>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
THE JUNE 11th , 2024 MEETING OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL
COME TO ORDER. I AM SARA
NELSON. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL WE WILL PROCEED?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> SEVEN PRESENT.
>> WE WILL ANNOUNCE PEOPLE AS
THEY COME IN, IF I CAN
REMEMBER. TODAY IS NOT A
PRESENTATION. SO, WE WILL OPEN
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> WE HAVE SEVEN IN PERSON AND
TWO REMOTE.
>> WE WILL GIVE EACH PERSON TWO
MINUTES. WILL START WITH THE
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. RECITE THE
INSTRUCTIONS AND WE WILL BEGIN.
>> SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
WHICH THE -- IN THE ORDER IN
WHICH THEY ARE REGISTERED. WE
WILL ALTERNATE , WELL MAYBE NOT
TODAY, BETWEEN IN-PERSON AND
REMOTE SPEAKERS. YOU WILL HEAR
A TIME WHEN YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS
LEFT. MICROPHONES WILL BE MUTED
WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH THEIR
TIME , TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>> THE FIRST PERSON IS JASON.
>> JUST A SECOND.
>> ANY PERSON WORKING MORE THAN
FULL-TIME HOURS AND HAS THEIR
EXPENSES TRIMMED AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, WITH THE VOLUME OF
DELIVERIES, SO LOW, ONLY ABLE
TO MAKE $400 LAST WEEK. I
COULD'VE MADE $953 AT THE
SEATTLE MINIMUM WAGE. DOORDASH
HAS STATED THEY WILL REMOVE THE
FIVE DOLLAR FEE IF THE REVISION
PASSES. 80% OF VOTERS WANT THAT
REPEALED. COURIERS ARE LOSING
THEIR LIVELIHOOD, WE NEED THE
HELP, AND WE NEED IT RIGHT NOW.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH HAS
ARRIVED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON , MY NAME IS
ARIANNA . I AM A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 1 AND A DELIVERY
DRIVER. POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES ARE TAKEN AWAY,
EGREGIOUS, GIVEN THE FACT THAT
SOMEONE WAS BEATEN AT A BUS
STOP, BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO
ENSURE THAT DELIVERY DRIVERS
CAN BE INSURED AND PAY THEIR
BILLS. WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID
TAKING AWAY WHAT LITTLE
PROGRESS WAS MADE, AND
DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE. SEATTLE SHOULD BE
FOR EVERYONE. SURVEILLANCE DOES
NOT MAKE US SAFER AND I AM
AGAINST LICENSE PLATE READERS.
LASTLY, GRUBHUB ANNOUNCED A
PARTNERSHIP WITH AMAZON TO
OFFER FREE FOOD DELIVERY . WHAT
WE ARE SEEING NOW IS THE MARKET
EQUALIZING, SOME HAVE REQUESTED
A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR THE
PROBLEMS. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE
STRANGE NOTION THAT FOOD
DELIVERY SHOULD BE BUSY EVERY
SINGLE SECOND OF EVERY DAY.
MOST RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA
THAT I WORK ON IN CLOSE FROM
2:00 TO 5:00. IF THEY WORK FROM
9:00 TO 5:00, AVAILABLE
BUSINESS IS CUT IN HALF.
MEALTIMES CONTINUE TO BE BUSY.
TIMES OUTSIDE OF MEALTIMES HAVE
LITTLE ORDER VOLUME, THIS IS
TRUE OF EVERYPLACE IN AMERICA.
PLEASE , CONTINUE KEEPING PAYUP
IN PLACE AS IS.
>> FOLLOWING JOHN, KATHLEEN,
THEN SEAN.
>> BEFORE -- BEFORE PAYUP, I
NEVER MADE LESS THAN $20 PER
HOUR. IN MY EXPERIENCE,
EVERYONE WILLING TO WORK HARD
WAS MAKING A LIVABLE WAGE.
