If your car breaks down and you need to tow it, you can expect to pay more soon. Legislature approves
hikes in towing feesState agencies oppose raiding
special funds for pay raises
By Pat Omandam
Star-BulletinThe state Legislature approved a bill this week that calls for across-the-board hikes in towing fees. The updated fee schedule, which is among the first bills to be sent to Gov. Ben Cayetano for consideration, increases regular towing fees to $55 from $50, to $65 from $60 for a tow using a dolly and to $30 from $25 for multilevel surcharges.
It also increases the mileage charge to $6.50 per mile from $5, and sets the days and times when towing companies can charge overtime rates.
State Sen. Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu), who heads the Senate Transportation Committee, said in his report to the Senate that towing companies are a valuable service.
House Transportation Chairman Joe Souki (D, Wailuku) added that as road conditions become more congested, police and property owners will rely more on towing companies. Most of the House Republicans voted against the bill, while Brian Kanno (D, Kapolei) opposed it in the Senate.
In other legislative business:
>> The House Transportation panel on Monday hears a resolution asking the state Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of using state highway revenue bonds to finance the planning, design and construction of either an overseas bridges or an undersea tunnel from Iroquois Point to Hickam Air Force Base. The idea is to link Kalaeloa, Kapolei, Ewa and Ewa Beach to Honolulu.
>> A joint House committee on Tuesday hears a resolution to request a legislative audit of the out-of-state inmate transfer program. The public safety and legislative management panels will hear the measure at 9 a.m. in Room 423.
>> The House majority again used its numbers to recommit a bill that the House minority recalled from a committee last week. The 19 Republican members wanted floor debate on a measure that allowed the state hospital system, the University of Hawaii and the counties to negotiate their own labor contracts with the unions. House leaders, however, countered the bill in question was flawed.
House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa) also questioned the timing of the proposal, saying the deadline to exchange bills between the House and Senate has passed.
>> State agencies en masse opposed a proposal this week to raid special and other state funds to deal with an estimated $400 million in pay raises. About $100 million in unused funds managed by these agencies revert to the state general fund July 1.
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