David Riley

@rilzd

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo has joined other local officials who are pushing for Uber and Lyft to come to the Rochester area.

Dinolfo, a Republican, released a letter Tuesday that called on state lawmakers to pass legislation to allow ride-sharing services upstate, including in Rochester.

That legislation faces an uncertain fate. State lawmakers are at odds over the details, and the end of the legislative session is looming on Thursday. Negotiations remain under way.

Dinolfo joins Mayor Lovely Warren, a Democrat, who has previously come out in favor of allowing ride-sharing locally. Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, also has co-sponsored legislation to allow and regulate the expansion of ride-sharing services.

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Taxi drivers and unions have opposed this push, arguing that Uber and Lyft will push out full-time cabbie jobs and replace them with low-paying, independent contractor work without benefits. Uber has said there is no evidence to support this concern in cities where its service is already available.

In a letter to state Sen. Rich Funke, R-Perinton, Dinolfo wrote that ride-sharing can provide "flexible job opportunities for individuals who are vetted and approved as drivers," while providing consumers another means of accessible and affordable transportation. She also cited environmental benefits.

"This not only allows for easier travel throughout the county for riders, but connects our local businesses to a larger market of consumers," Dinolfo wrote.

Funke also sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders, calling for passage of a Senate bill to allow ride-sharing upstate.

Legislators in the Senate and Assembly disagreed early this week about the minimum levels of insurance that Uber and Lyft would have to carry for their drivers.

DRILEY@Gannett.com