What Pat Quinn Has to Do With Uber Expansion

The Illinois governor's veto could help the car service app's Chicago ambitions

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Uber's goal to expand its Midwest branch by 500 employees within the next two years depends upon the approval of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.

The popular ride-sharing start-up urged Chicagoans to mobilize against legislation recently passed by the Illinois state Senate that would regulate Uber's growing business here amid taxi industry concerns. The bill, dubbed HD 4075, awaits Quinn's signature, and Uber would really, really like the governor to veto it.

"The bill protects taxi special interests working to stifle competition and protect their monopoly," the petition contends. "HB 4075 damages consumer choice, safety, economic development, and the ability of municipalities to regulate transportationservices in a way that meets their residents’ needs."

Uber has chosen the Windy City to be one of three regional hubs alongside Washington and San Francisco, where the company was founded. Back in May, City Hall approved a controversial plan by Mayor Rahm Emanuel -- whose super-agent brother is among the app's most powerful investors -- that goes into effect at the end of the summer and bars ride-sharing businesses from picking up passengers at local airports and McCormick Place.

The loophole: If city transportation authorities OK O'Hare and Midway as Uber zones, then those floodgates will bust open, resulting in an even greater contingent of angry taxicab drivers fearful of losing customers to smartphone-friendly competitors.

Defending the ordnance against allegations that it's too soft on Uber-disruptors, Emanuel said: "There’s