Survey: Most Southern Nevadans want Uber

By Conor Shine

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 | 4:32 p.m.

Southern Nevadans want Uber, according to a survey from the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance that showed 75 percent of residents believe the ridesharing company and its competitors should be allowed to operate in Las Vegas, even if it hurts existing taxi companies.

The finding was one of several previewed by the LVGEA today from a survey that will be released in full on May 19. The survey polled 500 Southern Nevada workers on a variety of issues ranging from the economy to transportation to education.

The support for Uber comes at a time when the California-based company is battling at the Legislature to pass new laws that would allow it to operate legally in the state. Uber briefly launched last year, but was shut down after a month when a court determined it was running afoul of existing transportation laws.

Taxi companies have put up a fierce fight opposing Uber, which poses a serious threat to their bottom lines and their control of the Las Vegas transportation market. Taxi officials and lobbyists have argued that Uber should be forced to comply with existing transportation laws and that lawmakers shouldn't give the company "special treatment" by creating a new regulatory scheme that would allow Uber to bring its app-driven business model to Las Vegas.

The LVGEA survey question asked respondents whether they support Uber, even if it means taxi cab drivers make less money, but it does not touch on the regulatory issues framing the debate.

The survey also showed 57 percent of respondents support Gov. Brian Sandoval's plan to raise business license fees to increase education funding, while 66 percent want to see the state fully fund the $27 million needed over the next two years to launch a UNLV medical school.

Support was more mixed on whether the state should increase funding for pre-kindergarten programs in Clark County, with about 50 percent in favor and 50 percent opposed.

The survey also painted a favorable picture of Southern Nevada's business climate, with respondents saying that the region is more business friendly than Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver and Southern California.

LVGEA chief economic development officer Jonas Peterson said the results show that Southern Nevada is doing many things right when it comes to growing its economy.

"We've got a community and a region that is attractive to business," he said. "The companies that are here and the local workers are relaying that back to us."