Res 0955-2016

By Council Members Crowley, Lancman, Palma, Cabrera, Espinal, Koo, Maisel, Mealy, Richards and King Whereas, The taxi and for-hire-vehicle industry in New York City consist of multiple sectors, including yellow medallion taxis, green Street Hail Liveries or "boro taxis", liveries or community cars, black cars, and luxury limousines; and Whereas, Each sector is subject to a different set of per-trip taxes; and Whereas, For example, yellow and green cabs are subject to a fifty-cent-per-trip state-imposed tax, black cars and luxury limousines are subject to an 8.875 percent state sales tax, and liveries are subject to neither tax; and Whereas, As smartphone app-based services such as Uber and Lyft, which typically operate as black cars, have grown at a rapid pace in New York City, the lines between the types of service that each sector provides have blurred and the sectors are now more directly in competition with one another for both drivers and passengers; and Whereas, Every member of the taxi and for-hire vehicle industry should have an equal chance to compete and succeed without differing per-trip taxes making one sector more attractive than another; and Whereas, Passengers should not be required to pay more or less in taxes simply because they choose a vehicle affiliated with one sector over another; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that equalizes the amount of per-trip taxes imposed on taxis and for-hire vehicles in New York City. LS# 6526 12/8/2015 JM