COMPLEX PROBLEMS DO REQUIRE
COMPROMISE. FOOD DELIVERY
EMPLOYMENT IS CRITICAL FOR
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THEY DO
NOT HAVE A VOICE, BECAUSE OF
LANGUAGE BARRIERS. THEY DO NOT
HAVE A VOICE BECAUSE OF
SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES. THE
PEOPLE WHO SPEAK BEFORE THIS
COUNCIL, INCLUDING MYSELF, ARE
NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
SYSTEM AT ALL. WHAT IS BEST FOR
THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS NOT BEST
FOR THE LOUDEST VOICES. LAST
YEAR I MADE $1231. LAST WEEK,
THIS YEAR, I MADE $80 ON UBER
EATS, $22 ON DOORDASH , AND NO
ONE CAN LIVE ON THAT INCOME IN
THE CITY. IT IS TOO DEPRESSING
TO EVEN LOOK AT WHAT MY HOURLY
WAGE IS. I AM CONFIDENT THIS
COUNCIL WILL SEE THROUGH THE
DISINFORMATION AND DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR THE CITY AS A HOLE,
WHICH -- HALL -- WHOLE .
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA HAS
ENTERED.
>> I JUST RETURNED FROM GREAT
BRITAIN, I LOVE THE
TRANSPORTATION THERE. IT WAS
SAFE, CLEAN, THE CITY HAS
ALMOST 10 MILLION. WHY CAN'T
WE HAVE THAT HERE? I ALSO WANT
TO SAY KUDOS TO THE BALLARD
COMMONS , SINCE THEY OPENED UP
THE PARK. WITH THE PLAYING AREA
FOR CHILDREN , IT IS JUST
WONDERFUL TO SEE THE CHILDREN
PLAYING IN THE WATER AREA. YES,
THERE ARE STILL SOME
INTERESTING CHARACTERS THERE.
THAT EVERYBODY IS WORKING
TOGETHER. AND IT IS NICE TO SEE
IT SO ALIVE. THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> FOLLOWING -- WE HAVE SHANNON
, AND THEN WE HAVE JARED, AFTER
JARED, WE HAVE CALVIN.
>> THANK YOU , MADAM PRESIDENT,
COUNCIL. I AM HERE AS A TOURIST
WITH EXPERIENCE. I AM GREATLY
DISAPPOINTED IN THE EXPERIENCE
THAT I HAD ON FRIDAY NIGHT, AND
SATURDAY MORNING, WITH MY
HUSBAND AND I. I WENT THROUGH 6
AND JAMES , WE WENT TO A VENUE
TO LISTEN TO A YOUNG ARTIST,
AND WE WERE DRIVING BACK HOME,
TURNING LEFT, ONTO THE FREEWAY.
SOMEONE IN THE TAXI DID NOT
KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE WAS
IN THE OTHER LANE. BUT ALL I
KNOW IS, HE BACKED UP INTO OUR
CAR, AT A STOPLIGHT. I
IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. I WAS
GATHERING INFORMATION . HE WAS
ARGUING WITH MY HUSBAND. AND
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT
IS, WE CALLED 911, 12 PATROL
CARS DROVE PAST US WITHOUT
STOPPING TO SEE IF WE WERE
OKAY, WHETHER THERE WAS A
SUSPECT IN THE BACK OF THEIR
CAR OR NOT, THEY KEPT DRIVING
PAST US. SO, THEN I WAS TELLING
SOMEONE THIS ONLINE, I WAS
TOLD, WELL, IF YOU ARE BLOCKING
TRAFFIC , YOU WILL GET A
TICKET. AS LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE,
WE MOVED OUR VEHICLE OFF TO THE
SIDE, OFF OF 6 th . THIS
GENTLEMAN WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY
INFORMATION. SO WE CALLED 911
AGAIN. AGAIN, THE POLICE DID
NOT CALM. THIS GENTLEMAN HAS
FILED A FALSE REPORT . WITH OUR
INSURANCE COMPANY. I CALLED ,
HE HAS BECOME A GHOST. SO, THAT
IS THE EXPERIENCE I HAD, AS A
TOURIST.
