New York mayor Bill de Blasio recently appointed two industry favourites: former TLC-Commissioner Fidel Del Valle is now Commissioner and Chief Judge of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings – an office which oversees administrative hearings, including those concerning cases against taxi operators. Earlier De Blasio appointed Izabella Vais to assistant-Commissioner at the TLC.
De Blasio’s campaign was heavily financed by New York’s taxi and FHV industry, which disliked mayor Bloomberg’s taxi and FHV reforms. Del Valle, son of a taxidriver, was Commissioner under former mayor Dinkins and partly under the reign of mayor Giuliani. Del Valle was a major contributor to De Blasio’s campaign. Before his time as Commissioner Del Valle served as counsel to the League of Mutual Taxi Owners (LOMTO) and later as counsel to the Greater New York Taxi Association.

• Two appointments reflect taxi and FHV companies’ financial support of De Blasio campaign.