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Three days after Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) vetoed taxi industry reforms, the County Council overrode his decision at an emergency session today.

The council vote allows the county to continue with plans to double the number of available cab permits in the county beginning this fall. The council had been crafting the bill for two years.

"The previous action of the council shall be affirmed, notwithstanding the objections of the county executive," said Council Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel to a crowd of more than 100 taxi drivers who cheered after the vote.

In a letter sent Friday to the council, Johnson said he was vetoing County Bill 36 because the proposal would "cause more problems than it solves."

It is the first time Johnson has vetoed legislation during his current four-year term. Johnson is prevented by term limits from running for re-election this year.

Johnson said he was concerned the changes would affect transportation options for the elderly because discounts may not be offered by new drivers. He also echoed industry concerns that there is not enough demand for so many more cabs on county roads.

"The taxicab service provided in the county is a key component to the overall public transportation system," Johnson wrote in the three-page letter. "Additional certificates could cause a negative impact on the service delivery ... to sustain the viability of quality services."

The legislation would add approximately 400 permits for cab drivers beginning in October and allow the county to add 75 more permits each year until 2016. There are currently 775 permits for cab drivers. The legislation would also increase fees for licenses and place new insurance requirements for drivers.

The changes have been pushed by a coalition of more than 200 taxicab drivers but opposed fiercely by cab company owners. The nine-member council unanimously passed the legislation July 13 after hours of testimony.

Thomas F. Matzen, who runs the county's Licenses, Inspections and Property Standards Division, said his department does not have enough employees to handle issuing new licenses while enforcing regulations.

Cab company owners are also considering filing a lawsuit over the business losses that could come from expanding the licenses, said John Lally, an Upper Marlboro lawyer who represents cab company owners.

Cab company representatives said it would be better to increase the licenses by 50 or 100, based on a formula of about one cab for every 10,000 residents. The county has a population of about 850,000.

"There has to be a rational basis for it," Lally said. "[The council can't] just pull a number out of the sky."

County officials have not updated taxicab regulations for more than a decade.

Members of the Prince George's County Taxi Workers Alliance, a coalition of about 200 drivers who have pushed for the changes, have said the current system gives a monopoly to established companies, who charge the independent drivers $300 or more per week for the right to drive company-owned vehicles.

"We don't struggle because there's no business," Henock S. Wogderse, a driver from Clinton, said the day the council passed the bill. "We struggle because the cab companies take 50 percent of our earnings each year."

Johnson wrote in his letter to the council that newly licensed cab drivers might not be willing to participate in the county's voucher program, which allows seniors and residents with disabilities to use county-issued coupons for reduced fares. The legislation does not require the new drivers to honor the discount program.

"The new pool ... will enable these drivers to deny seniors and handicapped residents, who need medical treatment and transportation," Johnson wrote.

Councilman Samuel Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville, who is running for county executive, said Johnson's veto arguments were "not factual."

Dean said the vouchers will be honored and the council deliberated over each of Johnson's concerns before approving the legislation.

Dernoga, who is running for state's attorney in the Sept. 14 primary election, accused Johnson of working on behalf of the taxicab industry, which he said has resisted all efforts to reach compromises.

"We gave numerous opportunities to participate," Dernoga said. "I have been disappointed by the disinformation and obfuscation."

Johnson spokesman John Erzen said the executive was "disappointed" by the vote and remains concerned about the impact of the legislation.