Here is the link to the actual city ordinance passed in December, which the vote this past Saturday was trying to overturn:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/edims/document.cfm?id=245769 (the link is to a PDF file)
I point everyone's attention to the following sections in particular:
Sec. 13-2-511 (C) and Sec. 13-2-512, requiring the company to maintain an office with a representative in Austin;
Sec. 13-2-514 (B), which would prevent a rideshare company from raising fare rates during dangerous weather conditions;
Sec. 13-2-516, which requires the rideshare company to compile all kinds of data and report it to the city;
Sec. 13-2-517 in general, but particularly paragraph (D); most rideshare companies allow their drivers to refuse any potential customer for any reason, just as a customer may refuse any driver for any reason, but this paragraph creates a special class of customer that a driver can never refuse;
Sec. 13-2-521 (B), which requires a special vehicle inspection beyond normal state inspection requirements;
Sec. 13-2-529, which requires a special driver-training course beyond the normal state driver requirements;
And finally, Secs. 13-2-532, 13-2-533, and 13-2-534, which outline the new fees to be paid to the city by rideshare companies.
So you see, there were a lot of burdensome regulations and fees (taxes) contained in the ordinance, beyond the driver background checks usually reported in the media.