Tampa Taxi and Limousine Commission Ups Licensing Fees 900%

The cost for Florida Intercounty Motor Carriers to obtain licensure so they can transport their passengers to the Tampa International Airport has just jumped to over $11,000.00. End Quote

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (1888PressRelease) July 18, 2009 - The Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission (HCPTC) has raised licensing fees 900% and non-county based annual vehicle permit fees 233% at the request of local Tampa taxi cabs and limousines.

"This is a blatant illegal attempt to discourage passenger transportation companies located in other counties from applying for licensure mandated in state law so they can service their local communities needs for transportation to the regional interstate hubs in Tampa", says Walt Kozak, founder of the consumer advocate group, Florida Intrastate Transportation Alliance.

The only agency of its type in the State, the HCPTC is a creation of the Florida Legislature through enactment of a special state law with the purpose of regulating passenger for hire vehicles operating on the roadways of Hillsborough County thereby giving the commission complete control over ground transportation passing through Tampa International Airport.

Advises Kozak, "the law is simple, have a HCPTC license to enter Hillsborough or go to jail under 2d degree misdemeanor charges. The HCPTC is authorized under law to charge fees for services rendered, not as a tool to suppress competition. This commission has, with support of its legal adviser, the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office, adopted into rule, a fees increase which violates the law."

"Under its taxi cab economic protection mantra, the HCPTC has already restricted intercounty motor carriers to using only expensive, high-end luxury vehicles and to carry insurance minimums 3 times that applied to Tampa taxi cabs with these high operating costs passed onto the consumer."

"We're not talking transporting "fat cat" corporate executives to the airport here," exclaims Kozak, "we are talking about the 75 year old lady on a limited income "needing" transportation to the airport so she can catch a flight out of state to vist the grandkids and this agency is forcing her to pay top dollar for a 50 to 100 mile trip to Tampa and now this commission wants to add to this cost by restricting competition".

Continues Kozak, "we attempted to challenge this unlawful fees increase through the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH). Though mandated under its law to adopt rules in conformance with the Florida Administrative Procedures Act, the DOAH Judge sided with Orlando Perez of the County Attorney's Office who argued that DOAH has no jurisdiction to hear the case. The only option left to fight this highway robbery would be a long expensive fight in civil court".

"This is how our arrogant government gets away with unlawful acts", fumes Kozak, "they knowingly violate law and the law makes it too tough for the common citizen to issue a challenge and they know this. In our case, we would have to go into Hillsborough, sue a Hillsborough Agency in front of a Hillsborough elected Judge with the agency being represented by a taxpayer fed County Attorney. The odds are clearly stacked against us".

"We have called on State Senators Mike Fasano and Ronda Storms as well as Representatives Mike Scionti and Rob Schenck to investigate this agency the Legislature has created but have been met with deafening silence so it seems as though their constituents will continue to carry the economic penalties imposed by the unlawful actions of this rogue commission", finishes Kozak

http://www.thefita.com

###

Visit Florida Intrastate Transportation Alliance Website

space