Street Vendors Vow Not to Be 'Bullied'

Vendors sighed and shouted during the testimony of entrepreneur Gabe Klein, who has received exceptions to current regulations for his company On the Fly to operate two electric vending carts downtown. Some vendors and owners of warehouses that sell them their hot dogs say the city has been favoring Klein because he offers gourmet cuisine and fits with the city's vision for the future of vending.

In a 2006 survey conducted by the city, 82 percent of respondents said they wanted more street food options. The current fare is mostly hot dogs, chips, candy and soda.

Cheh asked Klein how he got two spots downtown when current law says vendors can be licensed for only one spot.

Klein said he participated in two lotteries for spots, but because his company has more than one licensed vendor, several names were submitted.

"If I only had one shot at it, and you had 10 shots at it . . . that's not fair," Cheh said, drawing applause.

In an interview, Klein said he put four names into the hat each time.

After the six-hour hearing, Williams said he understood the concerns. "People have real fears, and it's based on real problems in the past," he said.