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Boise council defers proposed towing-fee overhaul after tow companies warn rates, language would undercut heavy-duty removals
Summary
After a staff presentation on changes required by Idaho House Bill 174, tow operators testified the draft fee schedule would leave many heavy-duty and motorhome removals unprofitable; council voted to defer and renotice the ordinance to allow further stakeholder work (hearing continued to 2026-02-10).
Boise — Council members on Tuesday deferred an ordinance that would update the city’s nonconsent towing fee schedule after tow companies and industry representatives warned the draft would not cover real-world costs for large or hazardous removals.
City staff said the rewrite is intended to align Boise City code with changes in Idaho law (House Bill 174, effective Jan. 1) that shift some private-property towing responsibilities and change notification processes. Ed Fritz, who presented the changes, told council the package would replace decades-old amounts and set new maximums — including a proposed flat $150 base and higher labor and mileage allowances — to improve tow availability and officer safety.
“The proposed rate adjustments … are proposed to match what Ada County and the agencies are charging right now,” Fritz said during the presentation, describing the goals as timely roadway clearance,…
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