Chicago City Council committee taking up anti-rideshare ordinance – let them know you oppose it

In February, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office proposed an ordinance that would force popular ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft to severely change the way they do business, if not shut down entirely. We pointed out some of the proposal’s many serious problems, and Chicago aldermen reported thousands of people emailing them asking them...

In February, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office proposed an ordinance that would force popular ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft to severely change the way they do business, if not shut down entirely.

We pointed out some of the proposal’s many serious problems, and Chicago aldermen reported thousands of people emailing them asking them not to ruin ridesharing in Chicago.

To recap, the proposed ordinance would, among other things:

1. Prohibit Uber and Lyft cars from rationally charging customers based on time and distance traveled, as they do and as taxis do.
2. Prevent you from sing Uber to hail a traditional taxi, as you can now.
3. Prohibit you from using Uber or Lyft to get to the airport, as you can now.
4. Allow the city to GPS-track all ride-sharing vehicles at all times, in violation of Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
5. Prohibit ridesharing services from putting advertisements in or on their cars as a way to lower prices, in violation of the First Amendment.
6. Prohibit ridesharing companies from owning cars in their network or helping drivers buy them.
7. Force Uber black cars to display a sign, ruining their cool, classic look.

After the public outcry, it looked like the City was going to go back to the drawing board to come up with something better.

But the mayor’s office has not come forward with a new proposal, and now the City Council’s Committee on License and Consumer Protection is set to consider the original proposal – with no changes – this Thursday, March 27.

So it’s time for people who support ridesharing, competition, innovation and freedom in Chicago to make their voices heard once again.

Lyft is urging supporters to meet on the second floor of City Hall on Thursday morning at 9 a.m., and Uber is urging supporters to arrive at the meeting at 9:30 a.m.

If you live in Chicago, use this tool to find out who your alderman is, and use this list to find his or her email address.

You can also write to the committee’s members. Click on their names below to send them email:

Chair: Emma Mitts, 37th Ward

Vice Chair: Joann Thompson, 16th Ward

John Arena, 45th Ward

James Cappleman, 46th Ward

George Cardenas, 12th Ward

Michael Chandler, 24th Ward

Willie Cochran, 20th Ward

Bob Fioretti, 2nd Ward

Deborah Graham, 29th Ward

Proco Joe Moreno, 1st Ward

Mary O’Connor, 41st Ward

Matthew O’Shea, 19th Ward

Ariel Reboyras, 30th Ward

Roderick Sawyer, 6th Ward

Debra Silverstein, 50th Ward

Nicholas Sposato, 36th Ward

Thomas Tunney, 44th Ward

(13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn is also on the committee but has no email address. You can call his office at 773-581-8000.)

The committee meets on Thursday morning, March 27, at 10:00 a.m., so it’s important to act now to save ridesharing in Chicago. 

image credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu