Nashville forces limo services to charge higher prices

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Why would Nashville force limousine companies to nearly double their prices to consumers? The Institute for Justice highlights the plight of independent limo operators who find themselves at the mercy of a partnership between city politicians and big limousine operators in Music City. The Tennessee Livery Association, a trade group formed by the largest competitors in the field, pressed the Metropolitan City Council to pass a wide-ranging set of mandates that not only forces customers to either pay more or opt for taxi services rather than the more comfortable limo services, but also imposes onerous new costs onto smaller, independent operators. The net effect will reduce demand for limo services and squeeze small businessmen like Ali Bokhari out of the market: