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What if the problem is that you are mayor and got lots of campaign funding from the taxi lobby and now they want their pound of flesh? http://www.nydailynews.c

What if the problem is that you are mayor and got lots of campaign funding from the taxi lobby and now they want their pound of flesh? http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/don-big-bill-article-1.1448237 http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/don-big-bill-article-1.14... FROM ARTICLE "A review of all contributions to de Blasio raised by or made by taxi lawyers, owners and other associates in the 2013 campaign tallies $254,451, making them de Blasio’s biggest backers by far. Fleet owner Ron Sherman is the most powerful taxi leader, just as his father Donald was in the 1980s before he was convicted in a federal felony case, and he orchestrated the de Blasio deluge of support."

TuringNYC 8y ago
Not sure why the downvotes. One has to realize that sometimes "solutions" are an answer not to a problem but to address some constituency.
- TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
  Further than that, we can’t have democracy unless all contributions to politicians/ candidates are reported and published in real time. Without that we can’t know if a person deserves to hold a position, or even if they are eligible.
  - TaylorAlexander 8y ago
    Knowing about the donations helps, but some have suggested we forego the idea of donations in the first place. It’s hard to see how it could be called a democracy when some people can donate millions to prop up a candidate. We can all watch and say “yep, they got a big donation”, but they’re still going to out find a candidate who represents the people against the moneyed interests. Perhaps not in all cases but the donations really slew the system.
    - TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
      I agree. I think the idea is that being able to track the flow of monies is supposed to lead to changes that nudge us in the direction of political donation reform.
JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> the 2013 campaign tallies $254,451 By 2014 it was over half a million dollars [1]. This bill's proponents on the City Council were similarly endowed. [1] https://nypost.com/2014/05/17/taxi-industry-gave-de-blasio-over-550000-for-campaign/ https://nypost.com/2014/05/17/taxi-industry-gave-de-blasio-o...
- jkaplowitz 8y ago
  Honest question: what are the equivalent numbers for Uber's side of the battle? Looking at one side of the question without the other doesn't allow a balanced assessment of the situation.
  - JumpCrisscross 8y ago
    > what are the equivalent numbers for Uber's side of the battle? The bulk of Uber's ~$2 million/year of political spending in New York goes towards ad campaigns [1]. The taxi lobby bought the mayor and City Council; Uber created a grassroots backlash. This was the balance. Then Uber burned off its teflon coating. Since Lyft never bothered with politics and Juno/Gett is so young, the balance broke and we got this mess. [1] http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/uber-spent-1-2m-lobbying-efforts-2017-article-1.3408470 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/uber-spent-1-2m-lob...
    - jkaplowitz 8y ago
      Thanks for providing the numbers and your take on the situation. I think we come away with quite different reactions to the same facts: I view it as telling that Uber spent roughly four times what the taxi lobby spent, but most of the conversational focus regarding spending targets the taxi lobby - one of many widespread biases in which some bits of the for-hire transportation debate get more frequently talked about and others usually overlooked. The (legitimately real) rank and file support and skewed discussion focus which Uber's ad/lobbying money has bought them isn't my idea of grassroots backlash, even if it unwittingly enlists the grassroots in their PR campaign. No doubt the taxi lobby is pushing their interests just like Uber pushes theirs. Neither set of industry lobbyists is truly looking out for the citizens. But when the conversation they've shaped pairs "bought the mayor and City Council" for the less-spending party with "created a grassroots backlash" for the more-spending party, I can only marvel impressed and saddened at Uber PR's effectiveness. In most cities, the local taxi lobby plus the citizens who oppose Uber/Lyft/Juno/Gett for normal public policy reasons are even more outclassed against a major VC-funded global would-be monopolist like Uber than NYC managed. I'm impressed at de Blasio and City Council for holding firm. (As you can tell, I'm no fan of these companies for several reasons, but explaining those reasons substantively would be a huge tangent.)

TuringNYC 8y ago

Not sure why the downvotes. One has to realize that sometimes "solutions" are an answer not to a problem but to address some constituency.

TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
Further than that, we can’t have democracy unless all contributions to politicians/ candidates are reported and published in real time. Without that we can’t know if a person deserves to hold a position, or even if they are eligible.
- TaylorAlexander 8y ago
  Knowing about the donations helps, but some have suggested we forego the idea of donations in the first place. It’s hard to see how it could be called a democracy when some people can donate millions to prop up a candidate. We can all watch and say “yep, they got a big donation”, but they’re still going to out find a candidate who represents the people against the moneyed interests. Perhaps not in all cases but the donations really slew the system.
  - TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
    I agree. I think the idea is that being able to track the flow of monies is supposed to lead to changes that nudge us in the direction of political donation reform.

JumpCrisscross 8y ago

> the 2013 campaign tallies $254,451 By 2014 it was over half a million dollars [1]. This bill's proponents on the City Council were similarly endowed. [1] https://nypost.com/2014/05/17/taxi-industry-gave-de-blasio-over-550000-for-campaign/ https://nypost.com/2014/05/17/taxi-industry-gave-de-blasio-o...

jkaplowitz 8y ago
Honest question: what are the equivalent numbers for Uber's side of the battle? Looking at one side of the question without the other doesn't allow a balanced assessment of the situation.
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > what are the equivalent numbers for Uber's side of the battle? The bulk of Uber's ~$2 million/year of political spending in New York goes towards ad campaigns [1]. The taxi lobby bought the mayor and City Council; Uber created a grassroots backlash. This was the balance. Then Uber burned off its teflon coating. Since Lyft never bothered with politics and Juno/Gett is so young, the balance broke and we got this mess. [1] http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/uber-spent-1-2m-lobbying-efforts-2017-article-1.3408470 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/uber-spent-1-2m-lob...
  - jkaplowitz 8y ago
    Thanks for providing the numbers and your take on the situation. I think we come away with quite different reactions to the same facts: I view it as telling that Uber spent roughly four times what the taxi lobby spent, but most of the conversational focus regarding spending targets the taxi lobby - one of many widespread biases in which some bits of the for-hire transportation debate get more frequently talked about and others usually overlooked. The (legitimately real) rank and file support and skewed discussion focus which Uber's ad/lobbying money has bought them isn't my idea of grassroots backlash, even if it unwittingly enlists the grassroots in their PR campaign. No doubt the taxi lobby is pushing their interests just like Uber pushes theirs. Neither set of industry lobbyists is truly looking out for the citizens. But when the conversation they've shaped pairs "bought the mayor and City Council" for the less-spending party with "created a grassroots backlash" for the more-spending party, I can only marvel impressed and saddened at Uber PR's effectiveness. In most cities, the local taxi lobby plus the citizens who oppose Uber/Lyft/Juno/Gett for normal public policy reasons are even more outclassed against a major VC-funded global would-be monopolist like Uber than NYC managed. I'm impressed at de Blasio and City Council for holding firm. (As you can tell, I'm no fan of these companies for several reasons, but explaining those reasons substantively would be a huge tangent.)