An Open Letter To The Current City of Seattle City Council President, Bruce Harrell, April 9th, 2018

Dear City Council President Harrell,

With great interest I have been following the city council's proposals and deliberations concerning the well being of Seattle's Uber and Lyft operators, the council supporting efforts to not only unionize but also to increase the Uber minimum rate from $1.35 to $2.40.  Clearly there has been much discourse as to why they are not making enough money to survive, yet I find it interesting that  you and your fellow council member are searching for solutions for something created solely by your own actions, voting, as I am sure you remember, to toss out the city council bill capping all ride-share companies at 250 vehicles each.  The real reason ride-share drivers can't make a living is due to there being 57,000 thousand of them competing in the very small market that is Seattle.  Yes, Uber might be immoral but that isn't why their market is saturated.  Again, the core reason all this is occurring is because the city council decided to open the ride share industry to unfettered expansion, minus any real enforceable regulation and oversight. 

Surely you remember, because I certainly do, as I was sitting directly in front of you as you agreed with Sally Bagshaw that the council's excellent work of 1 1/2 years (quoting then Council President Sally Clark) deserved to be rescinded, for what reason I was never clear upon.  The vote was 8 to 1, with only Mike O'Brien seeking a delay.  With that motion, you and the city council, along with Mayor Ed Murray openly embraced Uber, embarking on a relationship you now say is fraught with disparities, challenging your corporate spouse, saying this isn't what we expected when we in the city council said "I do!" kissing the technological monster firmly on the lips, vowing forever to be true.

My question to you from the local taxi industry as a whole is, why did the city council do this, and why are you now contradicting yourselves minus the obvious that all of you, save Mr. O'Brien, were completely wrong to capitulate, allowing Uber and Mayor Murray to rule the day?  It is something I've puzzled over for years, still not understanding the City's incentive promoting Uber over the nearly 100 year old local taxi industry, a quick bureaucratic romance now requiring some annulment.  What, I ask, is exactly going on?

And this isn't the first time I've asked this question, from the very beginning suspicious because the details as to why and how have remained hidden from public view, to the point that I contacted Danny Westneat  amongst others to see if they were interested in prying open the locked door.  Having gotten no takers, it appears its solely left to me to question the city council's and Ed Murray's ultimate motivations concerning their business dealings with Uber.

At this point, it appears confusion reigns, with your council throwing anything and everything at the administrative wall, seeing if it sticks, including a proposal to lower current taxi rates to $2.40 per mile.  Thanks but no thanks, as again, given that you folks started all this, why do we cabbies have to take on your burden?  Collectively we are not pleased to be tied to your whipping post.  What did we do to deserve this?  Just what is our crime?  What are our sins requiring divine governmental penance?

Sincerely,

Joseph (Joe ) Blondo

former chair, The Seattle & King County Taxi Advisory Commission

former president,  The Alliance of Taxi Associations