Liz Burke, WPRO News
Taxi drivers and supporters gathered outside the State House on Tuesday afternoon to rally against the cab fare tax.
“It’s coming out of our tip because they feel they’re paying enough as it is, but we haven’t gotten a raise in 10 years. So with us not getting the raise and then you see the taxes, they’re saying ‘hey, you’re making enough money we’re not giving you anything more.’ But at the end of the night, we’re the low man on the totem pole and we’re hurting,” said T.F. Green Airport taxi driver Tom Bengaff.
Airport taxi Special Transportation Department head Gus Bugge says taxi drivers aren’t the only ones being affected. He says people without cars depend on taxis and now they can’t afford to take them.
“Now we’re seeing the people who have no other option, have no other option,” said Bugge. “We’ve now priced taxis out of some people’s equation and if you don’t have the money to give a tip to the driver then you definitely don’t have the money to pay the tax which is now eating away at the driver’s tips.”
