Yes. Unless you think the taxi companies were giving millions to local politicians protecting them just coincidentally and out of some greater good. Example of that plus the competition responding similarly:
No. I have not, nor will I ever buy into the propaganda that Uber was out to do anything to regulations. They were out to make money, and they decided they didn't have to follow the law. That's it.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-taxi-uber-lobby-sto...