Texts From the Illinois Campaign Trail - Pat Quinn Uber Edition

Another text we intercepted from yesterday.  This time, from what appears to be a totally made-up text from Governor Pat Quinn and the guy who runs the newly-flush Taxi Cab advocacy organization.  What starts cordially, quickly devolves into hilarity where the taxi folks feign not knowing who's on the other end of the line...

Bruce Rauner Stands With Uber in Chicago, Calls on Quinn To Veto Bill

Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Bruce Rauner has come out strong in support of Uber in Chicago and is calling on Governor Pat Quinn to veto the #anti-Uber bill that is sitting on his desk.  

Smart move politically by Rauner as he's now standing on the side of innovation and importantly, jobs.   It also seems like a pretty easy decision as Bruce Rauner understands business and *has* to see the impact that Uber is having on our local economy, but also he can see where the future lies with the company.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner on Tuesday urged Gov. Pat Quinn to veto a bill that would provide oversight of the largely unregulated industry of ride-sharing, including requiring drivers of companies such as Uber to have commercial insurance and possibly a chauffeur’s license. 

Rauner said regulations on the ride-sharing industry, including such companies as Uber, should be “relatively limited.” 

But Rauner said he believes that the primary goal of the bill is to “block competition.”
“It protects cab drivers,” Rauner said. 

The Illinois economy, however, should celebrate competition because “that’s what drives quality,” Rauner said. “Companies like Uber and Lyft and Sidecar -- we should have an environment here for them to grow.” 

Illinois has become a state hostile to business. Uber wants a regional headquarters in Chicago that would have more than 400 employees, Rauner said, but such regulations might scare it away.