Legislation targeting “predatory” tow trucks who show up unauthorized at car wrecks in Baltimore City and charge exorbitant fees gained critical support from lawmakers this week.
Members of a City Council committee Tuesday voted to advance a proposal increasing penalties for unauthorized towers from $100 to $1,000. Bill sponsor Councilman Robert Curran said tow companies other than those summoned by police show up at accident scenes and charge up to $1,360 for a tow.
“We need to rein in these predatory towers and let the public know thiscity council and mayor are trying to curb this problem,” Curran said. “We pay so much for car insurance in the city compared to our subdivisions and we need to mitigate some of that redlining.”
Under the proposal ? which will go before the full council Monday ? car owners would still retain the right to choose their own tower, such as an auto club like AAA. Some tow truck drivers said police-authorized companies, known as “medallion companies,” are required to respond to accidents within 20 minutes.
Allowing owners to select their own tow company isn?t practical, said Richard Berman of Berman?s Towing on Reisterstown Road.
Carolyn Bonnett, a lobbyist for AAA, encouraged lawmakers to rethink increasing application and annual license fees from $100 to $1,000.
“I think there are some unintended consequences,” Bonnett said. “This could stifle competition and eliminate smaller towing companies.”
In other business, the council?s Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee shelved a proposal to require homeowners to display their address number in the front and rear of their property. Violators would be guilty of a misdemeanor and pay a $500 fine.
A committee vote was postponed after some members said they are hesitant to criminalize the requirement, and worried the fine is too high. Councilman James Kraft said the sanctions provide “leverage.”
“We need to have a hammer.”
