Port Jervis council adopts local law allowing case-by-case appeals for taxi licenses after felony convictions

The Port Jervis Common Council on Feb. 3 adopted Local Law No. 2 of 02/2025, amending the city’s taxi licensing process to allow the council to hear and decide appeals from applicants who have felony convictions.

Councilman Jason Figueroa said the change "just gives the the council the authority, during the appeals process to approve an appeal if it deems necessary on a case by case basis, to, allow somebody to get a taxi driver's license if they have a, previous conviction for a felony." He and other supporters framed the change as adding discretion rather than creating an entitlement to a license.

The law removes the current automatic bar that prevents anyone with a felony conviction from applying for a city taxi license and instead permits the council to consider individual circumstances, including the nature of the conviction and how long ago it occurred.

A member of the public who spoke during the hearing said she was concerned the ordinance offered no written criteria to guide decisions and asked the council to adopt standards. "I just hope that without written criteria, that we make the right decision each time, I guess," the commenter said.

The council closed the public hearing and then voted to adopt the local law. The motion to close the hearing and the motion to adopt were moved and seconded from the council dais; the transcript records the motions and that the motions carried but does not record a roll-call tally in detail.

The change is limited to council discretion on appeals; the law does not compel the council to grant any particular appeal. The council did not adopt written evaluative criteria during the meeting.

Council members who moved and seconded the motions on the record included Councilman Vicarello (mover) and Councilman Colin O'Connell (second) for closing the hearing and for adoption.