NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Bill de Blasio said thanks but no thanks to Uber’s call for a live debate to air their differences.

On Monday, the ride-hailing service invited New York City’s mayor to participate in a live-streamed conversation about the company’s future in the Big Apple. The de Blasio administration has been trying to slow down Uber’s rapid expansion.

De Blasio declined the invitation, saying, “I do not debate with the heads of private companies over their own self-interest.”

Mayor Rejects Offer For Internet Debate With Uber

The City Council is expected to vote this week on a bill that could temporarily cap the growth of ride services such as Uber. There is a lot at stake — for the yellow cab industry, which is apparently hurt by the competition; for the millions of consumers who use the Uber service and like it, and for the thousands who want to get jobs as drivers.

Since 2011, about 25,000 black and livery cars have been added to New York’s streets, which some officials blame for worsening traffic congestion. Uber cars have surpassed the number of city taxis, and the government needs time to catch up on regulations, de Blasio said.

In an op-ed in the New York Daily News on Saturday, de Blasio said he fears adding tens of thousands of for-hire cars to city streets could lead to serious traffic problems.

“We’ll ensure that current service remains in place — and can even grow modestly — but our goal is to ensure that our streets aren’t flooded with tens of thousands more cars before we can stand up new rules to govern the marketplace,” the mayor wrote, adding, “We still need basic standards that ensure people who work hard in this sector can earn a decent living.”