TRENTON -- A New Jersey lawmaker on Thursday accused the smartphone car service Uber of "stonewalling" on regulation negotiations and demanded it "cease and desist" operating in New Jersey.

"Uber has constantly fought against being included in the New Jersey regulatory system," state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris) said in a statement. "This system provides that the cars transporting clients are safe, their drivers are not criminals and in case of injuries covered by the proper liability insurance."

The state's taxi and limousine industry has been pushing legislation that would more strictly regulate Uber. Pennacchio sponsors the legislation (S2742), which has cleared committee in the Assembly but has not moved in the state Senate.

"Somehow, some way through the legislative process they've used their influence and they've managed to throw a monkey wrench in it," Pennacchio said, adding that he believes the bill's progress is being held up in the Assembly, not the Senate.

Uber says it welcomes regulation but has a different business model than the taxi industry that requires different rules. Uber does not consider itself a taxi company, but more of a middle-man that provides software that allows its "driver partners" to connect with customers.

"Uber offers more than 7,500 New Jerseyans the ability to earn a living, putting us on par with the top 26 job creators in NJ and, by the end of this year, Uber will have an economic impact on par with the top 11 job providers in the state," Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang said in a statement. "It is troubling that Senator Pennacchio wants to reverse this progress, raise unemployment and kill more than 7,500 local jobs."

Uber in New Jersey and other states has enlisted the help of the firm Mercury Public Affairs, which includes Gov. Chris Christie's chief strategist as a partner. It has threatened to leave the state if the regulations are signed into law.

Uber also already conducts its own background checks and insures its drivers once they've turned on its smartphone application.

Pennacchio also said that questions "have also arisen why Uber is not paying the proper sale taxes, as is required by taxis and limousines."

"Right now, my understanding is they don't pay sales tax," he said.

But Anfang pointed to a state statute that requires limousines, but not taxis, to pay the sales tax.

"Senator Pennacchio apparently believes that even though taxis pay zero sales tax, Uber driver-partners should," she said.

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Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.