Council Nixes OCTA Oversight of Taxicabs
In a slap at the Orange County Transportation Authority, the City Council has voted 3 to 2 to reject OCTA’s proposal to be the city’s taxicab-licensing agency.
A council majority this week accused OCTA of being an unwieldy bureaucracy. “You talk about big government; the OCTA is big government,” Councilman Walter K. Bowman said. “I like local control.”
Councilwoman Mary Ann Jones added that the proposal would have empowered the countywide agency to “create layers of employees.”
OCTA has proposed being the central unit in charge of taxis, relieving cities of that responsibility.
In a written report to the council, Cypress’s city staff said that allowing such a countywide agency to administer taxis “offers efficiencies for the city and the taxi industry, as well as improved service and safety.”
The staff report recommended that the council grant OCTA authority over taxis in Cypress. Councilwoman Anna L. Piercy agreed and said that administering taxi service countywide, rather than city by city, makes sense.
Councilman Tim Keenan also voted against the motion to reject the OCTA proposal.
But Mayor Tom Carroll, speaking for the majority, said: “We don’t need the OCTA to do this for us.”
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