JACKSON, Miss. -- The Jackson City Council planning committee will discuss setting a cap on how much wrecker services can charge you to tow your car.
After more than a decade, the contract with the city is up for negotiation.
Competitors in the wrecker service business came together on common ground Sunday night.
They want more money in their contracts with the city of Jackson.
"You see the city raise rates yet we can't raise ours," said Trey Ward.
Ward's wrecker service is one company on the city's tow truck rotation list.
These companies are contracted out with the city. Right now, when the city calls a wrecker to tow a vehicle, the fee is $65. A proposed ordinance would increase the cost to $75. Ward said that's not enough.
"You're going to see businesses -- I'm not going to say fold -- but leave the city of Jackson," said Ward. "You're going to see the increase time in wrecks, because there are not going to be that many people who are willing to do the rotation."
Wrecker services contracted in Rankin County and the cities within charge a flat rate of $125 for towing. The wrecker services said that's more in line with what they'd like to see in the city of Jackson, but City Councilman Kenneth Stokes said that's not affordable.
"I understand about gasolines and trucks and everything else, but if these citizens don't have the money to get their cars out of tow then you talking about citizens who are going to lose their cars," said Stokes.
"They say their constituents can't afford to pay that, but everybody in the surrounding areas can. So why can't the people in the city of Jackson?" said Ward. Ward said for now, wrecker services aren't planning on a strike. He said they just want to reopen contract negotiations with the city.
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