[MUSIC]
-- GOOD MORNING. THE HUMAN
SERVICES, LABOR AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:32 A.M.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th, 2026. I'M
COUNCILMEMBER ALEXIS MERCEDES
RINCK, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL AND LET THE RECORD
REFLECT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ IS EXCUSED?
-- VICE CHAIR FOSTER HERE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HERE. CHAIR
RINCK.
-- HERE.
-- THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS
PRESENT AND ONE EXCUSED.
-- GREAT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA. IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. HI, EVERYONE. WELCOME
TO TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE CHAMBERS
SO FULL. ON A FRIDAY MORNING, WE
HAVE A ROBUST AGENDA TODAY WITH
THREE ITEMS. FIRST, WE WILL HAVE
A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON AN
AMENDMENT TO THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS ORDINANCE. BY WAY OF
BACKGROUND, IN 2018, SEATTLE
BECAME THE FIRST CITY IN THE
NATION TO PASS A DOMESTIC
WORKERS BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH
CODIFIED FUNDAMENTAL LABOR
RIGHTS, INCLUDING MINIMUM WAGE,
MEAL AND REST BREAKS AND
PROTECTIONS AGAINST RETALIATION
AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS. ADDITIONALLY,
THIS LANDMARK LEGISLATION
FOUNDED THE DOMESTIC WORKER
STANDARDS BOARD, WHO BRIEFED
THIS COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS
YEAR. AND THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ FOR YOUR
PREVIOUS WORK ON THE FORMER
COUNCIL FOR THE ORIGINAL
DOMESTIC WORKERS ORDINANCE.
NOTABLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR
DURING THE STATE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE 34th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT,
STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRIANNA
THOMAS, THE STATE LEGISLATURE
PASSED A STATEWIDE DOMESTIC
WORKERS BILL OF RIGHTS THAT
INCLUDED ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS,
INCLUDING REQUIREMENTS AROUND
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS AND ADVANCED
TERMINATION NOTICE. THIS MEANS
THAT THERE'S A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR SEATTLE TO
UPDATE OUR OWN ORDINANCE AND MY
OFFICE, ALONGSIDE THE OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS, HAS DONE WORK
TO ENGAGE WITH THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS BOARD, AS WELL
AS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS
SUPPORTING DOMESTIC WORKERS TO
LOOK AT SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO
EXPAND ON THOSE LABOR
PROTECTIONS. SO VERY EXCITED TO
HEAR FROM THEM TODAY. OUR SECOND
ITEM ON THE AGENDA WILL BE A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, ALONG WITH
NATIONAL SUBJECT EXPERTS ON THE
DRAFT FAIR PRICING AND
TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE. I WILL
BE SAVING MY REMARKS ON THAT
PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
WHEN WE HEAR THE ITEM AND OUR
THIRD AND FINAL ITEM FOR
TODAY'S AGENDA IS A BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND THE CITY'S HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT REGARDING
THE CITY'S PLAN TO TRANSITION
HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACTS
CURRENTLY HELD BY KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
BACK UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. AS A REMINDER
TO THE COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, THIS REPORT THAT
WE'LL BE HEARING ABOUT LATER
TODAY WAS A REQUIREMENT AS A
PART OF THE KCJ NEXT STEPS
RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCIL
EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE. CLERK
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP
FOR TODAY?
-- CURRENTLY, WE HAVE 23
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND
13 REMOTE SPEAKERS.
-- OKAY, SINCE WE HAVE MORE THAN
30 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, EACH
SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN ONE
MINUTE. WE WILL START WITH
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. CLARK,
CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC
COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
-- THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO 60
MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF
IN-PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS
UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
HAS ENDED. PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING
BY STATING YOUR NAME AND THE
ITEM THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT ON YOUR
TIME. SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE
MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME. TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE
NEXT SPEAKER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN, AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST.
