Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the taxi industry while she was crafting what would become the most restrictive policies in Texas for transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft, her campaign finance report shows.

Viagran is the chairwoman of the council’s Public Safety Committee, the group charged with writing regulations for the transportation network companies, or TNCs.

She accepted at least $6,000 from the Texas Taxi Political Action Committee, several top-level officials from Houston’s vehicles-for-hire industry and others associated with taxis and limos in San Antonio.

That amounts to nearly 20 percent of all contributions she received from July 1 to Dec. 31.

TNCs are technology companies that offer smartphone applications that connect drivers with passengers, who pay a fare electronically. The taxi industry argues that the firms are de facto taxi companies that undercut their legacy businesses.

Viagran and a majority of the council adopted policies that they say protect public safety. Detractors, including some council members, say the regulations stifle innovation and don’t really address public safety.

One of Viagran’s contributors was one of the most outspoken proponents of strict regulations on transportation-network companies. John Bouloubasis, president of San Antonio’s Yellow Cab, has given officeholders, including Viagran, $9,250 in recent years.

Bouloubasis gave Viagran $500, the contribution limit for council members.

On Friday, he said he doesn’t give any credence to those who accuse him and his colleagues of buying influence at City Hall.

“It’s bull-(expletive),” he said. “We’ve always supported the elected officials in their runoffs and their regular elections.”

In recent years, top-tier taxi officials and their PAC have been prolific donors, contributing at least $35,500 to council members and candidates, including mayoral contender Leticia Van de Putte.

In 2014, when Uber and Lyft began operating in San Antonio and the industry pushed for strict TNC regulations, taxi officials from around the state contributed at least $16,000.

Political contributions from those associated with Lyft and Uber don’t match the taxi industry. OCI Group principals Analco González and brother Luis González made a combined $1,400 in campaign contributions during the second half of last year, $900 of which was given before the council vote on TNC regulations.

Yellow Cab’s Bouloubasis said there’s a simple reason why.

“Let’s be clear,” he said. “City Council members cannot take contributions from illegal operations.”

The TNCs have operated in San Antonio without regulation since last spring — even after receiving cease-and-desist letters from then-Police Chief William McManus. Late last year, the council adopted a policy that goes into effect in March. It’s unclear whether Uber and Lyft will remain in San Antonio when the policies take effect.

Viagran said her influence wasn’t bought — that her priority always had been to protect public safety, which just happened to align with priorities from the taxi industry.

She advocated for higher insurance levels for TNC drivers, a fingerprint background check rather than a criminal history using Social Security numbers and third-party vehicle inspections that TNCs say are redundant.

“From the very beginning of this conversation we’ve had regarding Uber, ride-share, my position has always been about the public safety and fingerprints and the safety of the citizens,” she said.

“Some people may say one way or another, but that’s been my stance all along. That has always been my stance on the public safety,” she said. “That’s what it was in the beginning, and that’s what it was toward the end as well.”

jbaugh@express-news.net

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that no one associated with Uber or Lyft had made any contributions.