
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 22, 1993                   TAG: 9312220139
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Short

CAB-FARE INCREASE REJECTED IN PULASKI

Town Council voted down a proposed increase in taxi rates Tuesday night.

Herman Largen, who operates Blue & White and Deluxe Cabs, had requested a 25-cent-per-zone increase. Council decided to leave the zone rates unchanged but did draw up a proposed ordinance increasing the base rate from 50 to 75 cents per trip.

Councilwoman Alma Holston said she had been called by a large number of elderly people asking that the increase not be adopted. "Some of them say, again, it's hard to pay what they're paying now," she said.

Councilman Don Crispin agreed. "They can't show that the increase is warranted," he said.

He moved that the increase be removed from the ordinance setting taxi regulations for 1994, but that another new provision be kept requiring rates to be displayed in the cabs. The motion was carried.

Council approved 30 cab certificates for the coming year. Twelve will go to Jim Dandy Taxi Cab Service, operated by James Edward Aust. Twelve will go to Largen, who will eliminate his Deluxe Cabs next year and repaint the vehicles as Blue & White Cabs. Six will be held in reserve.

Council also:

Approved a smoking policy under which any town employee could designate a work area as nonsmoking.

Approved refinancing its 1987 general obligation bonds at a lower interest rate.

by CNB