Philly Operators Maintain Opposition To Vehicle Fee

City of Brotherly Fees—Philadelphia regional operators continue to fight excessive $500 per vehicle fee.Photo source: Wikimedia Commons

CHESTER SPRINGS, Pa.—Although the Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) won a partial victory when a federal judge mediator in March negotiated a settlement between the PRLA and the  Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA)  to reduce a  vehicle registration  fee from $856 to $500, the PRLA, which filed the lawsuit against the PPA, ultimately wants the burdensome assessment fee eliminated.

During the Tuesday, May 10 meeting of the PRLA, hosted by Wolfington Body Co., PRLA President Steve Rhoads (Rhoads Limousine) urged members to continue to financially support lobbying efforts to repeal the assessment, as well as propose new ideas to bring on new members and host fundraising activities to pay for a lobbyist to represent the PRLA.

Several members collectively pledged about $9,000 dollars to jump-start the financing, but more money is needed to secure a viable lobbyist to represent the PRLA at the state level.

The assessment is unfair because taxi companies pay 1% of gross revenues and “we should be the same,” Rhoads said. Rhoads told members the 2017-2018 PPA per vehicle fee will be capped at $550, but the goal is to eliminate the burdensome assessment.

The TNCs operating in Philadelphia — now legally — must pay a 1.4% tax on each ride. The special tax was implemented to help fund the city’s school system, which gets two-thirds of the tax, while the PPA received one-third of the tax.