“I think it is important that New York remains a business-friendly environment to create jobs and generate tax revenue for worthy programs. That is what guides my choices at the polls. However, it is critical that FHV license holders turn out on election day. The big boys may have more money than individuals like us, but we have what really matters: VOTES! If we can convince the political community that we show up at the polls and vote for candidates who understand our issues, if we can demonstrate our shared power, it will strengthen our hand tremendously in negotiations and in conversations with regulators and legislators.
“I got my hack license in the summer of 1984 and have worked as a yellow cab driver, a chauffeur and a lux limo operator ever since. During most of the decades that I have been in this industry, we have ignored politics. Just leave us alone and let us do our job. But that doesn’t work anymore. Regulators and legislators tell us who can buy a car, what kind of car we must buy and how many hours we can work. They make seasoned professional chauffeurs take dozens of hours of refresher courses or wheelchair classes for drivers who may never drive a WAV. Yet they are ineffective in dealing with illegal operators that steal work from hard working, licensed chauffeurs who play by the rules.
“We have all seen large companies with million-dollar PR budgets and political donations bend the system to their benefit. What chance do we have against these forces? We have something far more important. We have tens of thousands of votes. If we turn out in large numbers, we can make a big difference in the outcome, especially in a tight election.”
– Jeff Rose, President of Attitude New York
