Towing company operators are asking the City of Peoria to consider a larger increase than planned for city code towing fees.
The city council heard a first reading of the proposed ordinance at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The recommendation from corporation counsel Patrick Hayes would raise the fee in line with calculations based on inflation and the Consumer Price Index, from $175 to $185.
The fee was last substantially raised in 2020, from $100 to $150. The agreement then also included a $5 increase each year.
Hayes told the council that Donnie Stanton, the operator of Mr. Tow It in Peoria, had requested an increase to $250 on behalf of area towing operators.
“But as this is largely an involuntary episode on behalf of individuals who find themselves with their vehicle being towed, some who are apprehended by law enforcement, but others that are involved in an auto accident and not able to operate their car, might have been carted away to the hospital, we felt that an adjustment consistent with CPI would be more appropriate for our residents, particularly our resident of limited means,” said Hayes.
Hayes said he understood the operators had “persuaded” other cities in the area to adopt the $250 towing fee. Addressing the council during discussion, Stanton took issue with that description.
“Because we have not received a raise in so many years on a regular basis, it’s put the city of Peoria way behind everybody else,” he said. “The sticker shock in 2020, like he claims, was a high raise, it still doesn’t put us where everybody else is.”
Stanton said the $250 proposed fee was in line with inflation, listing price increases to equipment used by the towing companies.
“In 2020, my last two trucks, after we signed the contract, were $105,000 a piece,” he said. “To replace that truck tomorrow now is $178,000 for one flat bed. The big wreckers, to be on rotation now, max a million dollars a piece.”
Stanton further argued that many tows that weren’t for cars impounded due to traffic offenses or police incidents were covered by insurance. Hayes later told council member Andre Allen the city does not have statistics on how many tows are covered by insurance.
Stanton said if there wasn’t a raise in fees to meet the challenges of inflation, fewer and fewer towing companies may even take the opportunity to contract with the city.
Council member Chuck Grayeb suggested a possible two-tier system, with different fee rates depending on whether the car was towed because the driver “caused problems” with police or there was an accident that was no fault of the driver’s own.
“We’re all sympathetic toward those people who are hapless in auto accidents, etc.” he said. “But not so sympathetic toward the others.”
“I would be concerned about a two-tiered system because it’s a judgement call,” said Mayor Rita Ali. “Who are the bad guys and who are the good guys and in some cases it has not yet been determined because you haven’t gone to court.”
Other council members voiced concerns about additional fees potentially stacking on to towed cars.
“It can really get out of hand,” said member Bernice Gordon-Young. “Just to see, people are struggling quite often and I don’t want to see folks lose their car just because they cannot afford to get it out of tow.”
During public comment, Bruce Pedigo, owner of Joe’s Towing, called the proposed fee increase a “slap in the face.”
“We go out, three or four o’ clock in the morning and clean up an intersection, clean up a roadway, clean up a fatal [crash] and we may never get paid,” Pedigo said. “So, I think you need to sit down with me, Donnie, some of the other guys before you just recommend a $10 [cost of living] increase.”
The council voted unanimously to receive and file the first reading of the ordinance. It will be considered at a future meeting.
