Council looks to give up setting taxi rates

The Winthrop Town Council is taking the next step to getting out of the taxi business.

For decades, the council has set the rates for taxi businesses in town, which essentially comes down to one company, Winthrop Taxi.

Earlier this summer, the council approved a fare increase. But councilors expressed an interest in deleting the taxi fare ordinances, citing the proliferation of rideshare companies operating in town and a hesitation to set rates for private companies.

A motion to delete the taxi fare ordinance was brought forward at last week’s council meeting. It will move forward for a public hearing at the next town council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Council President Jim Letterie joked that the motion should be sent to the “common sense” committee.

“We had a discussion at the last meeting where we were asked (for) an increase in the taxi fare, and that’s what we did,” said Letterie. “I feel strongly that we shouldn’t be making any decisions on somebody’s business that you don’t know.”

Letterie said there was a time and place where the council setting taxi fare rates made sense to protect the residents of the town when there was a lack of competition.

“I do personally feel that there is competition now with rideshares and such,” said Letterie.

In addition to the public hearing, the proposed ordinance change will have to go before the town council’s rules and ordinance subcommittee.