Exclusive: Uber turns up pressure campaign against Parker's rideshare tax
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Uber is escalating its campaign against Mayor Cherelle Parker's proposed rideshare tax with a new last-minute blitz of TV and digital advertising.
Why it matters: The latest push — which follows lobbying, email outreach and six-figure ad spends — comes as the deadline nears for the City Council vote on Parker's effort to raise millions of dollars for Philadelphia schools.
The big picture: Uber has floated a compromise to the Parker administration that would raise the city's existing 1.4% rideshare fee instead of imposing the mayor's proposed $1-per-ride tax.
- The alternative would require state approval, and is projected to bring in less money, but could spare City Council members who are opposed to Parker's plan from a politically fraught vote.
- Parker's proposal is intended to shore up the Philadelphia School District's finances and avoid hundreds of staff layoffs as it teeters on a fiscal cliff.
- It's included in the proposed city budget, which must be passed before the fiscal year starts on July 1.
State of play: The latest ad blitz centers on a lifelong North Philadelphia resident who Uber says is among thousands of riders worried about how Parker's proposed tax would affect their lives.
- The rideshare giant has argued that Parker's proposed tax — which could generate $48 million a year for the district — would primarily hit working-class families in the city, including people who use the service to get to medical appointments, school and work.
Catch up quick: Uber is being advised by Bellevue Strategies, a high-powered local lobbying firm with ties to the Parker administration.
- The company has also retained Marcel S. Pratt, managing partner at the Ballard Spahr law firm, per the Inquirer, signaling a potential legal showdown if the proposal passes.
What they're saying: Uber spokesperson Jazmin Kay tells Axios that nearly 50,000 letters opposing the tax have been sent to city officials.
- The company remains willing to meet and "work with state and city leaders to find a compromise."
The other side: "We're continuing conversations as part of the normal budget process," city spokesperson Manny Smith tells Axios, adding that the city doesn't publicly discuss its negotiations.