-- GREAT. SO TO MANAGE TODAY'S
PUBLIC COMMENTS, SINCE WE HAVE
SO MANY FOLKS SIGNED UP, I'LL BE
READING NAMES IN ORDER OF FIVE.
AND SO JUST SO FOLKS KNOW WHEN
TO GET READY. SO FIRST, WE'LL
HEAR FROM MAYA MORALES, FOLLOWED
BY JULIE BOYANA, THEN ROBIN
TURNER, ANNIKA SULZBACH, AND
THEN AMANDA DALTON. SO MAYA, IF
YOU WANT TO COME UP AND WE HAVE
THREE MICS AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS,
THERE'S A TWO AT THE FRONT AND
THEN ONE OVER HERE. SO CHOOSE
WHICH ONE YOU'D LIKE BEST
-- THIS ONE'S GOOD FOR
SHORTIES. MY MORALES, FOUNDER OF
WASHINGTON PEOPLE'S PRIVACY,
HERE TO ADDRESS YOU ON THE FAIR
AND TRANSPARENT PRICING
ORDINANCE. AGAINST THE BACKDROP
OF MAJOR FEDERAL FIGHTS TO
PROTECT PEOPLE FROM BIG TECH,
BILLIONAIRE DRIVEN MASS DATA
SURVEILLANCE THAT'S BEEN
INVADING EVERY ASPECT OF
PEOPLE'S LIVES. SEATTLE'S
ORDINANCE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS
FROM ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION IS PERFECTLY
TIMED TO MEET THIS MOMENT. IT IS
TIME FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR
LAWMAKERS TO MAKE IT CLEAR
CORPORATE GREED DOESN'T BELONG
IN OUR GROCERY CARTS.
DISCRIMINATORY AND PREDATORY.
PREDATORY PRICING ALGORITHMS ARE
DRIVING UP PEOPLE'S PRICES IN
ONLINE GROCERY AND DELIVERY
SERVICES, AND CORPORATIONS WANT
TO USE AI POWERED TECH TO
INTENSIVELY PROFILE AND
PERSONALIZE PRICES IN PHYSICAL
STORES AS WELL. ON THURSDAY
MORNING, A MISLEADING TEXT
MESSAGE WAS BLASTED OUT TO
SEATTLE CONSUMERS, CLAIMING
LAWMAKERS WANT TO MAKE GROCERIES
MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN THE TRUTH IS
THE EXACT OPPOSITE. SEATTLE CAN
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T
TRICKED BY TOTALLY MISLEADING
DISCOUNTS AND MAKE GROCERIES
MORE AFFORDABLE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR WORK
-- GREAT. NEXT UP, WE'LL HAVE
JULIE, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN.
-- MY NAME IS JULIE BWANA. I'M
WITH THE WASHINGTON FAIR TRADE
COALITION HERE TO ADDRESS THE
FAIR PRICING ORDINANCE.
EVERYWHERE I GO, WHETHER IT'S A
LOCAL UNION MEETING, A PICKET
LINE, A MIGRANT DEFENSE RALLY,
WORKING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES
ARE FEARFUL ABOUT THE ALGORITHMS
THAT MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS
IMPACTING THEIR DAY TO DAY
LIVES, FROM THE WORKPLACE TO
HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING, WITH
LITTLE TO NO HUMAN OVERSIGHT OR
REGULATION. AND NOW ALGORITHMS
SOURCING OUR PRIVATE DATA ARE
DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT WORKING
FAMILIES CAN PUT FOOD ON THE
TABLE. AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
UNACCEPTABLE. THIS ORDINANCE IS
AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN
REINING IN BIG TECH'S
DISCRIMINATORY SURVEILLANCE.
CORPORATE LOBBYISTS WILL SAY
THAT WITHOUT THESE PREDATORY
ALGORITHMS, THEY CAN OFFER
DISCOUNTS OR LOYALTY PROGRAMS
THAT THEY'VE BEEN OFFERING
SINCE WELL BEFORE THE
SURVEILLANCE TECH EXISTED. SO
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT TRUE.
