Kindness and courtesy under attack in Aspen
From Aspen Daily News...
The 72-year-old road maverick, Phil Sullivan, appeared in Aspen’s municipal court Wednesday morning, answering charges that he is violating five city of Aspen ordinances by running his free van around the Aspen area.
He is due back in court on Nov. 5, when dates for his trial will be selected. He has pleaded not guilty on all five complaints but he has not yet hired an attorney....
Sullivan, one-time co-owner of the now-defunct Mellow Yellow local taxi service, can be seen driving around town nightly, in the 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. range, in a van with an illuminated green sign on its roof. The sign once read “Free Taxi” but now rotates various messages. The current sign says, “Vote.”
The driver maintains that he never asks for money and that he runs the service for fun, and as a community service. But the city claims he does accept tips....
The city alleges that Sullivan, since 2006, has run a business without a license, not filed city business and occupation taxes, not displayed his rate for a ride, and operated a taxi without a meter. The city also claims that by running his free service Sullivan violated its “general requirements” for businesses, which mandates they abide by all laws, and forbids they do anything that could “affect the public health, safety, morals or welfare.”
Turns out the original complain came from the owner of Aspen's only paid taxi service, Todd Gardner, of High Mountain Taxi. Todd doesn't get capitalism. If Phil wants to give away what Todd is selling, then in a free market, that should be allowable. supply and Demand. The socialist city of Aspen, however, wants to step in and regulate supply so kindness gets punished.
Once this story gets out, though, I doubt Todd or the city of Aspen will want to be portrayed as bullies, and the charges will be dropped. Hopefully, though some enterprising Aspen attorney will realize the advertising opportunity and take Phil's case pro bono, so Phil can at least maneuver the legal maze of the courts before things get too sticky.
Posted by Danny Carlton at October 24, 2008 6:53 AM