in the Square everywhere, you know what I mean, maybe the police, or because we are together over here. You know so I get to serve with the NDA in and we we don't have driving. They actually can't go to the square. You know everywhere they get that the business card and they take out the business in the you know, paying insurance. They don't pay the the taxes at the city. You know this is very important. You know this is uh see if we.

E

Every day, every night, so we can take the picture and I get the the the the the the police or the city, because this is how you can help me too. You know what I mean, because they're taking the business yeah yeah all right. Thank you very much. Thank.

A

F

That's a police question right.

A

I'm sorry yeah, the Gypsy cabs are always.

I

The police down.

C

I mean they're out and about usually, if we see them we'll take an enforcement action. I know officer O'brien has been you know very Vigilant in her enforcement efforts at the market basket and other places. But when you know people hail these taxes and you know they're often than not the place not around I.

A

Will say: I have seen the police very active over at Market Basket, in particular regarding the Gypsy cabs. It is unfortunate that they exist.

H

um You know the problem with the Gypsy taxes is now their position in the stand in the square is now only in Market Basket yeah. You know like in we understand those people want to work, but in their position is understandable because um you know like they're,.

A

H

Their job, you know, like some.

A

Companies are paying and doing it. The proper.

D

Way so it's not.

A

Fair, if they're taking the spots so.

D

A

Our cabs that are doing the right thing in the city, don't even have a place to pull in and pick up a fair yeah.

H

And now the most problem is they position in this and you know I can understand and they fight for that position right there. So I think it's unfair for them. Yeah.

D

H

Know like because they have like a lot of stuff to pay and they're, you know like they don't so Market Basket too, like people prefer them now the toxic company, if um in their charge more the taxes company, you know like I, don't I, don't see why you guys, like as a police, you know like uh you know like do something about it, because if we do it they fight with. Of course, you know like with the drivers, since we don't have the position to do that.

A

So I think the only problem is that, unfortunately, we don't have the police to just station at the taxi.

H

B

So it's when, when they're in.

A

The area making sure that it is being enforced, um but unfortunately, given everything else in our city, they can't just be stationed at the stands, so I think the they are trying to hit it as much as they can. If you folks are stating that it's really commonplace now over at the square, I think now the police department is aware that that is a concern in addition to Market Basket, so they can certainly increase an eye on there, but I.

A

Don't I, don't think that stationing police at the stands is probably the best use of our Department's time. um So it's a matter of trying to stay on top of it as much as possible and unfortunately, as the captain stated, they just always reappear. So even if the police had just come through and done a swipe it, they can pull back through as soon as the police leave. So as Vigilant as our Police Department can be. They are needed in so many areas of our city and I. Think everybody knows.

A

We've had a pretty crazy week around here, so our Police Department is quite busy right now trying to keep all of us safe, so I'm I'm sure it is one of their priorities, and now that they're aware that the square is also a concern, they can make sure they're paying as much attention to those stands as over at Market Basket yeah.

H

Mostly Market Basket, now that you know like Summer's game- and you know like sometimes it's getting slow so in Market Basket for summer, is gonna, be like a good idea like to help them keep their business. Okay, I.

A

Mean I can tell you that none of us want to have that activity, there's a reason why all of you go through the process. um So we appreciate that you guys are doing it correctly and the city will continue to do its part to try to crack down on the Gypsy caps.

A

Thank you, Captain anything from the police department. Before we.

C

Chat, you know just remember.

C

You know a detail down there that they had. The ability to you know, move them along as they approached it was a lot easier to identify who they were and I know. The Market Basket took some efforts to put out the cones out there and I've seen them myself when I get on there for lunch, that they're out there and we try to move them as best we can, but I've also seen some. You know, people that work in the Market Basket advocate for a few of the Gypsy cabs.

C

So if you see any of the Jiffy cab operators yourself I mean there is a text line or a tip line that you can send a license plate to. If you see a picture, you know you want to take a picture of that plate, send it in. We can refer it to traffic or someone, something like that and run their plate find out if they're registered, not registered, and try to follow up like that. That's probably the best way for us to do it.

C

A

He says he has a couple pictures: okay,.

E

Okay, sure in the in the Square I, don't know I'm, sorry, I, don't know how you knowledge about the Nunez taxes and once once, if I uh right this guy, let's move over here, I, don't know if you have a he paid the taxes.

