Mr. Jesus Lopez
September 7, 2015
El Paso, Texas
City Manager
Dear Sir:
Greetings,
I am writing you this letter in order to inform you of my perceptions considering the Taxi Industry in El Paso, Texas. For over 17 years I have been a Taxi driver in El Paso, Texas.
“We the People of the United States in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Prosperity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America.” These statements clearly give the power to the people, not government.
The founding Fathers of America never intended for government to interfere in the affairs of private individuals. They understood that through personal responsibility and self-reliance a free person would provide for him and his family and by doing so would contribute to the Stasis of the State.
Government interference in Free Enterprise stops innovation, creativity, and healthy pursuit of ambition. It is wrong to automatically assume the worst. It is even worst to be in a hurry to drive down a dark alley of negativity. No society should be built with the intent of trying to stop everything that can go wrong.
I know that is a mutual beneficial partnership when there are Taxis available for the guest, visitors, and El Paso residents. The visitors and guest are impressed by a city that provides ready and abundant Taxi service and are happy that they did not have to spend a lot of effort in finding a Taxi. As they travel they are prone to talk about the pleasant experience of finding a Taxi with little effort. In addition, the Taxi Drivers are happy because they are making money. The people of El Paso, Texas and government leaders should be happy because happy guest and visitors increases the probability of more guest and visitors. Therefore, Taxi Drivers should not be charged for making their services available to the guest, visitors, and citizens of El Paso, Texas. Because guest, visitors, and the citizens of El Paso, Texas expect Taxi Service to be available there is a legitimate reason for the Taxi Industry to exist.
I am a firm believer in Freedom, Liberty, and Independence. In America every person is free to choose his or her destiny and dedicate them selves to achieving their personal goals and dreams. In addition, most sane adults know to keep good hygiene, maintain clean vehicles, give service with a smile, and treat the customer with respect.
In addition, the customer controls my behavior. Because I want to make money, I have to work with the customer. The customer always retains the right to say no. Adult customers have the ability to negotiate the price with Taxi Drivers. It is not the function of any government to find discount goods or services for members of the public at the expense of the merchant. Today, Taxi rates in El Paso, Texas are ten years old. This is at the expense of the Taxi Drivers.
In a free nation there is a difference between Private Industry and government services. In private industry the consumer and merchant “duke it out” and “to the victor go the spoils”. Government exists to administrate government departments in an efficient and effective manner, not interfere in the free market.
I highly suspect that Taxi Inspectors of the city of El Paso, Texas, USA may represent El Paso, Texas Taxi Drivers as rude, irresponsible, and as thieves. If I am a criminal, it is because of the intrusive, restrictive, and anti-American Vehicle For Hire Municipal Codes of the City of El Paso, Texas that interfere with a Taxi Drivers ability to earn a decent living.
Taxi Inspectors may speak of a certain time when Taxis where run down and dirty. This was during the 19-year period that El Paso, Texas city government did not let Taxi Drivers raise their prices. I became aware in 2004 that the City Clerk was not allowing Taxi Drivers on to the City Council agenda. This act is an infringement of the 1st Amendment Rights of the US Constitution, which protects the “…right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” By not allowing Taxi Drivers to raise their prices for 5, 10, 15, and even 20 years the City of El Paso Government created the economic situations that restrained Taxi Drivers from properly maintaining their vehicles. Taxi Inspectors had no problem issuing citations to Taxi Drivers during this time period.
Why can’t Taxi Drivers in El Paso, Texas have a five-day workweek, two days off in the week, and a 2-week vacation like the majority of workers in America? The simple answer is because we are limited to where we can work and El Paso, Texas City Government controls our prices. I have to work 10 to 12 hours 7 days a week to earn the money needed to sustain my life. I am a self-employed individual, working in private industry in the Free Nation of the United States of America. The only individuals who should be telling me were to work and how much to charge should be my customers. As long as they give me their money, I will work an area and keep to my prices.
