Senators Dawn Addiego (R-Burlington) and Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) expressed opposition to Governor Murphy’s proposed plan of taxing ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft, and launched a #DontTaxMyRide campaign for others to express their opposition as well.

“Ridesharing services provide young adults the option of securing a safe ride home as a responsible alternative to getting behind the wheel after drinking,” said Senator Addiego. “By taxing services that provide safe alternatives to drunk driving, we would penalize individuals who choose to make the right decision.”

Evesham offers an innovative program that provides free Uber rides to people who need a ride home from a bar or restaurant in town. They have provided more than 5,000 free rides home, possibly preventing DUI arrests, accidents, lost lives.

Addiego said that implementing a new tax on ridesharing services would increase the cost of Evesham’s effective anti-DUI program.

O’Scanlon expressed concern that taxing ridesharing service would impact thousands of drivers for those services in New Jersey from the suburbs of New York and Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore.

“We have a lot of Shore town residents who rely on the opportunity to provide rides through Uber and Lyft to make extra money during summer months,” said O’Scanlon. “By imposing new taxes on ridesharing services, fewer people may take rides, reducing an important money-making opportunity for our residents who are looking to supplement their income by driving.”

When asked, Governor Murphy’s treasurer Elizabeth Muoioexplained new fees on Uber, Airbnb, and online products would impose $132 million in new taxes on New Jersey residents.