Monday, March 9, 2015

In Plain Sight

Last week the Federal Department of Justice issued a thorough report describing Ferguson, Missouri's municipal and police policies and how they violated not only constitutional guarantees but also simple commonsense, unfortunately reminding me of what the City of Seattle and King County did to the local taxi industry, again in clear view.  While in the Ferguson case, strong intervention is on the way, here in Seattle the only folks being punished are the cabbies.  After suffering through another miserable weekend money-wise, witnessing multiple Uber pick-ups, I know, even if no one else understands, that it is time we forcibly legally respond to what is happening.  We have a number of factors in our favor, given as I have said, all that has occurred is of public record, and most importantly, clearly within the usual statue of limitations.  In other words, the law is on our side and I believe the time is ripe for moving forward, telling the City of Seattle that what they did was not only immoral, it was illegal.

Everyone involved, including everyone governing Seattle and King County, know, that before they enacted recent Uber legislation, they allowed both the flat-rate for-hire and TNC (Uber, Lyft, Sidecar) industries to operate illegally on Seattle's streets for over three years.  Numerous requests for enforcement went unheeded while our business was stolen.  Understand that Seattle's and King County's Uber ordinance never mentioned anything concerning amnesty for those thousands of criminal misdemeanors and other violations occurring over a 36-month span.  The only interpretation, as I see it, is that they are still "outstanding" violations and warrant prosecution.  Like all those "rape kits" sitting in police departments around our country, all these violations are just waiting for collective legal evaluation. 

While one might say that the legal implication  of Mayor Murray's ordinance is a collective forgiveness, that has never been stated.  As I said last week, we in the local taxi industry have been subjected to discriminatory business practices.  It is time the City of Seattle and King County are held accountable.  What can they really say in their defense in a court of law?  I would enjoy hearing their tangled justifications.

Tonight I am flying to Mexico to join "she-who-can't-be named."  Adios!

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