We finally have a new head of the Taxi Commission, that being the old head, Heidi Machen. We certainly hope she enjoyed her month-long vacation. Unlike her previous reign, however, Gavin gave her some homies to have her back and finally replaced three outgoing commissioners whose terms had already expired. Gavin should have done this earlier, but it got in the way of his appearing on morning radio shows.

Of note is the resignation of the interim Taxi Commissioner and BFF of Heidi, Tristan Bettencourt. Tristan resigned after stories of past transgressions with the law were made public. In fact, Tristan seems to be the whole reason we are where we are in all of this.

For whatever reason, somebody out there really didn’t like Tristan. Really, really, really, really didn't like him. According to all we've gathered in our exhaustive five (no, wait, six!) minute research of this whole meshigas, somebody (allegedly Yellow Cab) hired a private dick to look into Tristan's past. Which they did, finding all sorts of nasty rumors and accusations and lord, don't ever screw anyone on eBay and then go into Government. With dirt dug, a dossier was developed and distributed. Media outlets were sent the info (including us), message boards were spammed, and web sites set up.

So the question that's begged to be asked is why all the hating on Tristan and what does this have to do with Heidi? Well, some say that the enmity between Heidi and her fellow Commissioners all stemmed from her hiring of Tristan. See while Tristan was at one point a cab driver, his main claim to fame was being BFF and ex-roommate of Heidi (we've read differing accounts of their relationship-- some say they were BF/GF while others just say they were friends). So all this was because they thought Tristan was some lackey and resented the lackey getting a position over them.

Others, however, say that it's mainly because Heidi Machen was gaining some rather big and powerful enemies for her wacky assertions that actual rules and regulations be followed. So Heidi's opponents, mainly the established taxi powers (the Taxi Industrial Complex?) struck back. But instead of going after Heidi, who from all accounts is a hard working, midlevel bureaucrat, they went after Tristan to embarass her and her boss, that being Gavin.

See, it's all about medallions-- driver gold, taxi tea. Heidi wanted to change how they were handed out, or at least make sure the rules were followed in handing them out, and certain people (like Yellow Cab) didn't like it because it would mean either a loss of medallions or loss of control of medallions or losing money they’d get in holding onto them. So going after Tristan was the easiest way of going after Heidi.

What does this mean to you? Not much, actually, other than it'll still be almost impossible to get a cab in this city. But now maybe it'll be a little less than impossible.