Re-appointed San Francisco Taxicab Commission reconvenes after Mayoral shakeup

Bettencourt: "We're waiting for things to simmer down"

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

July 11, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Despite three new appointments to San Francisco's Taxicab Commission in the last two weeks and the 2 a.m. ousting of an executive director, the acting director says tonight's meeting should be business as usual.

"We're waiting for things to simmer down," Tristan Bettencourt said. "Tonight should be horribly routine."

The meeting will be the first led by Bettencourt who was appointed acting executive director after Heidi Machen was relieved of her post in a June 28-29 marathon closed session.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was visibly upset with the commission's decision, replaced two of the commissioners almost immediately, and Monday, he replaced a third with former San Francisco police officer Richard Benjamin.

"I am confident that someone of Richard's caliber will make every effort to ensure a taxi service that is safe, efficient and responsive to the residents of San Francisco," Newsom said in a statement. "His long standing background in law enforcement will certainly advance the Taxi Commission's role in implementing guidelines which serve the best interest in public safety and public welfare."

Benjamin will replace the commission's president, Martin Smith, who was instrumental in setting up Machen's dismissal.

"It's a mess," Smith said of the shake up. "This whole thing shouldn't have happened. We've been negotiating with the mayor for at least six months."

The commission is expected to, at least, discuss the nomination of different candidates for the executive director position at tonight's meeting, Bettencourt said. The list of candidates then goes to the mayor who makes the final appointment.

Bettencourt also said its only a matter of time before Machen is reappointed, but former President Smith said he will remain active on the commission and work to keep Machen from getting her job back.

"The mayor's actions were vengeful," Smith said. "We were working well together and we were really trying to get things done."

The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. in room 400 of City Hall.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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