Quote:
Originally Posted by jammies
Any of you that truly believe politicians are on the take from what is a small time business like taxis are deluded. I would like to be more circumspect, but it is such a ridiculous idea that I cannot take anyone who has such a wrong headed idea seriously.There is zero chance that decade after decade every council has been in the pay of the so-called taxi cartel. Are you under the impression that taxis make money like the real estate industry or the oil companies? How much money do you think the mayor would need to get to risk his political career? Do you think the cab companies have that kind of cash just lying around in a slush fund? Do you think hiding bribe money is trivial?
This has gone far beyond a rational discussion into some kind of theological argument between good, as exemplified by uber, and the diabolical, as exemplified by the cab companies and their corrupt minions. Even the stories of uber trips sound more like medieval hagiography than reality.
I'm not saying the taxi companies are doing a good job or that at change is not needed, but the hyperbole has gone past the merely amusing to the absolutely mind bending.
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I don't think anyone has been accusing the taxi companies of outright bribery. Representatives from the taxi industry are regulars at periodical fundraising events for council members and a quick perusal of publicly available campaign finance information indicates that the taxi industry (Checker, Mayfair, Calgary Cab Drivers Assoc. etc.) provides funding to a majority of council members. These are not baseless accusations. The industry as it stands is very profitable for those who own licences (most of which belong to the larger companies); to think that it is a small scale operation is naive.
Given city council's reluctance to fix something that has been an issue for over a decade, a reasonable and logical conclusion to draw is that the industry (including the drivers) enjoys a position of undue influence. There is a very simple solution to the problem and that is removing the cap on taxi plates and deregulating fares. Why is council acting against public interest?