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In Uber fight, Georgia court stomps taxi drivers’ bid for government money

Mohamed Hussein, an Atlanta taxi driver who has an economics degree, said he spent $53,000 ona taxi “medallion” that might only be worth about $10,000 now, due to the rise of ride-share services and the city’s approach to regulation. MATT KEMPNER / AJC

Credit: Matt Kempner

Credit: Matt Kempner

Mohamed Hussein, an Atlanta taxi driver who has an economics degree, said he spent $53,000 ona taxi “medallion” that might only be worth about $10,000 now, due to the rise of ride-share services and the city’s approach to regulation. MATT KEMPNER / AJC
By Matt Kempner
May 17, 2017

Atlanta taxi drivers, battered by Uber and Lyft, sued to get Georgia to compensate them for what they contended was a government "taking."

A Georgia Supreme Court ruling this week tossed that attempt. The justices were unanimous.

The taxi drivers wanted to get paid for the diminished value of city-issued taxi medallions. But the high court's decision signals a bigger risk for those who think they can rely on government protections to limit new business rivals.

Check out why this might be the last legal gasp for Atlanta taxi drivers' Uber fight, in my latest Unofficial Business column on MyAJC.com

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AJC Unofficial Business columnist Matt Kempner offers you a unique look at the business scene in metro Atlanta and beyond. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these columns:

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In other Business news:

Ride-hailing service Lyft is partnering with Waymo, the driverless car division owned by Google's parent company.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

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