Council passes bill giving Parking Authority tow-truck oversight

Councilman James F. Kenney on Thursday got a bill passed that will give the Philadelphia Parking Authority control over the city's warring tow-truck drivers.

Almost simultaneously, he introduced another bill that would also give the agency the ability to report unlicensed contractors to Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections.

The towing bill has been controversial with tow-truck drivers because it would have the Parking Authority call drivers from a city-approved list. Currently, 911 operators do that from a list of drivers approved by L&I.

Kenney maintains that L&I lacks the staff to properly oversee tow-truck drivers, who often race unsafely to accident scenes and fight with one another.

The bill also would require tow-truck drivers to take cars to a Parking Authority impound lot or to a mechanic of the car driver's choice. That requirement would stop tow-truck drivers from taking cars to body shops that pay them a fee, Kenney said. Often, he said, body shops hold cars hostage unless their owners get the work done there - at inflated prices.

"No one likes the Parking Authority, but at least if you go there, you know what you're going to pay," he said.

He also proposed legislation that would let Parking Authority employees check contractors' licenses. He wants Parking Authority ticket-writers to ask contractors for licenses while they are patrolling for parking violations. Contractors who can't produce required licenses would be referred to L&I and the Revenue Department for possible investigation and collection of fees.

"I'm not asking the Parking Authority to inspect work or do anything like that," Kenney said.

Mark McDonald, a spokesman for Mayor Nutter, said the administration had not reviewed the bill and would not comment.

Kenney said he introduced the bill for three reasons:

The Parking Authority has employees to do the work; L&I does not.

Unlicensed contractors compete unfairly with those who get the proper licenses and permits and pay the fees.

It could increase city revenue.

Also Thursday, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a bill requiring businesses that have service contracts of $250,000 or more to provide the same benefits to life partners of employees as they do to workers' spouses.

"Judging one's employment benefits due to the gender of their life partner is not acceptable in this day and age," Reynolds Brown said.

At Nutter's request, Councilman William K. Greenlee introduced a bill to update the city's Fair Practices Ordinance, which prohibits discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and housing.

Among other things, the bill would provide greater protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people who lack protection under federal and state law. It also would increase penalties for discrimination from $300 to the maximum allowance of $2,000.