Hayashi's Plan: a Thought - Let's Back It!

I'm beginning to hear rumblings against Director Hayashi's plan. Maybe the Driver's Fund isn't big enough or maybe the retirement isn't quite what it should be or maybe the down payment will be too large. But why isn't the upfront option included? What about peak-time cabs? Why is the fixed rate so small? Why should those free-loading medallion holders get anything at all?

A few people are actually waiting to see if this or that detail will be included before deciding whether or not to back Hayashi's presentation before the MTA next Tuesday. One person even suggested that Chris might be playing "good cop/bad cop" with Newsom.

If so, is there really any doubt as to who the good cop is?

I think this nit-picking shows a monumental misunderstanding of the situation we are facing.

This is not the UTW or the MHA or the SFCDA vs Director Hayashi. None of these groups are powerful unions that could call an industry-wide strike. The best that any of them could do is file a lawsuit that would be expensive, may or may not succeed and might be beside the point by the time a decision would made.

The reality of the situation is that Hayashi is trying to make an omelet out of eggs have already been broken. She's trying to give something to everybody. She's tying to do what is possible. She's trying her best to be fair.

I think that the powers-that-be are betting that she can't do it. I believe that they think that "cabbies" are too quarrelsome and too stupid to hang together. Divide and conquer is the catch prase. They're waiting to see her fail.

I'd like to remind you all that Hayashi's plan is "temporary, experimental and provisional." If there is some detail you don't like, you have a year to change it.

On the other hand, if drivers don't support Director Hayashi at the MTA meeting next Tuesday, our input will be history. Without Chris's compromise plan, there will be no taxi reform. Newsom and Heinicke will decide what the plan will be.

In other words, not to support her now would be like shooting ourselves in the foot or committing political harry carey.

Chris Hayashi has been a tireless worker on our behalf. Let's show up in force on Tuesday. Supporting her is supporting ourselves.