>> HOLD ON. I HAVE TO APPLY THE
RULES FAIRLY, THE BEST WAY TO
FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, SEND THAT
TO COU .
>> I HAVE A LOUD VOICE, I DO
NOT NEED A MIC. I AM VISUALLY
IMPAIRED AND I AM TRYING TO
LEARN HOW TO WORK WITH THAT.
TELLING SOMEONE WHO IS VISUALLY
IMPAIRED TO GO ONLINE , MY
SOFTWARE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE MY
VOICE. SO, THAT IS AN ISSUE ,
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE . I AM
GOING BLIND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING
YOUR HARDEST TO GET IT BACK TO
WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME TO
SEATTLE AND ENJOY IT ONCE
AGAIN. BUT, I MUST COMMEND ALL
OF YOU FOR WORKING ON THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE JARED, FOLLOWED BY
JARED, WE WILL HAVE CALVIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS.
MY NAME IS JARED TESSIE -- AND
TODAY IS THE FIFTH DAY OF THE
THIRD MONTH OF SPRING. IT IS
CALLED THE MONTH OF SAVANT , IN
CHALDEAN . IF YOU THOUGHT IT
WAS THE 12th OF JUNE, IT IS
BECAUSE YOU ARE DISORIENTED TO
TIME AND POSSIBLY SPACE , AS
WELL . AND YOU NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THE MOON. I HAVE
TRANSCENDED MY CONDITION. I CAN
NOW REPORT TO YOU THE FACT THAT
IT IS ALSO THE SEVENTH WEEK,
SINCE THE FULL MOON OF SPRING,
WHICH WAS THE NIGHT OF
PASSOVER. NOW, I WANT YOU ALL
TO JOIN ME IN WISHING THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY IN SEATTLE A
HAPPY FESTIVAL OF THE FIRST
FRUITS OF THE HARVEST. IT IS
CALLED THE FEAST OF WEEDS. MOST
OF THE CHURCHES ARE ALSO A
LITTLE BIT DISORIENTED AS TO
TIME, BUT NOT TO SPACE . THE
ANGLO-SAXON PRESENCE IS NOT THE
CHOSEN PRESENCE. BUT I STAND
BY, AND WE NEED TO ADMIT THAT
CANAAN IS THE PROMISE LAND AND
JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO
RETURN. JOAN -- JUNE IS PART OF
THE ROMAN PERIOD. I WANTED TO
SAY HAPPINESS TO ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITY IN SEATTLE.
>> WE HAVE CALVIN , THEN OUR
LAST IN-PERSON SPEAKER. OR ,
BENNETT?
>> COUNCIL , I THOUGHT I WOULD
ACKNOWLEDGE MYSELF . MY NAME IS
CALVIN EMERSON, I AM A STUDENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. I STUDY MEDICATION,
JOURNALISM, PUBLIC INTEREST,
AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT I AM HOLDING MY PHONE UP,
I AM PRACTICING AUDIO
JOURNALISM AND I NEEDED A PLACE
TO COLLECT AUDIO. I THOUGHT
THAT I WOULD COME TO THE
COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU FOR
ALL OF THE HARD WORK YOU ARE
DOING. FOR ALL OF THE PUBLIC,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEETING. FOR
ACCURATELY REVIEWING THE PUBLIC
SHEET, I HOPE THAT WOULD BE
OKAY. AND THAT IS ALL, REALLY.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
GIVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO A
STUDENT JOURNALIST, I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANY OF YOU
ALL, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
BUT THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE THE
SAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT, BENNETT.
>> HI, LAST WEEK THE COMMUNITY
OF MIGRANTS STAYING ON THE
PATCH OF LAND OUTSIDE THE
COUNTY-OWNED MOTEL IN CAN ,
FORMERLY THE ECONOLODGE , I
WANTED TO REPLAY WHAT THEY SAID
IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WHICH
THEY POSTED TO THEIR INSTAGRAM.
>> IF IT WAS THEM WHO WAS HERE,
THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAY
HERE, THAT IS WHY WE ARE GOING
THROUGH THIS. WE ARE NOT ASKING
FOR MONEY. WE ARE NOT ASKING
FOR GOLD OR SILVER. WE ARE
ASKING FOR HOUSING. WE NEED TO
GET A WORK PERMIT. NO ONE IS
HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE
HERE, THEY ARE HERE OF THEIR
OWN RELATION. THERE ARE A LOT
OF THINGS , AND WE ARE NOT HERE
ON OUR OWN. IT IS VERY SELFISH
TO HAVE THE EMPTY HOTEL WHEN
YOU HAVE PEOPLE SLEEPING
OUTSIDE , THIS IS A LOT OF
INCOMPETENCE FROM THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT.
>> I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD. THANK
YOU.
>> THAT WAS OUR LAST IN-PERSON
SPEAKER.
>> FOR REMOTE SPEAKERS, WE HAVE
TWO. AS A REMINDER, REMOTE
SPEAKERS, AFTER YOU HEAR THE
PROMPT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
ONE TIME. OUR FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER IS EMMA . FOLLOWED BY
ALEX. GO AHEAD, EMMA. I AM NOT
SEEING THE PHONE NUMBER, I.T.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE IT? THERE
YOU GO, EMMA.
>> HELLO. COUNCILMEMBERS , I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR NOT
RUSHING AHEAD WITH THE PAYUP
REVISION. THE TYPES OF ORDERS I
HAVE BEEN TAKING HAVE CHANGED.
I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY. WE ARE
FINALLY BEING PAID A FAIR RATE
, I WAS ABLE TO WALK OUT OF THE
BIKE SHOP, KNOWING THAT I HAVE
ENOUGH SET ASIDE TO PAY FOR THE
NECESSARY EXPENSES. THIS IS A
MARKET CHANGE WHEN I HAD TO
UNEXPECTEDLY SERVICE MY BIKE IN
JANUARY, AND I NEEDED TO HELP
-- ASK FOR HELP FROM MY
FRIENDS. MY ACCEPTANCE RATE HAS
BEEN DECREASING LATELY. I AM
BEING SENT ORDERS BY MULTIPLE
COPIES MORE FREQUENTLY, AND MY
BIKE IS REACHING CAPACITY MORE
OFTEN. I HAVE BEEN ON THE
WAITLIST SINCE SEPTEMBER, AND I
WAS ACCEPTED AS A CONTRACTOR
THIS WEEK. ALL SIGNS SHOW THAT
THE COMPETITION IS HEATING UP.
THAT IS GOOD FOR CONSUMERS, AS
WELL AS US DRIVERS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
>> OUR LAST REMOTE SPEAKER
TODAY IS ALEX KIM. GO AHEAD.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> GUESS.
>> HELLO , EVERYONE. THIS IS
ALEX KIM RESIDENT. I AM A PAYUP
SUPPORTER. LAST WEEK, THE
COMMISSIONER BEFORE HE ATTENDED
THE MEETING. DURING THE
MEETING, SHE STATED THAT PAYUP
DOES NOT AFFECT RESTAURANTS AND
SHE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
ORDERS ARE DOWN, SMALL ORDERS,
BUT LARGE ORDERS ARE UP. SO IF
PAYUP DOES NOT NEGATIVELY HURT
, WHY WOULD YOU CHANGE IT WITH
A NEGATIVE PAY STANDARD ?
SEATTLE-BASED AMAZON, A COMPANY
WHO HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH
SALES AS MADE A DEAL , UP TO
18% IF THEY GET ENOUGH ORDERS.
COMPETITIVE ORDERS ARE
INCREASING . THESE PEOPLE
BELIEVE IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER
FROM HERE, RECENTLY DOORDASH
SAID THEY WILL REMOVE THE FEES.