CORPORATIONS KNOW THAT THIS BOLD
FAIRNESS AND PRIVACY LEGISLATION
WOULD PROHIBIT THEIR USE OF
PREDATORY SURVEILLANCE TO PAD
THEIR PROFITS OFF THE BACKS OF
WORKING PEOPLE. SO NO RECORD
PRICES FOR BIG TECH WORKING
PEOPLE DESERVE THE SAME
TRANSPARENT PRICES FOR FROM
RETAILERS. WHEN WE SHOP,
ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING AS
BASIC AS GROCERIES. THANK YOU.
-- NEXT UP WE HAVE ROBIN TURNER
FOLLOWED BY ROBIN WILL HAVE
ANIKA SULZBACH.
-- HI, I'M ROBIN TURNER WITH THE
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY.
LAWMAKERS NEED TO ACT NOW TO BAN
COMPANIES FROM PERSONALIZING
GROCERY STORE PRICES FOR
INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS. BECAUSE
RETAILERS HAVE BEEN ROLLING OUT
THEIR PRICING, UNFAIR PRICING.
AND WE DESERVE PROTECTION FROM
OUR CITY COUNCIL. WE ALL DESERVE
THE SAME TRANSPARENT BASE PRICES
FROM THE PLACES THAT WE SHOP,
ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING AS
BASIC, AS AN ESSENTIAL AS
GROCERIES. THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ROBIN. NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM
ANIKA, FOLLOWED BY AMANDA DALTON
AND I GOT NEXT.
-- HI, I'M ANIKA WITH WITH
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY. GROCERY
PRICES ARE CLIMBING OUT OF
CONTROL TO THE POINT WHERE
PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY GOING INTO
CREDIT CARD DEBT TO PURCHASE
FOOD. AS THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION CUTS SNAP
BENEFITS AND FOOD BANKS STRUGGLE
TO MEET NEEDS, INCLUDING
PEOPLE'S NEED TO STAY SAFE BY
ORDERING GROCERIES ONLINE. WE
NEED OUR LAWMAKERS TO ACT NOW TO
PROTECT PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO
GOOD, HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE
FOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. NEXT IS AMANDA
DALTON.
-- GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, AMANDA
DALTON, ON BEHALF OF THE
NORTHWEST GROCERY RETAIL
ASSOCIATION. OUR ASSOCIATION
FOOTPRINT IS IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST, AND THAT GIVES US
VISIBILITY INTO WHAT OTHER
CITIES AND STATES ARE DOING. ON
TUESDAY, I'LL BE TESTIFYING IN
PORTLAND ON THE SAME TOPIC
ALONGSIDE LABOR REPRESENTATIVES
ON A MORE EXPANSIVE POLICY, ALL
THERE IN SUPPORT BECAUSE IT
CONTAINS CLEAR PROTECTIONS THAT
PREVENT CONSUMERS FROM BEING
CHARGED HIGHER PRICES BASED ON
THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION,
WHILE PRESERVING THE SAVINGS AND
DISCOUNTS. I WISH I WAS HERE
TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT THE
PROPOSED ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU
DOES THE SAME, BUT IT DOES NOT.
I ALSO WISH I WAS INVITED TO THE
PRESENTERS TABLE TODAY TO SPEAK
ON THIS TOPIC, INSTEAD OF JUST A
LIST OF PROPONENTS, BUT I WAS
NOT TO BE CLEAR BY MEMBERS
SUPPORT PROHIBITING THE USE OF
PERSONAL INFORMATION TO INCREASE
PRICES. BUT THE ORDINANCE SHOULD
BE CAREFULLY CRAFTED SO IT DOES
NOT UNINTENTIONALLY RESTRICT THE
DISCOUNTS AND REWARDS PROGRAMS
THAT HELP FAMILIES, RENTERS,
YOUR NEIGHBORS AND CONSTITUENTS.
THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY BEFORE
YOU WORKS AGAINST THE COUNCIL'S
GOALS TO MAKE SEATTLE MORE
AFFORDABLE AND GETTING THIS
POLICY RIGHT THE FIRST TIME
MATTERS BECAUSE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES COULD MEAN FEWER
SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
VERY CONSUMERS THE ORDINANCE IS
MEANT TO PROTECT. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU AMANDA. NEXT UP WE
HAVE DAVID HILL, FOLLOWED BY
JOHN MIXON, THEN GABRIEL NEWMAN
AND THEN ROSE FELICIANO.
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
DAVID HILL. I'M THE TREASURER
OF THE TRANSIT RIDERS UNION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS OUR
SUPPORT FOR THE FAIR AND
TRANSPARENT PRICING ORDINANCE.
AS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, OUR FELLOW
RIDERS AND NEIGHBORS ARE
STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH
SEATTLE'S RISING COST OF
LIVING. FOOD PRICES KEEP GOING
UP TO THE POINT THAT SOME FOLKS
ARE TAKING ON CREDIT CARD DEBT
JUST TO BUY GROCERIES.
MEANWHILE, CORPORATE GROCERS ARE
USING INVASIVE TECH LIKE
BLUETOOTH SENSORS AND BEACONS TO
TRACK US AND BLACK BOX
ALGORITHMS TO GUESS THE MAXIMUM
PRICE EACH PERSON IS WILLING TO
PAY FOR BASIC NECESSITIES. THIS
ISN'T FAIR PRICING, IT'S MASS
DATA SURVEILLANCE USED TO
EXTRACT EXTRA REVENUE FROM
WORKING FAMILIES. ALREADY,
CORPORATE GROCERS ARE RESORTING
TO SCARE TACTICS TO OPPOSE THIS
MEASURE, FALSELY CLAIMING THAT
IT WILL END ALL LOYALTY PROGRAMS
AND DISCOUNTS. THIS ORDINANCE
DOESN'T BLOCK STANDARD REWARDS
OR DISCOUNTS, IT SIMPLY STOPS
CORPORATIONS FROM USING
PREDATORY, PERSONALIZED PRICING
TRICKS. WE DESERVE TRANSPARENT
PRICES ON BASIC NECESSITIES.
PLEASE PASS THIS ORDINANCE AS
IS.
-- THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU DAVID. NEXT WE HAVE
JOHN MIXON.
-- HI, MY NAME IS JOHN AND I'M
A MEMBER OF AMAZON EMPLOYEES FOR
CLIMATE JUSTICE AND A FORMER
SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER AT
AMAZON WITH 20 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE ADVISING CONSUMER
GOODS COMPANIES ON MAXIMIZING
SALES. AMAZON HAS USED OLDER
VERSIONS OF ALGORITHMIC PRICING
FOR YEARS. IN 2023, AN FTC
LAWSUIT REVEALED THAT AMAZON HAD
MADE $1 BILLION AFTER USING A
SECRET ALGORITHM TO RAISE
PRICING, AND JUST LAST MONTH,
AMAZON EMPLOYEES REVEALED IN
LAWSUITS THAT AMAZON HELPED
PRESSURE SUPPLIERS TO RAISE
PRICES AT NON-AMAZON RETAILERS.
THESE ALGORITHMS ARE FOR RAISING
PRICES, NOT LOWERING THEM.
COMPANIES WANT TO PROFIT OFF OUR
PERSONAL DATA, NOT GIVE MONEY TO
CONSUMERS. BRINGING THIS
TECHNOLOGY TO GROCERY PRICING IS
A DYSTOPIAN IN THE EXTREME
BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THAT PEOPLE
HAND OVER THEIR INTIMATE DATA TO
SUPPOSEDLY SAVE A LITTLE MONEY
ON THEIR FOOD BILLS. BUT
ALGORITHMIC PRICING IS NOT ABOUT
INCREASING CORPORATE PROFITS. I
KNOW THIS PERSONALLY FROM MY
CAREER. AI IS LIKELY TO MAKE THE
CREEPIEST OF BIG DATA EVEN WORSE
BECAUSE IT HALLUCINATES. I CAN
EASILY IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE A
MOTHER GOES INTO A STORE TO BUY
DIAPERS AND WHOA, SUDDENLY
THEY'RE EXPENSIVE. LET'S KEEP
PRICING FAIR, TRANSPARENT, AND
AFFORDABLE. THANK YOU
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- UP NEXT, WE'LL HAVE GABRIEL
NEWMAN AND THEN FOLLOWED BY ROSE
FELICIANO.
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
GABRIEL NEWMAN. I'M TESTIFYING
ON BEHALF OF GSBA, WASHINGTON'S
LGBTQ AND ALLIED CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IN CAPITOL HILLS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO
FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MEET
THE MOMENT AND ADDRESS
SEATTLE'S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
WE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF LIMITING
THE ABILITY FOR GROCERS TO
ALGORITHMICALLY RAISE PRICES
AGAINST CONSUMERS. WE ALSO WANT
TO URGE YOU TO PRESERVE THE
ABILITY FOR COMPANIES AND
GROCERS TO BRING PROMOTIONS TO
THEIR USERS, BANNING THE
PRACTICE OF SETTING PRICES BASED
ON A SHOPPERS PERSONAL DATA
DEVICE OR LOCATION CAN MEAN
GETTING RID OF THINGS LIKE FUEL
DISCOUNTS, PERSONALIZED SAVINGS
OR REWARD PROGRAMS. DIGITAL
COUPONS AND PROMOTIONS.
CUSTOMERS REGULARLY RELY ON
THESE TO SAVE MONEY, HOWEVER,
RAISING PRICES ON ORDINARY ITEMS
IN ORDER TO ADVERTISE DISCOUNTS
ON THEM IS NOT OKAY. HOWEVER,
GIVING PERSONALIZED DISCOUNTS
FOR EXAMPLE, AN ALGORITHM
NOTICES I ROUTINELY PURCHASE
DIAPERS, SO IT GIVES ME HALF
OFF. A PACIFIER IS A BENEFIT
THAT PROVIDES COST SAVING
MEASURES THAT CONSUMERS RELY ON
TO STRETCH THEIR BUDGETS. SMALL
AND LOCAL BUSINESSES USE THESE
TARGETED DISCOUNTS TO REACH MORE
CUSTOMERS AND COMPETE AGAINST
BIGGER COMPANIES. I'M CONFIDENT
THAT SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CAN
WORK ON THIS LEGISLATION TO
PROVIDE ESSENTIAL CONSUMER
PROTECTIONS, WHILE ALSO ENSURING
FOLKS CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO
THE DISCOUNTS THEY RELY ON AS
THEY NAVIGATE THE CURRENT
AFFORDABILITY.
-- THANK YOU GABRIEL. NEXT UP,
WE'LL HAVE ROSE. AND THEN TO
READ THE NEXT CHUNK OF SPEAKERS,
WE HAVE LARS ERICKSON, FOLLOWED
BY SILVIA GONZALEZ, SHAWNY
WHEELER, AND THEN JORDAN
GOLDBERG. GOOD MORNING
COMMITTEE. MY NAME.
