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NYT > Taxi and Limousine Commission

30 April 2023

NYT > Taxi and Limousine Commission

New Source of Revenue

A cash cow is hidden around our community. Local governments must be very smart in order to find a good way to generate it. Today, public transportation is by far one of the fastest growing sources of revenue for our local governments. For example, in Miami, Florida a professional cab driver spends more than $5,000.00 in tolls and gas taxes per year. This is more money than 50% of property owners do not pay as property taxes in Miami Dade County. It is almost double as the median property tax in Miami-Dade County, Florida is $2,600.00

Stronger Local Government

All the money yielded from public transportation and other forms of transportation and other forms of transport has been added to the County general fund, which allows public officials to build a strong local government.

We consider a local government very strong when elected officials who govern a specific jurisdiction have the necessary financial and human resources in order to develop and improve the economic and social well-being of their residents, so that they can fulfill their basic needs.

Economic Development

In order to achieve economic development, a strong local government does the following:

Categorize all forms transportation by land.

Educate all of its drivers and register their names by issuing them operator licenses.

Encourage “driver-owner” vehicles and permits as that is the best way to get good vehicles on the road and reduce accidents from overworking and sleeping behind the wheel.

Issue only one permit per driver and per vehicle.

Impose and collect taxes in a very smart way. For example, in Miami, Florida most cab drivers pay 10% or more for most fares and the majority of them do not even realize that.

A cab fare from Miami International Airport to the Port of Miami which costs $25 yields Miami-Dade County $2.00 airport tolls + $1.00 highway toll + 50 cents gas taxes total tax: $3.50. The funny part about it, is that most of them do not realize that 10% to 15% of their revenue has been given as local tax or toll charge.

Offer guarantee loans to the driver in order to buy the vehicle and to cover other expenses. Local governments which do not have financial resources to offer this service can sell 3 to 5 years bonds to local investors in order to generate the necessary capital to provide this service.

Some countries have only public transportation, not charter (transportation like private bus lines). At the State or Province or Department level, they should have a way to collect 10% taxes from their drivers before departure of their trip if it is local transportation, of which 5% goes to city of departure and 5% for the State or Province or Department. If it is out of State/Province/Department transportation, then have 5% for city of departure, 5% for State/Province/Department and 5% for the Federal government. If the Federal government does not want the 5% revenue, the State/Province/Department keeps 10%.