Leary wants to see competitive marketplace

Historic City News was in communication with St. Augustine City Commissioner Bill Leary this weekend; in preparation for issues he will raise at tonight’s meeting.

At issue is a hotly contested new ordinance that seeks to regulate the animal-drawn carriage industry in town — an industry that has supported tourism for a hundred years. Leary is skeptical of certain terms of the new ordinance that he says, “I have a philosophical objection to”. For decades the city’s carriage drivers have leased licenses from Ambrose Colee then Stuart Gamsey and later Murphy McDaniel — the three generations of Avalon Carriage; a company that has dominated the sightseeing business.

Certainly, Leary had nothing to do with creating it; however, he is critical of the city for allowing what he calls a “virtual monopoly” by one carriage operator or another to exist with little regulation. “Courts allow monopolies but only if carefully regulated,” Leary said. “The new ordinance wisely replaces the monopoly with competition, but then imposes too much regulation rather than relying upon the marketplace.”

In a press statement, Leary prefaced tonight’s meeting with an announcement that he will support three amendments to the recently adopted carriage ordinance:

(1) remove the ban on carriage rides from 4:30 p.m, to 6 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays
(2) lengthen franchises to mimic trolley franchises
(3) allow carriage franchises to be assigned or sold like trolley franchises

“I will seek to make the carriage franchises more closely mirror those for the trolleys,” Leary said; telling Historic City News editor Michael Gold that he feels that a fair marketplace will not exist unless those conditions are applied.

Leary pointed out that during the past year, the city has successfully partnered with the National Park Service to accomplish joint ticket sales and with the University of Florida over the management of state-owned historic properties.

Leary said the city still needs to “put our adversarial history with the carriages behind us and work together.” Generally, Leary told Historic City News that he believes that the city should cooperate with local entrepreneurs and strengthen our number one industry; tourism.

If you are planning to attend — the regular St. Augustine City Commission meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. tonight and will be held in the Alcazar Room; on the first floor of City Hall, located at 75 King Street in St. Augustine. It will be broadcast live on Comcast Government TV (Cable Channel 3) and is streamed over the Internet.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer