The Council passed a bill requiring hazard pay for grocery workers, plus a few other tidbits.
This afternoon by a unanimous vote, the Council passed an ordinance requiring large grocery store companies to pay $ per hour hazard pay to their in-store hourly workers. The bill was passed as emergency legislation, so it will go into effect as soon as the Mayor signs it.
Surprisingly, no bills were “walked on” to the Council’s Introduction and Referral Calendar this afternoon. That means that Council member Herbold will be holding another conversation tomorrow about revisions to the Council’s previous ban on SPD’s use of crowd-control weapons, but without an actual bill in front of her committee. Likewise, tomorrow afternoon Council member Sawant will be discussing her effort to extend the Mayor’s eviction moratorium to the end of the year, also without an actual bill. Sawant will also be talking up her proposal to create a new right to an attorney, paid for by the city, for any renter facing eviction; for that discussion, she has circulated a draft bill that has not yet been officially introduced into the Council’s legislative process.
Now that voters have approved a renewal of the Seattle Transit Benefit District, Council member Pedersen announced this morning that his Transportation and Utilities Committee will take up at its February 17th meeting a new transit service agreement with King County Metro. Also, he expects to receive in March a proposed spending plan for the new vehicle license fees that the Council approved in November as part of the 2021 budget package but balked at committing to the critical backlog in bridge maintenance.
Council member Herbold let it be known this morning that last week the Human Services Department published a “geographic specific RFP” for food bank services in the Delridge, Georgetown, and South Park area. HSD has previously signed limited-term contracts with existing providers, but is not looking for a long-term contract. There is $115,000 in funding for the second half of 2021, and $228,000 for 2022. More information can be found here.
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Sawants Right To Counsel bill. “The City of Seattle requests that eviction courts accept defense offered by City-provided counsel when the subject of the unlawful detainer fails to appear.” Which is logical since her bill does not require the respondent to appear in court or respond to any notices. Seattle bills & Olympia leg session reminds me of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act . The treasury dept still can’t figure it out what congress did.
I’m curious what this city council RECOMMENDS for serious real crowd CONTROL to stop protesters/rioters from damaging private, city. state, and federal property which is costly to repair, plus a scary safety issue.