A near South Side alderman is reportedly considering charging bike owners a $25 annual registration fee to help rake in more money for the city.
Ald. Pat Dowell said she would suggest the city considers a $25 yearly license and a one-hour safety course for bike owners, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Dowell said she suggested the fee after concerns in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s budget address, including the proposed tax increase on cable television providers, the Tribune reported.
She reportedly said the cable tax could negatively impact several city families who don't have a fixed income and use cable as their form of entertainment, but whether or a not a bike tax is sufficient enough to replace the cable hike has yet to be determined.
Emanuel has been a strong proponent of making Chicago one of the most “bike friendly” cities in the country.
During his time in office, he has supported the installment of several bike lanes and has vowed to install 100 miles of bike lanes by 2015. He was also a major supporter for the Divvy bike sharing program that rolled out in the city earlier this year.
It is unclear whether the mayor will support the proposed measure, which could be deemed “anti-cyclist.”
