This uber plan will give kids a lyft

With ride-sharing services racking up a million trips over the past three months in Pennsylvania, the new industry is poised to capture a more permanent and stable status. Fortunately, a new taxation plan could see Philly kids get a bigger fare share.

This week, the PA House of Representatives passed legislation that, should the Senate do likewise, would make services like Lyft and Uber legal after provisional licenses in Philly expired earlier this month. (Licenses for the rest of the state sunset early next year.)

The legislation will cement a 1.4% tax on these ride sharing services operating within Philly, with the School District of Philadelphia receiving 2/3 of the new revenue and the remainder going to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, which has oversight.       

[We urge State Senators to move quickly to pass SB 984. Click here to send an email to your Senator right now!]

The dramatic emergence of the ‘sharing economy,’ like lodging upstart Airbnb, has certainly been disruptive to traditional operators, like hotels. Old school taxi companies are being eclipsed by innovative ride-sharing companies, leaving cabbies in the lurch. But as our economy changes, it only follows that our tax policies change with the times.

So kudos are in order for legislators who haven’t left kids behind. This summer Senator Vincent Hughes said a full year of a 1% tax could amount to three or four million dollars to Philly schools. The welcome news that the tax rate is higher is good news to the beleaguered district still suffering from severe budget cuts from years past. 

While cash from taxes on Uber and Lyft amount to just a fraction of the SDP’s $2.4 billion budget, every bit helps.  

It’s imperative that as the economy innovates, we make sure to leverage those opportunities to invest in children so that they may become the innovators we need them to be.

So the next time you’re taking an Uber, know that for every mile you go you may be moving 50 feet for Philly students. That may not sound like much but it’s certainly a move in the right direction. And, yes, we’re glad there’s an app for that.

Take a minute to tell your State Senator to vote YES on SB 984!