Taxi Owner Is Sore Loser

In reference to “New Taxi Service Wins Tentative OK” (Times Valley Edition, March 5), I vehemently deny Valley Cab Co. owner Lloyd Conway’s accusation that campaign contributions to me by his prospective competitor, Masood Babaeian, influenced the City Council’s unanimous decision to grant another taxi franchise in the Valley.

Never in my political career have I been influenced by a campaign contribution.

The issue of Valley cabs was raised by the Department of Transportation after it conducted a lengthy study and suggested in 1988 that an additional cab company was needed in the Valley to make taxicabs more efficient.

The motion for that competition was introduced by a Valley councilman. The measure passed unanimously last year and, despite all the screaming, yelling and lobbying by Conway and his company, the council again passed the measure unanimously this year.

Conway is a sore loser and his making evil accusations against the city’s elected officials will not detract from the fact that the Valley will be better served if he has competition.

NATE HOLDEN. Holden is a Los Angeles city councilman .