Jackson County Legislature to consider stricter penalties on illegal tow practices
JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County legislators are eyeing a crackdown on predatory towing.
They’re hoping a new law will toughen the consequences for companies operating without a license.
“That’s outrageous,” said Empire Tow Service owner Junior Johnson.
Junior Johnson is a tow service business owner in Kansas City. The Jackson County Legislature is proposing $1,000 annual fees and $250 per vehicle, per year for people like him to do business.
“The city charges the general public $265 for a tow, they pay us $100 for a tow, they pay the dispatch company $220 for a tow,” he said.” The city makes us a $143 minimum off every tow they take to the city tow lot.”
According to the proposed ordinance, any wrecker or tow service could have their license revoked for up to 90 days if they have violated the ordinance for a year, if there are multiple violations. This all comes after the owners of the local towing company, Metro Tow, were brought on several charges related to alleged illegal towing.
“It makes us all look bad. Being someone in the industry that’s did it right for years, one bad apple makes us all look bad,” said Johnson.
First district legislator Manny Abarca said he hears these concerns, and the dialogue continues on what a solution will look like.
“We know we need to figure something out to make the industry better in itself, but also make sure folks are fairly compensated for the work that they’re doing,” said Abarca.
If a tow company tows with a suspended license, the proposed ordinance calls for them to have their license to be revoked for two years. Abarca says he is open to hearing from the Tow Truck Association on the ordinance in the coming weeks.
“This is not my industry that I’m aware of and so I’m for fairness and compensation if that means that tow truck drivers should make more to provide a better service,” said Abarca, “then let’s figure out how to do that but also equally making sure that people aren’t getting their cars towed randomly without any type of ability so I think there’s space here in the middle ground and that’s what I think we’re looking for.”
Towers plan to come together and brainstorm alternative solutions ahead of another public hearing scheduled for next week.
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