Gray vetoes plan for taxi charge during Nats playoff games

WASHINGTON – D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has rejected a plan by the city’s taxi commission for a surcharge on some fares during Washington Nationals home playoff games, WTOP has learned.

The D.C. Taxicab Commission said it would authorize a citywide $1 fare charge for each additional passenger after the first passenger during Nationals game days. The surcharge would be in effect starting two hours prior to a game’s start time until 4 a.m.

“The additional fare provides a fair compensation to drivers,” commission chair Ron Linton said in a release announcing the charge.

However, Linton told WTOP Wednesday that Gray rejected the idea.

“The commission approved it, and then the mayor rejected it,” Linton says.

Gray spokesman Pedro Ribeiro says the mayor “made it clear to Chairman Linton that the move was ill-advised.” Linton says the surcharge plan will be rescinded “first thing in the morning” Thursday.

WTOP’s Mark Segraves contributed to this report. Follow Mark and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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