Part of the 14th amendment of the United States of America states says, “…No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of the Citizens of the United States, nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property… nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Because the City of El Paso government tells me, a person in the free market, how much to charge, El Paso City government is infringing on my Liberty. Vehicle For Hire Code interferes with my full use of my property.
This same Vehicle For Hire Code creates a serious economic burden on Taxi Drivers. Just because a vehicle is 20 years or more in age does not mean that vehicle is not mechanically sound. Every four to five years those of us who own our own Taxis have to pay to buy a new vehicle, have it painted, have the taximeter installed, top light installed, and 2way radio installed. The state of Texas does not have a problem with 20 year old or older vehicles on Texas roads.
The reality is that I know that all Vehicle For Hire Codes of El Paso, Texas should not exist. They are anti-free market. They are anti-American.
As far as UBER is concerned, a simple definition for Taxi is “a car, usually fitted with a taximeter, that may be hired, along with its driver, to carry passengers to any specified destination”. Granted UBER is not engaged in this behavior. However, the drivers who have partnered with UBER are engaged in the operation of personally owned vehicles as Taxis. Having said this, I would not wish the intrusive, restrictive, and anti-American Vehicle For Hire Municipal Code of El Paso, Texas that I have had to suffer under for the last 17 years of my life unto UBER and its partners.
I recognize that absolute freedom may jeopardize my income. However, the reality is UBER drivers are not going to wait long hours in extreme weather conditions in order to provide potential customers at the El Paso International Airport Taxi service. I hope city leaders can recognize the sacrifice Taxi Drivers in El Paso, Texas make in order to provide customer service at the El Paso International Airport and Taxi Zone A and Taxi Zone B. Moreover, UBER partners will not go into Mexico.
I also have to state that there are numerous opportunities for Taxi Drivers at Calleros Ct, Montestruc Ct, Bridge of the Americas, Zaragosa Bridge, and other location in El Paso, Texas. The only things in our way are city ordinances. City council should understand that satisfied visitors and guest to El Paso, Texas stay and spend their money in El Paso, Texas.
In addition, the question of UBER has a simple answer. UBER has stated they are a technology company, not a Taxi Company. Therefore, by their own admission UBER and its partners are not worthy of the right to operate Taxis, “which are cars…that may be hired, along with its driver, to carry passengers to any specified destination”, in El Paso, Texas because UBER is not a Taxi company. Furthermore, UBER has 4 billion dollars in wealth. It is obvious to me that UBER has read the Vehicle for Hire code and is charging less than El Paso, Texas Taxi Drivers. This is unfair. To truly compete with UBER I would have to have access to UBER prices and have access to the same amount of wealth.
Does any one not believe that if UBER is allowed to dominate the Taxi Industry in El Paso, Texas that UBER will raise their prices as soon as they are able to do so in El Paso, Texas? Because the Owners and Administrators of UBER state they are a not Taxi company than UBER partners can no longer operate in the city of El Paso, Texas, in my opinion. However, let “them” play with their little smart phones as long as they do not interfere with the operations of Taxi Drivers in city of El Paso, Texas, USA.
Now the word “fair” is used a lot in this debate. I want to know why I am being held to the poor standards created by Paranoia and Psychosis. It is assumed that Taxi Drivers need to be regulated. Where is actual proof that Taxi Drivers cannot moderate their own behavior? Taxi Inspectors objectivity cannot be trusted in this debate because they have a paycheck to protect. The customer just wants cheap, if not free, service. The only people who know the cost of providing the service and the actual amount of taxi customers in El Paso, Texas are the Taxi Drivers of El Paso, Texas.
In the second paragraph of The Declaration of Independence it is stated “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness-That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. In the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence the Freedom of the individual to pursue his or her destiny without the interruption of government is clearly stated. Therefore, City Council, in my opinion, is obligated in to return to Taxi Drivers their individual rights of Freedom, Liberty, and Independence by making the Vehicle For Hire Municipal Code of El Paso, Texas, USA null and void.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jesus Lopez
2622 Federal Ave Apt B • El paso, TX • 79930-3102
Phone: 915 345 3765 •