Anti-regulatory crusaders score victory

A lawsuit that challenges the controversial $50 minimum fare rule for every limo and luxury sedan ride in Hillsborough County will move forward.

The Arlington, Va.-based Institute for Justice filed the suit against the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission in August in Hillsborough County Circuit Court. The institute contends the commission's $50 rule for non-metered vehicles is an example of “burdensome regulations and restrictions not common in other places.” The institute also says the rule violates the Florida Constitution's protections for entrepreneurs and consumers.

Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge Charles Bergmann denied the PTC's motion to dismiss the lawsuit in a Dec. 9 ruling. Institute for Justice officials say a final judgment in the case could now come sometime next year.