Germantown Cab Company, Bucks County Services, Inc., Concord Limousine, Inc., Dee Dee Cab Company and MCT Transportation, Inc. v. Philadelphia Parking Authority

Summary

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court considered constitutional challenges to Pennsylvania’s statutory scheme regulating Philadelphia taxicabs and calculating assessments imposed by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. The Court held that the assessment provision did not violate the substantive due process rights of partial-rights taxicab owners and that the statutory budget-submission process did not unconstitutionally delegate legislative power. The Court therefore reversed the Commonwealth Court’s decision.

Holdings

1. Section 5707(c) is constitutionally valid because imposing an equal assessment on each taxicab regulated by the Authority bears a rational relationship to the legitimate governmental objectives of funding and administering a clean, safe, reliable, and well-regulated Philadelphia taxicab industry.
2. Sections 5707(a) and 5710 do not unconstitutionally delegate legislative power because the Authority is authorized only to prepare and submit a proposed budget and fee schedule, while the Governor and General Assembly retain the power to review, alter, reject, and approve appropriations.

Questions Presented

1. Whether 53 Pa.C.S. § 5707(c), which allocates the taxicab utility group's assessment among medallion and partial-rights taxicabs, violates the substantive due process rights of partial-rights taxicab owners.
2. Whether 53 Pa.C.S. §§ 5707(a) and 5710, governing the Authority's proposed budget and fee schedule, unconstitutionally delegate legislative power.

Disposition

reversed_and_remanded