I

E

I

E

I

E

The business card everywhere my driver.

F

He put them on the doors of the houses. I have he's.

E

Yeah the drivers, my drivers, they don't make your money with me. They having a property car in in a stay in the Square. You know they.

C

Work over Nunez have you approached the Market Basket at all to try to advocate for more parking spaces and what happened yeah.

C

B

D

Don't know about.

B

C

Drivers themselves, I mean with the actual Market Basket management.

E

You know the American, the American baskets, you know what happened with the taxi. The taxi the country have been no like it, because we pick up the Market Basket. It's a lot of food. Coming to the the hair Street we took other the about 45 cents. They took a day. The the people in Iraqi will say.

E

Seven dollar eight dollars ten dollars.

D

They make more money, though,.

E

You know if you know how about the Nunez. You have everything over here. I, don't know if you pay the city tax or whatever you know, so we never had to.

A

So we we appreciate that, and we will certainly do our part to try to crack down on that um from there I think Commissioners were going to kind of just have an open conversation about thoughts on the rate uh either of you have a an opinion.

I

I

A

D

I

Yeah, but also raise up the eighth of a mile rate because they're not asking for that right.

A

I I believe I mean a it's been since 2005.. Clearly, everything else in our life has gone up. It stands to reason that that would also go up. I I would think at a minimum. We would, we would probably match Everett at a minimum, because it's a similar sort of demographic I, don't know if we go as high as Boston.

J

It looks like Everett's more than Boston no.

F

K

Was Everett well, the problem is bosses go by one seventh amount.

A

Yes, so Everett had been two dollars for the first Eighth Mile and they've just changed Theirs to do two dollars and 40 cents for the first eighth Boston was formerly 260 for the first seventh and they just increased to 380 for the first. Seventh and again, Boston is revisiting that in six months,.

A

I think we we definitely need to increase it, and we could certainly do something like what Boston has done and have an increase that gets reviewed again in six months. You.

K

Know how that works, though, in most towns, when it gets when it's when it's just a child, it turns permanent. Just that's just how it goes. Yeah.

F

So what are you suggesting.

A

I I think that at a minimum we need to match the Everett, which has the 240 for the first Eighth Mile and 55 cents, for each additional Eighth Mile.

I

I mean I, think 250 250 for the first aid.

E

I

60 for each additionally.

I

K

This I mean the.

A

60 for each additional.

K

Your temper from the people.

D

A

Well, I I think it's one of those things as as the cab companies stated in their proposal. It's finding that balance of what's the right number to increase it. To that also doesn't deter people like deter people in the community from being able to continue to use that as their form of transportation.

A

um So I think that's where it's a kind of a balance of how much you can increase. But since it's been so.

F

K

F

Nothing it's more.

K

Important than whatever you do for the income.

F

And it's 45 freeze additional eighth of a mile which we're trying to increase.

D

F

Don't think people would even I mean they might notice a little bit of an increase, but it's not that. Would you just.

A

Add a dollar to go.

D

B

A

D

A

Us a little bit more than Everett a little bit more than Malden. That puts us at what Boston's rates had been and then.

F

55 a month, would you say: 55 cents.

A

And bump that to 55.

F

Yeah, it's not you're only.

A

So a dollar increase a.

F

Dollar, ten cents.

J

I think most calves are local and most people yeah.

A

So a dollar increase for the first Eighth Mile and a 10 cent increase for each additional Eighth Mile.

B

A

Then, what about the waiting time? So ours is showing as 24 hours, 24 dollar prorated hourly waiting time. Malden lists theirs as 22 effortless theirs as 26. It was formerly 22.. Boston did not have one listed.

F

I, don't have a strong feeling about it. I.

J

Don't think many people really do that so.

A

Leave that the same fuel charge we have listed at 50 cents, what the others did not list fuel charges.

F

J

Up to 60 cents for that for additional Eighth Mile leads of fuel charge, leave everything else, so 260 and 60.

J

Thank you, I'm flexible.

A

I, definitely don't think it's too much, because I think it is comparable with I mean really when you look at Everett.

J

I, wouldn't do it for a mile, the math for a mile.

A

So, um just to repeat that Everett is currently 2 40 for the first eighth and 55 for each additional, and it sounds like we're currently looking at 260 for the first eighth and 60 for each additional. So that puts us just a little bit above the Everett.

