Cab tax unfair to suburban hacks

Once again Mayor Daley, House Speaker Madigan and Senate Leader Cullerton are placing the payments to McPier on the shoulders of the suburban taxi and limousine drivers and not the Chicago drivers as is it intended.

With the new McPier funding (vetoed by Gov. Quinn), the departure fee from both airports increases from $2 to $4 per trip. Less than half of the Chicago taxis pay the departure fee because after the passengers reach the airports, the drivers "dead head" back to downtown or the neighborhoods avoiding the fee. Only the drivers stationed at the airports pay the departure fee.

Suburban taxis and limousines (white license plates) by law cannot go intracity, picking up and delivering anyone within the limits of Chicago. Therefore, these drivers do not benefit from conventions or any other activity downtown. All the suburban drivers can do is pick up, pay the McPier Tax and return to the suburbs.

The McPier tax should be paid by the Chicago licensed taxis and limousines (currently tan plates) with a yearly tax at the time of license renewal and stop taxing those that are unable to benefit from McPier.

Jack McCabe

Batavia