June 13, 2008
City boosts taxi fares by $2
A taxi rate increase and new guidelines mandated by the Oregon Legislature for reviewing use of deadly force by police officers passed at Tuesday's Baker City Council meeting.
Baker County District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff presented the Deadly Physical Force Plan, which he said had already been approved by the Baker County Commission.
After the City Council's approval on Tuesday, Police Chief Wyn Lohner said the plan must be submitted to the state attorney general's office in Salem for final review for compliance with requirements of Senate Bill 11.
On the taxi fare increase resolution, Sally Scelson, owner of Baker Cab Co., told the City Council that an increase in cab fares was needed to offset soaring fuel prices.
Under the new taxi fares schedule approved Tuesday, fares increase from $6 to $8 for one person traveling from point-to-point within the Baker City limits. The fare for each additional passenger remained the same at $2 for each additional rider over age 12, $1.50 for children between six and 12. No additional fare is charged for additional passengers under the age of six.
Fares were increased from $10 to $12 for the first passenger for taxi service from Baker City to the Baker City Airport, as well as the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (a round trip fare to the Interpretive Center was raised from $18 to $20 .
Fares from the Baker City Airport to the Interpretive Center were set at $14, or $24 round trip, plus $2 for additional passengers.
The higher fares will take effect later this month.
The Council rejected a request from Scelson seeking the ability to establish automatic rate increases whenever fuel costs increases hit $1 more than the cost of fuel at the time of the most recent taxi rate increase.
Mayor Jeff Petry and other councilors suggested that the cab company would be better off coming back to the council whenever fuel costs rise to the point they need to raise rates, rather than waiting until fuel cost increases hit the $1 mark.
Following the Council's approval of the taxi rate increases, Petry appointed a transportation task force to look into concerns raised by Scelson about negative effects on her business from taxi-type bus services being provided by the publicly funded Community Connection of Baker County.
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6708
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