i am with a group called medallion holders association. during the last six years, there were biennial hearings to see of the drivers deserved a meter rate increase and on all three occasions, the controllers said yes. the consumer price index indicated that. the supervisors have the prerogative to ignore that recommendation and they did. i appreciate his body biting the bullet and having a substantial increase to the public even the members will not like it. i would like to thank chris who made an articulate and compassionate in -- speech on how they deserve this increase. on item 12 on would urge you to put out 35 medallions. i am sure that the city will have more fleet expansion as time goes on. there can be further hearings. on the part time medallion system, i think it is interesting. service needs are greater on friday and saturday nights than sunday morning. it will be interesting to have an experiment to see if there can be a part-time single operator system. the way it is designed in the criteria, it is lacking. the medallion asso

association. i want to support the meter increase that has been proposed and i expect that you will accept that. i am against the 10 medallions that are being sold directly by the mta. i do not think the mta should be in the business of selling them outright. it is one thing to sell to other drivers. there is a rationale for that and giving an exit strategy but there is a conflict of interest when the mta start selling the medallions and getting revenue and the question becomes, do we need the cabs or do you need revenue? we did discuss a single operator permit, we voted on it. i do not know why jim gillespie said we did not. i do not agree with the mta renting them out as a pilot program. i like the incentive idea that if you take enough radio calls there would be no charge for it. and possibly explore what was suggested about the medallion holders being able to purchase the medallions or obtain them. i think they should be earned. i do not think they should have to be bought by people who spent their career driving a cab and putting up with what all that takes. as far as yellow cab not supporting this, i worked for yellow c