J

So mile would be six dollars and 80 cents now and what is it and what's he currently, what it is.

F

160 plus 45 45 sets.

J

So it's going from 475 to what I said it was six six.

A

K

One I said.

F

Dollars it's like less than two dollar difference.

J

680 680 475 to 680 for the first mile. That's the difference. It'll be two dollars more.

F

I mean it's been 20 yeah.

A

So do you think that's enough is that enough of.

J

An increase in 20 years from Boston I mean, if you put that in the 10 miles now you.

F

I mean I, don't think so, but it's also like comparable I mean we don't want to I.

D

Don't know what.

F

The other cities are doing a ton more I. Don't want to be so different that.

B

They don't deter people from.

F

J

The Gypsy cabs, it's five dollars, five dollars a mile after that. So if you're going 10 miles, say you're going to Boston plus 620., that means it's fifty dollars until 10 miles, I, wouldn't wear anything higher than that.

D

J

It's a lot yeah.

D

A

J

You might even think about Laura I mean well, that's a lot. Yeah.

F

I, don't know if I mean do people go to Boston.

J

Yeah to the hospital Boston's.

A

Not 10 miles the Boston's, not 10,.

F

Miles yeah Boston's three miles: it's not that far.

K

It's three into my house and it's got to be another two. It's at least five.

F

So 25, it's not I mean you.

J

Know 25 to downtown Boston. They.

F

Take the bus, that's the.

A

Reason: boy yeah: that's.

F

A

With any sort of a ride into the city.

B

A

Okay, so can somebody make a motion for an increase to the taxi cab fare from the current dollar, sixty for the first Eighth Mile to two dollars and sixty cents for the first Eighth Mile and an increase for each additional Eighth Mile from the current 45 cents to 60 cents, leave the fuel charge the same at 50 cents and leave the prorated hourly waiting time. The same at twenty four dollars can I get a motion. Motion can I get a second okay, all in favor, hi.

D

You have what you need, they.

B

Understand what.

D

I'm gonna repeat that I.

B

D

Wanna make sure you have what you.

A

Need, oh yeah I got it okay.

A

So while we can understand how much the taxicab companies were looking for an increase based upon the rates that our local cities have established, we didn't feel quite comfortable raising it that much, but we do believe that an increase was deserved. So we've just voted to increase the first Eighth Mile from the current dollar, sixty to two dollars and sixty cents total.

A

The additional uh Eighth Mile will change from 45 cents to 60 cents.

A

So it's a dollar increase on the initial Eighth Mile and a 15 cent increase on each additional Eighth Mile the fuel charge will stay the same and the waiting time will stay the same. uh We hope that can make a difference for you and in the future.

A

If other towns continue to increase their rates, we can certainly reconsider this, but we don't want to price ourselves too high compared to all of the other local cities, as we feel that would be detrimental to your business as well so based upon what we're seeing that puts us just a little bit above what the city of Everett is allowing, which I think is something that we can consider ourselves comparable to and we're also a bit above what the city of Malden is currently doing.

A

As Naomi had stated earlier, Revere did not get back to us with their rates, so we were currently working with the rates from the cities of Everett Malden and Boston. Boston's rates are quite High currently and I I. Just don't think that the residents of Chelsea should have that rate at this time again, and it's always subject to change, if, if we feel that need so certainly feel free to reach back out to the commission sooner than 20 years, if things continue to increase, but hopefully this this increase will assist the local taxi companies.

A

Thank you, you're very welcome. Thank you and I lost. My other sheet.

E

But yeah, maybe about to say, Thank you so we we doing what say the the offices we take the picture and the when she did the the yay Chicago. You know what I mean and like and I called the police, so I get to him right, correct.

A

um Captain you said that there's a text line that people get into. Do you happen to know that.

C

The top of my head I can get it to you before you go, but I would just tell you so if you see a photo and you send it to us that in and of itself won't, you know prompt us the issue of violation but we'll investigate you know who it may be, and then you know we can follow it from there at least we'll have a little Baseline. You know who it is and where they maybe operate now and we can focus of City cameras and then go from there.

C

But I'll get you the number before you go all.

E

Right. Thank you very much. Thank you. You're.

A

Very welcome our next meeting is is going to be on Thursday June, 8th 2023. Our meeting is adjourned this evening. Thank you. Thank you.