$450,000 due to MI Towing Co.

Interesting story out of Flint, MI. In August 2004, the mayor canceled the city's towing contract with Complete Towing and the city started its own impound lot. Complete Towing had served the city for 18 years.

From The Flint Journal story:

The lawsuit itself is over storage fees because 286 cars were left until late November at Complete Towing, owned by Jim Patton, after Williamson canceled the contract in August.

A jury agreed in December 2005 that the city owed a $10 daily storage fee for each car, plus attorney fees and interest. The total verdict then was $406,103.

The city now must pay $453,549 because of additional interest incurred while the city appealed the earlier verdict.

"Mayor Williamson is fighting this personal battle with Jim Patton with taxpayer money," said Steven Spender, an attorney for Complete Towing. "That irritates me and that should irritate the taxpayers."

Spender said he does not know why Williamson has a "vendetta" against Patton. Patton declined comment.