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.