Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Medallion Study topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners back expanded analysis of taxi medallion debt and racial impacts
Summary
LAFCO commissioners asked staff to expand its scope on taxi medallion research, separating it from the mobility labor study and including a racial analysis; commissioners and public commenters said the MTA draft report was inadequate on financial relief for medallion holders.
Executive Officer Brian Goebel told the commission he planned to analyze the MTA’s draft report on taxi medallions and produce LAFCO recommendations rather than commissioning a separate full study. Commissioners expressed concern that the MTA draft did not offer financial relief and asked LAFCO staff to dig deeper and include comparative analysis with other cities such as New York.
Commissioner Hillary Ronan said the report "is inadequate" and does not explore how the MTA itself could provide financial relief; she and other commissioners urged a deeper analysis and asked that LAFCO separate the medallion analysis from the broader study on emerging mobility labor issues. Commissioner Cynthia Pollock specifically requested that the medallion work include a racial analysis of impacts on drivers.
Public commenters raised personal and community harms tied to medallion pricing and argued for solutions, including fees or taxes on ride‑hail companies to fund relief for medallion owners. Executive Officer Goebel agreed to develop a scope for a separate medallion analysis and present it to the commission at the September 21 meeting.
