STITA granted stay in Sea-Tac cab battle
SEATTLE -- The Port of Seattle will have to hold off signing a deal with Yellow Cab.
The commissioner of the state Court of Appeals issued a stay late Monday, effectively nullifying a judge's decision in favor of the deal.
On Feb. 4, a King County judge denied Sea-Tac Taxi Association's petition to delay the Port of Seattle from signing a contract with Yellow Cab.
"We're thrilled with this late-breaking win," said Jesse Buttar, a STITA cab owner. "We know we have a case. We just want a fair shot at the airport contract."
STITA, a nonprofit group that has served the airport exclusively for two decades, filed the petition after the port dropped the company it helped set up. Yellow Cab won the port's first competitive bid of $18.3 million, a sum $8 million greater than the bid STITA submitted.
STITA alleged an unfair bidding process, but Mark Reis, managing director of Sea-Tac Airport, told KOMO News in an earlier interview that STITA knew about the competitive process seven years ago.
In denying the petition, King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzales said STITA's complaints came too late.
"The plaintiff had the opportunity to file a complaint during the process, and they did not. They only complained when they did not win the bid," he said.
The commissioner is expected to hear the merits of the case this week. Yellow Cab is scheduled to take over airport cab services in September.
The commissioner of the state Court of Appeals issued a stay late Monday, effectively nullifying a judge's decision in favor of the deal.
On Feb. 4, a King County judge denied Sea-Tac Taxi Association's petition to delay the Port of Seattle from signing a contract with Yellow Cab.
"We're thrilled with this late-breaking win," said Jesse Buttar, a STITA cab owner. "We know we have a case. We just want a fair shot at the airport contract."
STITA, a nonprofit group that has served the airport exclusively for two decades, filed the petition after the port dropped the company it helped set up. Yellow Cab won the port's first competitive bid of $18.3 million, a sum $8 million greater than the bid STITA submitted.
STITA alleged an unfair bidding process, but Mark Reis, managing director of Sea-Tac Airport, told KOMO News in an earlier interview that STITA knew about the competitive process seven years ago.
In denying the petition, King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzales said STITA's complaints came too late.
"The plaintiff had the opportunity to file a complaint during the process, and they did not. They only complained when they did not win the bid," he said.
The commissioner is expected to hear the merits of the case this week. Yellow Cab is scheduled to take over airport cab services in September.