15 (02)
Susana Barrios
From:Danielle Lam <danielle.lam@uber.com>
Sent:Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:10 PM
To:Ashleigh Aitken; Carlos A. Leon; Ryan Balius; Natalie Rubalcava; Norma C. Kurtz;
Kristen Maahs; Natalie Meeks; Public Comment; Berenice Ballinas
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Opposition to Tourism Mobility Tax - Uber
Attachments:Uber - Anaheim Tax Opposition .pdf
You don't often get email from danielle.lam@uber.com. Learn why this is important
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
Dear Mayor Aitken and Members of the City Council:
Uber learned of the City's proposed Tourism Mobility Tax within the last 24 hours and respectfully requests that
the City pause further consideration of the proposal to allow for additional stakeholder engagement.
We appreciate the City's interest in addressing transportation challenges and share the goal of improving
mobility for residents and visitors alike. However, given the magnitude of this proposal, we believe industry
engagement is necessary and we remain opposed in its current state. Additionally, we can share our analysis
of how the proposal will impact affordability, local drivers' earnings, and mobility for Anaheim residents,
workers, businesses, and visitors.
Please let me know when you are available to meet. I look forward to hearing from you.
--Danielle
--
Danielle Lam
Public Policy & Communications | California
(415) 740-8222
1
July 28, 2026
Dear Mayor Aitken and Members of the City Council:
On behalf of Uber, we strongly oppose the proposed Tourism Mobility Tax and urge the Council to
delay consideration to allow for meaningful engagement with impacted stakeholders.
We were disappointed to see a proposal of this magnitude introduced publicly with no prior outreach
to the rideshare industry and on a timeline that could allow it to advance within 24 hours. Good
public policy is built through collaboration and conversation, particularly when it would increase
transportation costs for millions of riders and significantly impact driver earnings. This process has
afforded no meaningful opportunity for either.The City's analysis assumes an average tax of
approximately $2 per trip, but actual rider costs may be significantly higher. For example, a recent
trip from John Wayne Airport to Disneyland resulted in a tax of more than $3, as reflected in the
receipt below.
With ART gone, rideshare is an essential part of the city’s transportation infrastructure—not a
convenience. Since service ended in March, we have absorbed a substantial share of the displaced
demand. Thousands of hospitality and convention workers getting to shifts, residents reaching jobs
and medical appointments, and visitors moving between hotels and venues rely on Uber.
The proposal is also fundamentally regressive. Rideshare trips already include a number of state
and local fees that are dedicated to transportation priorities, such as improving accessibility,
expanding transit access, and reducing emissions. What Anaheim is proposing is not an investment
in transportation but simply raises the cost of an essential mobility option relied upon by Anaheim
residents, workers, and millions of visitors alike. At a time when Californians are facing an
unprecedented affordability crisis, the City should not be making transportation more expensive for
working families while simultaneously threatening the earning opportunities of the local drivers who
depend on these trips for income.
We are prepared to advocate for the millions of riders and tens of thousands drivers who rely on our
platform and ensure they are made aware of the impact on affordability and accessibility with this
proposal. We stand ready to work collaboratively with the City and respectfully ask the Council to
pause this proposal, engage directly with industry stakeholders, and pursue a transparent process
before asking voters to consider a new transportation tax.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Danielle Lam
Uber Technologies, Inc.