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   That’s despite four cab companies claiming the regulation, higher than the $35,000 state minimum, would force them out of town.

   Manuel Mendita, of East Windsor-based Super Taxi, told the council Monday that getting the additional coverage would nearly double his annual premium from $4,500 to $8,000.

   ”The way the economy is, the cab companies don’t have that amount of money,” Mr. Mendita said.

   But his comments were met with little sympathy from council as it approved the latest revisions to its taxi ordinance by a 4-1 vote.

   The lone dissenting voice was Councilman Mike Theokas, who said he voted against it because it did not include restrictions on the number of cabs that can operate on borough streets, something he has been supporting for nearly a year.

   During the discussion, Mr. Theokas was the only council member who entertained the idea of lowering the insurance requirement, saying the higher costs “tie businesses’ hands.”

   When the question came up of what to do about companies that apply with the lower coverage, councilmen Jeff Bond — who has advocated for even higher insurance requirements — and Larry Quattrone said they should be rejected.

   ”You reject them, and then you highlight why they failed and ask them to get more insurance. It’s as simple as that,” Mr. Quattrone said.

   Three other cab companies — borough-based Mega Taxi and United Taxi and East Windsor-based TeleTaxi — all told the Herald last week that they’ve been operating for years with the state minimum and can’t afford to raise it.

   And each of those companies have had their licenses renewed each year since 2005 when the Borough Council approved its taxi ordinance containing the higher requirement.

   Those applications were processed by the borough’s deputy clerk, Leona Baylor, who recently acknowledged and took the blame for the oversight.

   Taxi applications going forward will be held to the requirement and rejected if they do not have it, Ms. Baylor said.

   She added this week that it is still too early to tell how many of the seven applications meet borough standards.

   The taxi insurance regulations for surrounding East Windsor, where each of the cab companies mentioned also operate, mirror the state requirements, according to Mayor Janice Mironov.

mchiappardi

@centraljersey.com

   That’s despite four cab companies claiming the regulation, higher than the $35,000 state minimum, would force them out of town.

   Manuel Mendita, of East Windsor-based Super Taxi, told the council Monday that getting the additional coverage would nearly double his annual premium from $4,500 to $8,000.

   ”The way the economy is, the cab companies don’t have that amount of money,” Mr. Mendita said.

   But his comments were met with little sympathy from council as it approved the latest revisions to its taxi ordinance by a 4-1 vote.

   The lone dissenting voice was Councilman Mike Theokas, who said he voted against it because it did not include restrictions on the number of cabs that can operate on borough streets, something he has been supporting for nearly a year.

   During the discussion, Mr. Theokas was the only council member who entertained the idea of lowering the insurance requirement, saying the higher costs “tie businesses’ hands.”

   When the question came up of what to do about companies that apply with the lower coverage, councilmen Jeff Bond — who has advocated for even higher insurance requirements — and Larry Quattrone said they should be rejected.

   ”You reject them, and then you highlight why they failed and ask them to get more insurance. It’s as simple as that,” Mr. Quattrone said.

   Three other cab companies — borough-based Mega Taxi and United Taxi and East Windsor-based TeleTaxi — all told the Herald last week that they’ve been operating for years with the state minimum and can’t afford to raise it.

   And each of those companies have had their licenses renewed each year since 2005 when the Borough Council approved its taxi ordinance containing the higher requirement.

   Those applications were processed by the borough’s deputy clerk, Leona Baylor, who recently acknowledged and took the blame for the oversight.

   Taxi applications going forward will be held to the requirement and rejected if they do not have it, Ms. Baylor said.

   She added this week that it is still too early to tell how many of the seven applications meet borough standards.

   The taxi insurance regulations for surrounding East Windsor, where each of the cab companies mentioned also operate, mirror the state requirements, according to Mayor Janice Mironov.

mchiappardi

@centraljersey.com