Maybe This Is Why The City Wants State Funds For WPD Foot Patrols
Because Wilmington taxpayers spending $8,000 on Uber billboards. Not that $8K would go far in terms of additional policing, but this shows you the fiscal priorities of this Mayor while he and his Police Chief have decided that schilling for more funds from the State is their main job.
The city Office of Economic Development is spending $8,000 under a one-month contract for four billboards with the message “Wilmington proudly welcomes UBER” and a picture of Williams. The billboards also include a website address where residents can apply to become a driver for the service.
Uber wanted to be in Delaware, so I don’t know why they would need help in advertising their services here. And it is a little strange for the Mayor to be having on about the free market for transportation services when the only part of the market that got any city help here was Uber.
I don’t have any problem with Uber being in Wilmington (or Delaware, for that matter) — taxi service is legendarily bad in the city. But then again, Uber has been having its fair share of safety issues in some places where it operates. Still — it makes little sense to spend this money on a firm that needed no incentives whatsoever to be here, while crying poormouth for essential police services.
Tags: Bamboozled!, City of Wilmington, Mayor Dennis Williams
I had some respect for Jeff Flynn, the city’s economic development guy. I can’t imagine these billboards being his idea, but the money is coming out of his budget. He should have had the balls to tell the mayor that this was an effing stupid idea.
How about a billboard welcoming YouTube to Wilmington? More people use YouTube than UBER.
I share the sentiments expressed by mediawatch.
Economic Development funds would be better spent marketing some of the programs the office has to help small businesses get off the ground or expand. Programs like the Grow Wilmington fund or minority business support.
Was there a billboard campaign welcoming Chemours?
I have been told that the purpose of the billboards was not to advertise UBER.
The purpose was to make people aware that there is a new transportation option to access the City.
The message is in the minds of the reader I guess.
If that was the purpose why didn’t they have the town crier belt out the news? Or at least post a Bill of Notice on the hitching post next to the tavern.
Or ask the NJ to write an article? Or perhaps the City’s website?
There are two types of people — those who know about Uber and those who don’t. The later group needs some info on how to access this service because it isn’t a typical taxi service.