HOUSTON -- The third time was the charm for Houston motorists Wednesday, when City Council approved changes to the city's new controversial towing program, Local 2 reported.

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Tempers Flare Over Tow Vote City Council Split On Safe Clear Changes

Council members approved the measure that would give a free one-mile tow to motorists under the Safe Clear program, instead of a $75 mandatory fee. Drivers with flat tires, empty gas tanks and easy-to-fix problems not in main lanes of traffic will be eligible for the free tow.

Safe Clear wrecker companies will be reimbursed for the tows by deducting them, at $50 each, from the charge they pay to be part of the program. The city will pay up to $150,000 for the free tow service for a six-month period.

The city ordinance requires tow-truck operators to remove disabled vehicles from Houston's freeway within six minutes. When the program began Jan. 1, motorists were required to pay a minimum $75 towing fee, regardless of the problem.

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Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs entered a motion to completely rescind the Safe Clear program, but it was voted down.

"I really think it's time to rescind this and to take it back to the drawing board," Sekula-Gibbs said. "The taxpayers are going to be paying for all of the tows, so it's become a free tow program -- socialized towing, if you will."

Councilwoman Addie Wiseman was the only other council member to vote for a moratorium.

"People are dying to protect our freedoms and this city is taking action to reverse freedom. That's wrong," Wiseman said. "Local control is about everything but what this administration is putting forth here. We have local representatives from the state level who are saying their constituents are being harmed by this and they want to make a change. This isn't Fidel Castro's local control that we need to have here."

"People, when they get into name-calling, it's because they've run out of good arguments," Houston Mayor Bill White said.

The changes, announced by the mayor more than two weeks ago, included:

Stalled vehicles get a free one-mile tow if they are on freeway shoulders.
Tows for broken down and abandoned vehicles will cost $75.
Vehicles involved in accidents, abandoned after an accident, or if an arrest was made will be towed at $124.

An attorney representing tow-truck drivers who were not awarded the city contracts to tow vehicles off freeways met with a judge Wednesday. The judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order for the program.

"This is a bad idea gone wrong. I think that City Council should rethink this plan. Obviously, the community is opposed to this, so I think it would be wise for them to go back to the drawing board and rethink the ordinance," attorney Edgardo Colon told Local 2.

The federal judge said he wants to see more evidence from the city about how they developed the Safe Clear program.

As of Monday, there were 14 different proposals on how to improve the plan.

Motorists are no longer allowed to change flat tires on freeway shoulders, leave vehicles to get fuel or call their own help. Towing companies, who have contracts with the city, charge $75 for the first five miles for disabled vehicles and $1.50 for each additional mile. The tow cannot exceed $124.

Previous Stories:

• February 1, 2005: Man's Death May Be First Safe Clear Fatality
• January 25, 2005: Background Checks Find Tow Truck Drivers With Criminal Records
• January 24, 2005: Mayor Defends Towing Program In State Of City Address
• January 19, 2005: Council Delays Vote On Changes To Towing Ordinance
• January 18, 2005: City Council Hears Drivers' Towing Concerns
• January 13, 2005: Council Member Asks For Moratorium On Towing Ordinance
• January 12, 2005: Mayor Overhauls Towing Ordinance
• January 10, 2005: HPD, Towing Companies Meet Over New Law
• January 7, 2005: Mayor Makes Changes To City's Towing Law
• January 6, 2005: Mayor, HPD Chief Evaluate Safe Clear Program From Air
• January 5, 2005: State Senator Calls For Moratorium On New Wrecker Law
• January 5, 2005: White To Ride With Wrecker
• January 4, 2005: Hundreds Of Vehicles Towed In New Program
• November 24, 2004: Drivers To Follow New Rules For Towing