Second Broward Commissioner Backs Uber Compromise
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A second Broward County Commissioner has agreed to relax his earlier tough stand against Uber after hearing from voters.
Commissioner Mark Bogen said the “majority” of roughly 1,200 resident of his North Broward district who contacted his office believe the Commission should reach a compromise to allow the ride-sharing service to operate.
“They indicated they want Uber,” he said.
Uber pulled out of Broward last week citing over-regulation.
Bogen mailed post cards throughout his District 2 asking for voters’ opinion on Uber.
Earlier in the week, Commissioner Stacy Ritter dropped her strong opposition to Uber’s demand that the firm be permitted to do business in Broward without the county fingerprinting each driver.
Like Ritter, Bogen said he would now support a private company doing the background checks on the drivers, rather than the county. He also said he would support Uber obtaining one master license for its service, rather than having each driver apply.
He said the insurance coverage requirements should follow Florida law and not be an additional burden in Broward.
Bogen said he believed that the safety of passengers and riders would still be safeguarded under the new plan.
August 5th, 2015 at 2:51 pm
Just a matter of time before the “master license” turns into individual licenses once the County figures out how many Uber drivers are out there operating in Broward.
These commissioners can smell that new stream of tax money from a mile away.
August 5th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Ritter, cutting deals with Moskowitz again. I am certain he is making a bundle off of UBER. Sounds sleezyy
August 5th, 2015 at 3:24 pm
Good for Mark Bogen, one thing for sure, Mark makes the effort to learn what his constituents’ want and works towards meeting their needs.
Bogen is clearly a man of action once he has done the appropriate research to discover how to address a problem. He is one who sees today’s changing landscape and takes the appropriate action in response. This is unlike the other two Commissioner/Cheerleaders for Uber who say how much they love Uber and do nothing but tout old votes on the topic yet do not offer proposals to fix the current problem.
August 5th, 2015 at 3:44 pm
Once again Commissioner Began shows sanity ethics and commonsense
August 5th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
Isn’t it amazing what happens when you think with your head and not your re-election wallet $$$, or is it the other way around???
Is is no wonder that the voters have so little trust for/of the elected officials!!
August 5th, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Bogen mailed post cards throughout his District 2 asking for voters’ opinion on Uber.
I live in Bogen’s district and didn’t receive a postcard. Who did he send them to? Wynmoor and Century Village, for sure, but anyone else?
August 5th, 2015 at 4:44 pm
August 4, 2015
At least four men who were ticketed by Los Angeles International Airport Police while driving for Uber’s low-cost car service have criminal convictions that would bar them from operating a taxi in Los Angeles, records show.
The drivers have been convicted of child exploitation, identity theft, manslaughter and driving under the influence, according to court records. Each offense would make them ineligible for a city of Los Angeles taxi permit.
A former felon and Uber driver, Miguel Moran Diaz, an ISIS sympathizer, was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of illegally possessing firearms last month. He dreamed of acting as a sniper operative for the terrorist organization and planned to kill people in Miami.
Uber apparently has problems with its screening process. Uber is a way for these criminals to infiltrate some of the County’s most sensitive and secure areas on a regular basis, the Port and Seaport.
Uber’s response to level 2 background checks is unwarranted. It is their drivers decision, not theirs, on whether to comply.
This is the worst kind of corporate citizen, lawless.
August 5th, 2015 at 5:15 pm
oh surprise, surprise! Commissioners waking up to the notion of getting tossed out of office by an angry electorate look to find compromise. Why didn’t you fix the crappy taxi service before uber showed up? Pretend you’re a tourist and fly into FLL and get in a taxi. It’s awful. The business model of yellow cab is they rent cars out by the day or week to drivers that are independent contractors. Yellow cab also controls the selling of insurance to the drivers. The drivers pay for the gas and keep all the receipts from the passengers. Except when a passenger pays by credit card and the taxi company gets a piece of he fare. This is why the drivers always say the machine is broken, cash only. There is no incentive for yellow cab or the drivers to keep the car looking and running good. It’s a lousy deal,for the drivers so the job doesn’t attract the best quality people, although there are a few good ones.
August 5th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
He mailed out post cards…. Oh my, how so old school of him. Especially when most uber drivers/riders are on social media.
So it isn’t just the taxi companies doing biz without today’s technology, it is the gov too.
Go to the Broward county site, it is ancient. You just can’t click & send an email to your mayor or commissioner on there.
Sam
August 5th, 2015 at 7:53 pm
Ryan, Ritter, and Holness:you three are going down. even if you try to fix this, it’s over! The only question: who will step up next year to take them down. About time.
August 6th, 2015 at 9:36 am
Although the newest Commissioner on the dais, Mark Bogen seems to be the smartest, most common sense thinking Commissioner Broward County has seen in a very long time. And again I think he is spot on with this issue as well.
August 6th, 2015 at 1:40 pm
No news breaker here. I thought you were going to report Mayor Ryan was now on board. Comm>bogen was approachable from the gecco. Remember his offer to telling Uber come up w/ th e250g for collateral. Bogen couldn’t get the support. If you get Mayor Ryan on board the rest will follow suit. Once you have Ryan Uber then needs to sweeten the pot as I say(show me the money) to Wexler, Holeness, and esp. Shaiff.(you know w/ your boo-koo money Babs why don’t you just buy Uber). We will see. PS-som e of you rippin off the gov’t and these cities Miami/Ft>Lau housing BS your day is coming, although some are all ready pinched(see yesterday Miami Herald) you others run and fast cause you goin(verify w/ OIG concerning Robert Walsh ‘ complaint against some of ya-come on verify-never lie to you residents(note well over two yrs ago I filed complaint(where you been FBI-should have called Clarice huh , well they are here now…)
August 8th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Go read the yelp reviews on Uber & then the taxi companies. Wow… the difference is amazing & NOT good for the current taxi companies in operation.
One guy suggested riding an alligator would be better than taking a cab here.
August 9th, 2015 at 9:54 am
I see Kiar made a grand announcement that the Commission is going to “talk” about uber this week. Run triugh the filter, this means he will listen to the talk, and seek how to respond from Twitter and Facebook. Thank god he will be property appraiser for life where the state sets the tax rate as Marty would never have the balls to make a tough decision using his own judgment.