Green Cab's taxi licenses have rivals seeing red

King County announced Friday it plans to issue 50 new taxi licenses to Green Cab Taxi & Disabled Association, even though other taxi associations say the county is unfairly awarding the contract to Green Cab.

The licenses are part of a test program to use more fuel-efficient cars and improve working conditions by hiring union-represented drivers. Drivers usually lease or own their cabs.

The licenses will be valid in unincorporated King County and contracting cities.

Caroline Whalen, program project director for King County Executive Administration, said Green Cab was the "the most able" to conduct the test program.

She rejected allegations by competitors that the county chose Green Cab because some drivers had donated to County Executive Ron Sims' re-election campaign. While the county was considering the program in 2005, at least seven members now involved with Green Cab gave to Sims' campaign.

Earlier this year, the Alliance of Taxi Associations won a temporary restraining order preventing the county from giving the licenses to Green Cab. Joe Blondo, president of the alliance, said Friday he was disappointed the county had selected Green Cab.

"There appeared to be some kind of unknown politics governing the release of the licenses to begin with," Blondo said. "That backdoor agreement appears to still be intact."

Blondo competed for the contract as president of The Green Alliance Taxi Cab Association. Go Green Taxi also applied.

In February, another taxi association sued the county over the contract in King County Superior Court. That case is pending.

Will Kelley, who works with Green Cab, said, "We're excited" about the county's decision, but declined to comment on any other issues.

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com