The Phoenix City Council will have to vote again on a proposal to raise fees on rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
The council voted for the fee hike on Oct. 16, approving an increase from $2.66 per trip to $4 for all rides provided to and from Sky Harbor by Uber and Lyft.
The fee would gradually increase to $5 by 2024.
That vote occurred in violation of a state law, which requires the city to provide a written notice of the fee increase at least 60 days before the council’s vote. Officials didn’t realize the error until after the vote.
They’ll correct that mistake on Dec. 18, when the council is scheduled for a second vote.
Councilman Sal DiCiccio, one of only two council members who voted against the higher fee, said he hopes the council will have a change of heart.
“It can change, but it’s gonna be difficult, and it’s going to require individuals to be activated and to contact their elected officials and to talk about the importance of this and why you should not stick it to one industry or one group of individuals,” DiCiccio said.
Most council members supported raising the fee to $4 per trip in 2020 by a 7-2 vote.
They argued Uber and Lyft need to pay their fair share for infrastructure costs at Sky Harbor, just as other companies that do business at the airport pay fees to cover airport maintenance and other costs.
