Councilman pushing fee for vehicle crashes

Hundreds of motor vehicle crashes occur in the city every year, and the cost of cleaning up the mess typically is borne by the city, through its taxpayers.

Tampa Councilman Curtis Stokes said those who cause the crashes should pay their share of the costs. He wants the city to create a fee that would bill the at-fault driver's insurance company for the cost of cleaning up motor vehicle wrecks.

"We could put the money in a trust fund to pay for public safety expenses," he said.

City Attorney Chip Fletcher is reviewing Stokes' proposal but suggests it would face legal hurdles, including a Florida law that essentially bans such accident-response fees.

That law, signed by Gov. Charlie Crist in 2009, prohibits local governments from levying the fee on the driver or owner of a motor vehicle, the insurance provider or any other person for the response or investigation at the scene of a motor vehicle crash.

Several states - including Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee - have passed similar bans in the recent years.

Nationwide, scores of municipalities and fire protection districts are levying the "crash tax," which typically ranges between $500 and $2,000, to replenish local coffers.

More than two dozen Florida cities have hired contractors to recover fire-rescue costs from auto insurance companies and drivers, including several in South Florida.

Private billing and collection agencies are approaching local governments to talk about the benefits of going after the accident revenue. And with cash-strapped governments scrambling for money to meet operating expenses, the arguments are hitting home.

Critics argue that insurance companies forced to swallow accident response fees almost certainly will pass along the expense to policyholders in the form or higher premiums.

Supporters say the fees force those who cause accidents to pay their share of the costs.