September 16, 2019
Dear Ms. Raman:
Thank you for reaching out to Mayor Jenny Durkan regarding our ongoing work to ensure our rideshare
drivers have the support and protections they need to build a better life for themselves and their loved
ones. The Mayor is appreciative of our office’s ongoing conversations with Lyft, and she hopes we can
continue our dialogue and work together to address our region’s biggest challenges.
The Mayor has been working to create new worker protections and standards for workers in emerging
industries – similar to her work to provide protections to some of our most vulnerable population like
domestic workers. As you know, many gig workers are considered independent contractors and as such,
app-based businesses require cities and/or states to approach minimum compensation standards and
benefits different than traditional employers.
Cities like Seattle are becoming the new safety net, so we must ensure adequate wages and benefits for
all workers. Seattle is a national leader in ensuring our workers are treated fairly. From the Fight for $15
to our Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, we are city that puts our workers first, including our drivers.
As you know, the City of Seattle has been working on a series of proposals guided by a set of key
principals that reflect Seattle’s values:
• Ensuring rideshare drivers providing services in Seattle make minimum wage plus compensation
for reasonable expenses incurred that benefit your company;
• Ensuring drivers have access to reasonable benefits including paid sick and safe time, workers
compensation, or unemployment insurance that would be available to employees;
• Protection and representation for drivers to address unwarranted deactivation issues; and
• A modest tax at similar levels proposed and implemented in other cities across the country to
support workers and key investments in transit and affordability in Seattle.
There’s no doubt that Lyft’s explosive growth has helped enrich many, and has helped create
opportunity for many communities throughout our region. But the fact remains that some drivers are in
fact not receiving minimum compensation, especially after expenses, and that this growth has had an
impact on Seattle communities. Last year, Uber and Lyft had 24 million rides in the City of Seattle, half of
which either started or ended downtown. Uber and Lyft vehicles depend on the City’s right of way, take
valuable curb space, and contribute to congestion and climate burden by circling or idling downtown.
When Lyft went public in March of this year, the company was valued at $28.3 billion, and the company
has committed at least $30 million towards a referendum in California. We appreciate your support for a
modest tax increase, as we believe our approach is balanced, and will have little impact on drivers or
your business model while creating a significant positive impact for drivers and our community.

Office of the Mayor   600 Fourth Avenue, P.O. Box 94749, Seattle, WA 98124   206-684-4000   seattle.gov/mayor

 Since taking office, Mayor Durkan has made it her commitment to ensure Seattle is a city where all our
workers are treated fairly, families can afford to live near where they work, and everyone, regardless of
income, has access to high-quality transit. We also want to sustain innovation and the most vibrant
economy in the country. It is our strong hope that Lyft will stand in support with the City as the Mayor
finalizes her proposal.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Formas
Office of the Mayor of Seattle