Revere councilors question taxi medallion fee

REVERE – Stephen Munafo says it is tough enough to make a buck these days without the City Council contemplating an increase in taxi medallion fees.”You can’t make any money, especially with gas prices,” the owner of Royal Taxi said.Munafo operates 11 cabs in Revere and competes for fares with Patriot and other taxi companies. He agrees with police who say the current $145 fee is in line with what neighboring communities, excluding Boston, charge for a taxi medallion.Councilors are weighing the prospect of increasing the fee to pay for additional city inspections aimed at ensuring cab companies operate safe and clean vehicles.Royal and other companies are required to maintain a storefront office in the city and off street parking for their vehicles. Cabs must have their names and other business information painted on their sides and companies must paint their cars a uniform color.Councilor at Large Anthony Zambuto is concerned some cab companies are “gaming the system” by stinting on their workers’ compensation and insurance obligations.”I don’t feel regulations are being enforced,” he told Police Chief Terence Reardon and subordinate officers assigned to hackney enforcement Monday.Reardon said insurance and workers compensation enforcement are the responsibility of state agencies. Local police are charged with inspecting cabs and answering passenger complaints, including one from Councilor at Large Daniel Rizzo who said he and his wife traveled in a cab this winter with a window that would not roll up.”Is there an obligation to keep cabs (maintained) all year?” Rizzo asked Reardon.Zambuto suggested a medallion fee hike could ensure police have enough money to pay for frequent and comprehensive inspections. Reardon urged councilors not to “kick” cab company owners like Munafo with higher fees.”These guys are, by definition, small businesses.”Zambuto and Ward 6 Councilor Charles Patch also sought police assurances that drivers who operate cabs tagged with “pupil” license plates undergo criminal and sex offender background checks.Thirty-four city medallions are currently held by local operators and up to 75 can be distributed. That number has it origins in the days when people flocking to local racetracks summoned cabs.