Uber vs. NYC Councilman Steve Levin

Welcome to the first Brownstoner Controversy: a quick guide to the latest and greatest kerfuffle inside and outside of Brooklyn.

Uber’s having a rough week. Not only are their French execs facing charges, but a proposed City Council bill threatens to dramatically limit the number of new cars Uber can add to their NYC fleet.

The bill is co-sponsored by Steve Levin, Councilman of District 33 in northwest Brooklyn. Levin says that capping Uber’s growth is necessary to prevent congestion and pollution. Uber says that the proposed bill looks ahellava lot like one the taxi industry proposed in March.

Already taking sides? Just wait.

What Uber Wants
To grow. Uber and similar car apps are adding about 2,000 drivers every month in New York City. And growth isn’t slowing on its own.

What Steve Levin Wants
To put a hold on it. Levin thinks it’s already pretty easy to call an Uber. Or get a cab. He doesn’t want to ignore the increase in for-hire cars until after it becomes a problem.

Five Facts

• The bill would be temporary, limiting new licenses over a 12-month period
• Uber NYC currently has upwards of 18,000 cars, more than the number of yellow cabs
• Uber drivers often own their own cars and drive less than 40 hours a week
• Without the bill, Uber NYC could add 25,000 cars over the next year
• With the bill, Uber NYC could only add 180 cars over the next year

What do you think? Cap the number of new cars? Let the market dictate Uber’s growth?

.@NYCCouncil is considering a bill that threatens to destroy 10,000 NYC job opportunities. @deBlasioNYC, oppose ban on new @Uber_NYC cars.

— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) June 30, 2015

Full house: NYC council proposing temporary cap # of vehicles Uber, similar companies can have b/c congestion #NBC4NY pic.twitter.com/np70AZquu0

— Katherine Creag (@katcreag4NY) June 30, 2015

>@StephenLevin33 asks Uber for NYC trip stats. Uber says it gives that data to TLC but “we don’t have that information” for the hearing.

— Stephen Miller (@miller_stephen) June 30, 2015

#Uber protesting outside of city hall today after the Committee on Transportation hearing. #Uber #CityCouncil #NYC pic.twitter.com/hZPy1YfnlQ — NYBCAC (@NYBCAC) June 30, 2015

Yellow cab drivers are protesting #UBER outside of NYC City Hall. pic.twitter.com/3j6AZuDMZq — Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 30, 2015

Uber drivers rally outside City Hall to protest “taxi bail outs” pic.twitter.com/pWHsExNlBh

— WFUV News (@WFUVNews) June 30, 2015