Broward County had hoped to blaze a new trail, as only the second community in Florida to pass a law legalizing modern ride-hailing services such as Uber.
But the effort collapsed this week, when Uber announced it will pull out of Broward at month's end, frustrated by what it said were some of the most "onerous'' and "hostile'' regulations in America.
The announcement was met with disappointment and disbelief. As the Uber-adoring public pummeled Broward County leaders in emails and online commentary, a majority of county commissioners Tuesday defended the laws, casting doubt on the prospect of a resolution.