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Uber West Coast Regional Manager William Barnes sits in the back of a car during a photo shoot Oct. 24 in Las Vegas.

(AP Photo/John Locher)

By Charlie Hales

Portland's sharing economy began more than 100 years ago. From our renowned library system to our pioneering of open source code, Portlanders have lived the ethos of the sharing economy for decades. Our values reflect our love of community and our neighbors, our progressive nature and our willingness to try new things, like light rail or removing a highway to build a waterfront park. The sharing economy is rooted in those same old values, married to new technology.

I believe passionately in those progressive, communitarian values. That's why I believe that companies in the sharing economy that care about Portland, and that want to operate here, should be welcomed. I've spent two years as mayor making sure that our doors are open to such innovators.

Governments must ensure the safety of everyone, while making sure that companies are responsibly serving their customers and our residents. It's not sufficient merely for us to welcome new technology, new companies and new economies. That's why my colleagues and I have spent considerable time working with companies like Airbnb to get our regulations right. You should demand nothing less, from us and from the private sector.

I see a great future for the sharing economy in Portland, and I hope to help Portland become a world leader in that economy. I know many of us are eager for new technology to take effect in Portland. And it will. But I am unwilling to rush to market simply to satisfy the arrogance and greed of any one particular company. I am unwilling to sacrifice your safety. And I am unwilling to disrupt people's livelihoods without plans in place to help them succeed in a new world.

That's why, several months ago, the city of Portland asked Uber, Lyft and others to work with us to ensure that safety and inclusion are captured in new regulations regarding private for-hire transportation companies. Regulations need to evolve to meet changing times. But regulations designed to protect consumers — price regulations, insurance regulations, wheelchair access regulations — should not be lightly cast aide.

Unfortunately, Uber chose to say, "Never mind." The company said "no" to your safety. It said "no" to inclusion and "no" to helping us work with our immigrant cab drivers, who may be laid off as a result of this new technology. Instead they chose to ignore our laws and, in doing so, have proved their disdain for our city.

I disagree with that philosophy. No one is above the law.

We don't have to sacrifice the basic concept of the rule of law in order to keep pace with innovation or to take advantage of the new business models that come with Internet access and smart phones. We've proven that by figuring out how to legally accommodate Airbnb and other short-term rental services. We will do the same with the private for-hire transportation services as well.

We won't be stampeded into someone's self-interested "solution." We'll think it through. We'll take into account public health and safety, and the impacts of our actions on the community. We'll take into consideration the need of companies — both those in Portland, and those operating from afar — to turn a profit. And then we'll make responsible policy.

And we'll do it in that order. Because that's the Portland way.

I expect that most creative, responsible companies will be fine with that.

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Charlie Hales is mayor of Portland.