AS A DRIVER WHO WORKS EVERY
DAY, I CAN TELL YOU, THIS IS
NOT A BIG DEAL. DOORDASH IS THE
MOST POPULAR APP IN SEATTLE. I
WOULD SAY DOORDASH IS CHEAPER
BECAUSE TIPS ARE NO LONGER
NEEDED TO GET YOUR FOOD
DELIVERED. CUSTOMERS, USE
DOORDASH, STOP USING GRUBHUB
AND UBER EATS. THE COUNCIL HAS
MUCH MORE POWER TO BARGAIN THAN
YOU THINK. THERE IS NO NEED TO
TRY TO GET AWAY WITH
UNDERPAYMENT, OR HAVING NO
CODIFICATION OF DIPPING. THIS
IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT, EVEN IF
PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST PAYUP.
IF THE ORDINANCE MUST BE
CHANGED , GO BACK TO THE TABLE
WITH THE WORKERS INVOLVED THIS
TIME TO GET A MUCH BETTER DEAL.
>> THANK YOU, ALEX, YOUR TIME
HAS EXPIRED. AND THAT IS THE
LAST SPEAKER REGISTERED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I WILL
CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
AND MOVE ON. THANK YOU. MOVING
ON, WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS
TODAY. SO, WELL, THAT -- THAT
WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE BRIEFING
THIS MORNING. IF THERE IS NO
PROBLEM, THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. SEEING NO ADOPTION.
THE INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. AND
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, SEEING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
APPROVED. AND SO, THE PAYMENT
FOR THE BILLS, ARE THERE ANY
OTHER ITEMS THAT COUNCIL
MEMBERS WOULD LIKE REMOVED FROM
THE CONSENT CALENDAR TODAY?
HEARING TO NONE, IT HAS BEEN
MOVED AND SECONDED TO ADOPT THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ?
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA ?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ?
COUNCILMEMBER WOO ?
COUNCILMEMBER JOY HOLLINGSWORTH
? COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ?
COUNCILMEMBER MARA? COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON ? IT IS NINE
IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED
>> PLEASE AFFIX MY NAME TO THE
CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY BEHALF.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS TO CONSIDER,
NOR IS THERE ANY RESOLUTION FOR
ADOPTION. ANY FURTHER ITEMS FOR
TODAY'S MEETING? SEEING NONE
--
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> JUST A SECOND, GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES .
>> I WOULD LIKE TO BE EXCUSED
FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK. I WILL
BE TRANSFERRING -- TRAVELING TO
VANCOUVER. I WILL BE AT THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
MEETING VIRTUALLY, BUT THE REST
OF THE WEEK I WILL BE OUT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I AM
NOT SEEING ANY SHAKING OF ADS
IN OPPOSITION, YOU ARE EXCUSED.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THE
CITY DOWN THERE.
>> I NEED TO BE EXCUSED, ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT JUNE 18th,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> I MOVE TO EXCUSE
COUNCILMEMBER TAMMY MORALES.
>> SECOND.
>> SEEING NO OBJECTIONS. OKAY,
YOU ARE EXCUSED. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>> AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, I
TOO WILL BE ASSOCIATING --
REPRESENTING THE CITY NEXT
WEEK, I MAY BE MISSING A
BRIEFING. I WILL BE ATTENDING
THE TRANSPORTATION MEETING
VIRTUALLY. I AM REQUESTING TO
BE EXCUSED FROM THE COUNCIL
MEETING, ON JUNE 18th.
>> IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? I
MOVE FOR THIS OBJECTION TO BE
APPROVED. WE ARE COVERING ALL
THE BASES. THANK YOU VERY LAST
-- MUCH FOR LETTING US KNOW. I
WANTED TO LET OUR STUDENT
JOURNALIST TO KNOW , THIS WAS A
VERY SHORT MEETING TODAY. I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME BACK ON A
FUTURE TUESDAY FOR SOME MORE
DISCUSSION ON LEGISLATION THAT
IS PENDING. BUT TO EVERYBODY
ELSE WHO ATTENDED, SEEING NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING
IS ADJOURNED. IT IS 2:25 P.M.,
AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.