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Board keeps pushing rate-recommendation to Chattanooga City Council amid industry questions
Summary
The board voted to keep its recommendation for rate adjustments for taxi and tow companies on its agenda and to forward the recommendation to the mayor's office; industry speakers questioned whether the '3%' on the agenda referred to a fixed increase or an annual CPI adjustment and urged city staff to attend future meetings.
The Passenger Vehicle for Hire Board on Feb. 5 voted to continue advancing its recommendation on rate adjustments for taxi and tow companies while it waits for city council action, and industry members used public comment to press for clarity and for city staff to attend future meetings.
The chair said the board is awaiting an update from city council after forwarding its recommendation for what appears on the agenda as a 3% rate increase for taxi companies and a separate 3% figure for tow companies. The board moved and seconded a motion to keep making the recommendation and "keep it on our agenda" until the item reaches the council docket; the motion carried by voice vote.
Jonathan Easter of Nougat Taxi said he had not requested a 3% increase and asked whether the number on the agenda reflected a fixed 3% or an annual adjustment tied to the consumer-price index. "So that's not what we were asking for," Easter said, noting that his proposal compared local rates to those in nearby cities rather than seeking a flat annual percentage.
An unidentified board member and staff reported that a related lawsuit remains active: a discovery motion was continued and "the case is still pending," according to one speaker. The board discussed forwarding recommendations to Chris Anderson in the mayor's office as the staff contact who could request placement on the city council agenda.
Mark Shackle of Shackle Tow and Recovery used the public-comment period to urge the mayor's office and zoning staff to appear at a future board meeting to answer outstanding questions. "You're wasting my time," Shackle said, urging the board to secure direct responses from city staff rather than repeatedly sending recommendations without follow-up.
Board members agreed to follow up by emailing the mayor's office and asking that the relevant staff—Chris Anderson and zoning—attend a future meeting or provide a response to the board's outstanding questions. No city-council vote or ordinance change was recorded at the meeting; the board's action preserves its recommendation while it seeks council consideration.
