Among the plethora of fee increases passed by the Milwaukee Common Council this week is a hidden one that will not effect the city coffers at all -- a substantial increase in taxi cab rates.

Milwaukee already has among the highest cab rates country -- including, for a period of time, more expensive than rates in Chicago and Toronto. The council upped the rates in several ways:

• Changed the way rates are calculated from 25 cents for one-eighth a mile to 25 cents for one-tenth of a mile after the initial $2.25 starting fee.
• Upped the fee for an extra passenger from 75 cents to $1.
• Raised the charge for waiting from 25 cents a minute to 35 cents a minute.
• Changed the minimum fee charged for getting a cab at the airport from $6 to $10.

The changes mean that a one-mile trip will go from $4 to $4.50; a two-mile trip will go from $6 to $7 and a 10-mile trip will go from $22 to $27.

Representatives from the two largest operators in the city -- Yellow Cab Co-op and American United -- sat on the Taxi Cab Review Commission, which voted on the increases.

Yellow representatives voted against the measure while the American United representative, which holds most of the cab licenses in the city and does not operate as a co-op, favored the increase. Yellow has historically opposed rate increases while American United, also known as Red, likes them.

Ald. Jim Bohl, who chaired the commission, says fares haven't gone up since 2002. But fares have been supplemented several times by $1 surcharges and other increases.

Other fees the council changed:

• Raised parking meter rates from 50 cents to $1 an hour near UW-Milwaukee and from 25 cents to 50 cents an hour in business districts other than Downtown.
• Increased the towing charge from $95 to $105.
• Upped the night parking violation fine from $17 to $20.
• Raised the snow removal fees and asked the state to allow a substantial increase in water rates.

Other fees up for consideration after the aldermen's August recess include garbage removal fees and something called a "tree trimming" fee, which will likely make people think about the value of the tree in their front median. City workers are in the process of measuring all the trees in the city.

A $150 so-called tavern inspection fee was put on hold for reconsideration.

A Six-pack of Lanes, Please: The Common Council says it wants only six lanes to be rebuilt in the Zoo Interchange rehab project and not the eight that state Department of Transportation officials favor.

An eight-lane rebuild would take out 20 homes and one business as well as a substantial portion of the State Fair Park parking lot along the south side of the freeway. Six lanes would also cost $150 million less and aldermen say that could be used for more infrastructure repairs.

The Zoo Interchange is the busiest portion of freeway in the state and rebuilding it would make it the most expensive road project in state history.

Ald. Bob Bauman, a major opponent to the eight-lane plan said, city officials should be allowed to play a more active role in the planning process. So far, state DOT officials have handled all the planning and given city officials occasional Power Point presentations along the way.

"Retaining the existing six lanes in the interchange saves 20 homes and one commercial property, and it channels the considerable savings to where it's really needed -- in fixing our crumbling local streets and bridges," Bauman said.

The resolution also urges the DOT to provide access to I-94 from Blue Mound Road, as long as further property condemning can be avoided, and to pursue a new roadway crossing US 45 between Wisconsin Avenue and Watertown Plank Road, thereby creating a more direct link between the Milwaukee County Research Park and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and providing some traffic relief to the existing street system.

The DOT has urged a plan that includes something called a "Texas U-turn," which would widen the project in residential neighborhoods.

The state's plan for eight lanes does not even include HOV lanes for buses or other measures that would actually reduce traffic on the freeway. Aldermen say that's simply wrong.

Ald. Mike Murphy, another six-lane supporter, said the state must keep other transit options open in their plan, which it does not.

"More commuters are choosing other transit options because they've grown tired of freeways, traffic and high gas prices, and this reality is reflected strongly in our position on this critical public infrastructure project," Murphy said.

Environmental groups have also raised concerns about protecting monarch butterflies and a preserved area at the County Grounds if the rebuild would be eight lanes.

The public comment period for the project has been extended to Aug. 10. Contact:
Jim Liptik from the state DOT:
141 N.W. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53157
Fax: 262.548.5662
E-mail: dotdtsdsezoo@dot.wi.gov

Independence First: Interesting doings at a hearing in Madison this week considering a bill to change the way the state Department of Natural Resources secretary is picked. The proposal is to return to the way it was before 1994, when then-Gov. Tommy Thompson and the GOP-controlled state Legislature switched the DNR appointment from being made by the independent Natural Resources Board to a gubernatorial appointee.

The move was made by Thompson after he continued to lock heads with the DNR secretary over issues such as mining and water and air regulations.

The idea by backers of the move is to take politics out of the position. And 173 backers of the measure showed up at a public hearing to register in favor.

There were few opponents, but those who were opposed included the state's largest and most influential lobby groups like the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Builders Association.

One speaker correctly noted that Gov. Jim Doyle repeatedly campaigned in favor of an independent secretary but now opposes the move.

"I'm wondering how much more or many more topics that I can't believe him about will come up in the future," opined Lil Pipping of the Tri-County Sportswomen.

Most backers say an independent secretary would allow more continuity in the position and that helps with long-range planning and management over environmental issues.

"Simply put, it's aptitude, not politics," said Chuck Weire, of the Federation of Sports Fishing Clubs.

And then there's Will Sandstrom, of the Dane County Fish and Wildlife Unlimited, who wanted to go back to the days of predator control, recalling his youth where eagles and raptors were shot at will. He said there was more game that way.

"Democrats are good people, but are being affected too much by the Sierra Clubs and the Izaak Waltons," he said to the bemusement of those present.

Domestic Dispute: A petition has been brought to the state Supreme Court challenging the state's new domestic partnership registry that passed as part of the state budget. The petitioners are taking on the registry on the grounds that it violates the recently passed anti-gay marriage referendum.

Not so, says the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin.

Domestic partnerships were specifically excluded in the anti-gay marriage amendment approved by voters, says the ACLU.

The challengers are asking that the high court take on the case allowing them to skip going through the lower court process first. The ACLU is asking the court to deny that request. The argument will be whether or not gay-marriage and domestic partnerships are "substantially similar."

"Married Wisconsinites should ask themselves, would you trade your marriage and its hundreds of legal protections for the newly created domestic partnership? Of course not, because they aren't even remotely similar," said Chris Ahmuty, executive director of the state ACLU.