Cab riders in Minneapolis will get at least another month to reap the benefits of lower gas prices in their cab fares, thanks to a trio of City Council members.

Council Members Paul Ostrow, Lisa Goodman and Barb Johnson on Friday blocked a procedural move that would have allowed cab fares immediately to revert to where they were before March 1.

Cab owners and drivers have been lobbying the city to reverse a plunge in cab fares caused by the fall of gasoline prices. Gas exerts a major influence on a federal transportation cost index that the council agreed in August would determine annual taxi fare changes. But the industry says no one anticipated that would mean fares would fall from $2.35 to $2 per mile.

Council Member Cam Gordon asked the council to approve a staff recommendation to postpone the new rate for a year -- immediately, without going to a committee. That required unanimous approval, and he didn't get it. The upshot was that he won't get to introduce the change until the council meets on March 27, and the soonest the council could vote would be April 10.

The council also approved on a 9-3 vote a new commercial building registration fee, which is intended to pay for the cost of inspecting buildings for fire code violations. The proposal has drawn protests from some building owners, who dislike how the fee is being levied and say it's a bad idea during a poor economy.

Voting for the fee and the inspections were Robert Lilligren, Elizabeth Glidden, Ralph Remington, Goodman, Betsy Hodges, Don Samuels, Diane Hofstede, Ostrow and Johnson. Voting against were Sandra Colvin Roy, Gordon and Gary Schiff.

The council amended the new fee downward for the smallest buildings. Buildings of 5,000 square feet or less will pay $50 and those of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet will pay $94, rather than the previous proposal of $79. The biggest downtown buildings will pay $910 annually.

Some businesses will pay the fee for several years before they get an inspection, a feature of the new program to which they objected.

In other action, the council approved a modification in settlement terms with the family of Vang Khang and Yee Moua, whose north Minneapolis home was invaded in 2007 in a mistaken police raid. The change was designed to correct a misunderstanding between attorneys that was discovered when they read a Star Tribune article about the $626,922 settlement. The revised settlement means that the city will not be assuming the home and the mortgage on it, as originally understood by the family's attorney but not intended by the city.

Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438