Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to taxis, for-hire vehicles and drivers; amending Ordinance 10498, Section 6, as amended, and K.C.C. 6.64.025 and Ordinance 10498, Section 95, as amended, and K.C.C. 6.64.760 and declaring an emergency.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Effective January 1, 2012, Chapter 190, Laws of Washington 2011 mandates that taxicab, limousine, for hire vehicle businesses and for hire vehicle operators be subject to industrial insurance premiums.
B. The law requires that any city, town, county or port district which sets rates for taxicab services must adjust rates to accommodate the cost of industrial insurance or other industry-wide costs.
C. King County has an interlocal agreement with seventeen cities and the port of Seattle to regulate and provide taxicab service for these jurisdictions and for unincorporated King County.
D. Approximately five hundred seventy taxicabs are licensed by King County and many of those are also licensed by the city of Seattle.
E. On July 23, 2012, the city of Seattle enacted Ordinance 123939, raising taxicab rates and fees in accordance with Washington state law.
F. Because of this ordinance (Proposed Ordinance 2012-0222), nine hundred twenty-six vehicles need to have their meters reset, sealed and inspected. By agreement the city of Seattle inspects and certifies all vehicles for King County.
G. The city of Seattle has scheduled the inspections of all nine hundred twenty-six taxicab meters for September 10, 2012.
H. The King County council declares an emergency for purposes of approving this legislation to avoid hardship on the public and taxicab drivers.
I. The King County council recognizes that there are several policies related to taxicab operations in King County that require updating, some of which were included in the executive's transmitted version of this ordinance. Due to the time constraints related to fee and rate adjustments, the ...
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