-- IS ROSE FELICIANO. I AM HERE
ON BEHALF OF TECHNET. WE SUPPORT
THE COUNCIL'S GOAL OF
PROTECTING SEATTLE CONSUMERS
FROM DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES,
PARTICULARLY WHEN PERSONAL
INFORMATION IS USED TO CHARGE A
PRICE TO AN INDIVIDUAL. OUR
CONCERN THAT, AS DRAFTED, THE
ORDINANCE MAY UNINTENTIONALLY
CAPTURE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THE
USE OF INFORMATION TO GIVE
CUSTOMERS DISCOUNTS, PROMOTIONS
OR OTHER BENEFITS. WE ARE ASKING
FOR A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD
FIX. DRAW A CLEAR LINE BETWEEN
DATA USED TO RAISE A CUSTOMER'S
PRICE, AND USING INFORMATION TO
LOWER THE CUSTOMER'S PRICE. I
SENT YOU A LETTER OUTLINING SOME
SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT. WE
BELIEVE WE CAN. YOU CAN
ACCOMPLISH BOTH OF THESE THINGS
AND APPRECIATE YOUR
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. ROSE. NEXT UP,
WE'LL HEAR FROM LARS ERICKSON,
FOLLOWED BY SILVIA GONZALEZ
-- GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RINCK AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M LARS
ERICKSON. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE 2600 MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE
METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE. I UNDERSTAND THE
CONCERNS THAT PROMPTED THIS
PROPOSAL. IF A RETAILER USES
PERSONAL INFORMATION TO CHARGE
SOMEONE MORE, WE SHOULD STOP IT.
BUT RETAILERS OPERATING IN
SEATTLE HAVE BEEN CLEAR THAT
THEY DO NOT ENGAGE IN THAT
PRACTICE. AND WE HAVE. AND THE
EVIDENCE PRESENTED TODAY WILL
NOT PROVE OTHERWISE. PRICE
VARIATION IS NOT PROOF OF
SURVEILLANCE. PRICING PRICES CAN
DIFFER FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS,
INCLUDING LOCATION DELIVERY
COSTS, INVENTORY AND PROMOTIONS.
NOTHING PRESENTED ESTABLISHES
THAT SEATTLE RETAILERS USE
SOMEONE'S PERSONAL INFORMATION
TO RAISE THEIR PRICE. WE
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
AND MAYOR WILSON'S OFFICE'S
EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS
OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, IN THE LATEST VERSION
OF THE LEGISLATION, THE BROAD
DEFINITIONS COULD STILL THREATEN
COUPONS AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS
PLEASE ADDRESS THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES, NARROW THE ACTUAL
PRICE INCREASES AND REMOVE THE
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU LARS. NEXT UP,
WE'LL HEAR FROM SYLVIA. SYLVIA
GONZALEZ, THANK YOU
-- TRABAJO Y DESARROLLO
ECONOMICO. SYLVIA GONZALEZ.
ORGANIZADORA COMUNITARIA CON
CASA LATINA, O PRESIDENTE DEL
DOMESTIC SAN DIEGO Y TRABAJADORA
DE LUGAR POR MAS DE ANOS, ANTES
DE COMENZAR. QUIERO RECONOCER A
TODOS LOS TRABAJADORAS DE LUGAR
SE HAN ESTADO EN LA LUCHA POR
LOS DERECHOS DE LOS TRABAJADORAS
DE LUGAR. ESAS PODEROSAS MUJERES
ABRIERON CAMINO PARA SEGUIR
ADELANTE. HOY ESTOY AQUI PARA
HABLAR DE LA IMPORTANCIA DE LAS
TIENDAS O COMO LO MENCIONO
ANTERIORMENTE LA LA LA
ACTUALIZAR LA ORDENANZA PARA LAS
TRABAJADORAS DE LUGAR PARA
SEATTLE ESO HISTORIA SIENDO LA
CIUDAD DE TODA LA NATION AND
PASAR UNA CARTA DE LAS
TRABAJADORES DE LA CON PERO Es
MUY BASICAS PARA UNA COMUNIDAD
VULNERABLE, PERO NO SOLO
NECESITAMOS NECESITAMOS MAS COMO
EL DERECHO. DE ACUERDO ESCRITO.
DONDE PODAMOS NEGOCIAR NUESTRAS
RESPONSABILIDADES HORARIOS
DESCANSOS ENTRE OTRAS COSAS Y SE
COMPRA, PORQUE LAS PALABRAS
CLAVE EL VIENTO YO VEO ALGUNAS
DE MIS COMPANERAS NO TIENEN
AGENDAS TIENEN AGENDAS DE PAPEL
DONDE TRABAJADORES Y LOS
CORRESPONDENT DE PAGO PAGO
ENTIDAD CONTRA LA CREACION DE
CONSERVACION DE REGISTROS DE
PAGO TRABAJADORES PARA HACER MAS
CLAROS TRANSPARENTES ESTAS A LA
CARTE DE LA PARTE EN LINEA CON
LAS ACCIONES GANADOS
RECIENTEMENTE A NIVEL TOTAL
SIENDO EL VALOR Y LA DIGNIDAD
SECTOR LABORAL REALIZAR EL
TRABAJO SE HACE POSIBLE TODOS
LOS DEMAS. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU ALL. I'M GOING TO
TAKE A MOMENT JUST FOR BRIEF
CHAIRS. PRIVILEGE. SILVIA, WE DO
NOT HAVE A TRANSLATOR PRESENT
TODAY, BUT SILVIA PROVIDED HER
COMMENTS. IT ALSO TRANSLATED
INTO ENGLISH. AND SO I'M GOING
TO READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD IN
ENGLISH TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
HERE TODAY CAN HEAR HER WORDS.
SO BRIEFLY. I'LL SPEAK TO THIS.
GOOD MORNING. HUMAN SERVICES,
LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS SILVIA
GONZALEZ, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
WITH CASA LATINA, CO-CHAIR OF
THE DOMESTIC WORKERS STANDARDS
BOARD AND A DOMESTIC WORKER FOR
OVER 15 YEARS. BEFORE I BEGIN, I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE
DOMESTIC WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
RIGHTS, THOSE POWERFUL WOMEN WHO
PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO MOVE
FORWARD. TODAY, I'M HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
AMENDMENTS. OR, AS COUNCILWOMAN
RINCK MENTIONED, UPDATING THE
ORDINANCE FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS.
SEVEN YEARS AGO, SEATTLE MADE
HISTORY BY BEING THE FIRST CITY
IN THE NATION TO PASS A BILL FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS WITH VERY BASIC
PROTECTIONS FOR SUCH A
VULNERABLE COMMUNITY. BUT WE
DON'T JUST NEED THE BASICS. WE
DESERVE MORE, SUCH AS THE RIGHT
TO DEMAND A WRITTEN AGREEMENT
WHERE WE CAN NEGOTIATE OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES, SCHEDULES,
BREAKS AND OTHER THINGS AND THAT
WHAT IS AGREED UPON IS RESPECTED
AND FULFILLED. BECAUSE WORDS ARE
JUST WORDS. I SEE SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES USING PAPER PLANNERS
TO RECORD THEIR HOURS, WORKED
WITH THEIR CORRESPONDING PAY,
BUT I BELIEVE WE MUST ALSO
REQUIRE EMPLOYERS TO CREATE AND
MAINTAIN PAY AND HOURLY WORK
RECORDS TO BE CLEARER AND MORE
TRANSPARENT, ADDING RETALIATION
PROTECTIONS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
BY TAKING PAID SICK LEAVE OR
SAFE LEAVE OR OTHER AGREED UPON
TIME OFF, REQUIRING ADVANCE
NOTICE OF TERMINATION, ALIGNING
OLS ENFORCEMENT CODE WITH OTHER
LABOR STANDARDS. THESE
AMENDMENTS TO THE SEATTLE
CHARTER BRING US IN LINE WITH
THE RECENTLY WON STATEWIDE
PROTECTIONS, VALUING AND
RECOGNIZING THE VALUE AND
DIGNITY OF THIS SECTOR, OF THE
WORKFORCE THAT PERFORMS THE WORK
THAT MAKES EVERYTHING ELSE
POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. RIGHT. WITH
THAT, WE WILL NOW BE GOING TO
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SHAUNIE
WHEELER.
-- GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHNNY
WHEELER. I SERVE AS THE DEPUTY
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TREASURER OF
MLK LABOR. WE REPRESENT OVER
200,000 WORKERS ACROSS THE GREAT
KING COUNTY. SEATTLE HAS NEVER
BEEN A CITY THAT WAITS FOR
SOMEONE ELSE TO LEAD. WE COUNTED
OURSELVES AMONGST THE FIRST TO
PASS THE FIRST 15 MINIMUM WAGE
ORDINANCE. WE PASSED
GROUNDBREAKING SICK AND PAID
LEAVE, AND TIME AGAIN, SEATTLE
HAS SHOWN THAT WORKING PEOPLE
COME TOGETHER TO FACE A THREAT.
WE DO IT COLLECTIVELY. WE ACT
BOLDLY, AND WE STAND TOGETHER.
AND WE'RE ALSO A MODEL FOR OTHER
CITIES TO FOLLOW. TODAY, WE HAVE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD SUCH
STRONG SURVEILLANCE BANS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. WORKING PEOPLE ARE
ALREADY STRUGGLING FOR HOUSING,
TRANSPORTATION, GROCERIES AND
HEALTH CARE. AND I HAVE TWO
YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN WHO ARE
WORKING CLASS FOLKS WHO LIVE ON
THEIR OWN. AND I KNOW HOW HARD
IT IS TO MAKE RENT AND GROCERIES
STRETCH AT THE SAME TIME. SO
LIKE MOST PARENTS, THEY COME TO
MY HOUSE WHEN THEIR BUDGET RUNS
LOW FOR GROCERIES. I OFTEN JOKE
WITH THEM THAT THEY DON'T SEE ME
ANYMORE. THEY COME VISIT MY
REFRIGERATOR. BUT THE TRUTH IS,
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOW
EXPENSIVE IT IS TO GET BY.
-- AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
STORES USING PERSONAL
INFORMATION, SHOPPING HISTORY,
OR IN ORDER TO DECIDE WHETHER
THEY PAY $0.50 MORE FOR BABY
FORMULA THAN THEIR NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU
-- SORRY. YES I KNOW, SORRY.
WE'RE AT ONE MINUTE.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- YES, IT'S VERY QUICK. I
APOLOGIZE.
-- THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO
STAND AS A COLLECTIVE BODY.
WE'VE ALREADY PUT YOU ALL OUR
RESOLUTIONS TO DATE THAT THIS IS
THE PROPERTY TO COLLECTIVELY.
THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK
YOU. SORRY ALL 60s IS SHORT, BUT
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY'S.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- WELL
-- ALL RIGHT Y'ALL. OKAY. NEXT
WE HAVE JORDAN, GOLDBERG AND
JAMIE, FOLLOWED BY JAMIE
FACKLER, NOLAN TARBOX, AND THEN
STACEY HIGGINBOTHAM. I APOLOGIZE
IF I MISPRONOUNCED THAT. JORDAN.
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS
JORDAN GOLDBERG. I'M A RESIDENT
OF DISTRICT FOUR AND A MEMBER OF
THE DOMESTIC WORKER STANDARDS
BOARD. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO
SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE
DOMESTIC WORKER ORDINANCE. THESE
AMENDMENTS WERE FORMULATED BASED
ON REAL CHALLENGES THAT THE
STANDARDS BOARD AND THE OFFICE
OF LABOR STANDARDS HAVE
IDENTIFIED. BASED ON THE FIRST
SEVEN YEARS OF OUR EXPERIENCE
WITH WITH THE ORDINANCE, THESE
ARE AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD BE
ESSENTIAL TO FURTHER
STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS FOR
WORKERS, WHILE ALSO ALIGNING OUR
ORDINANCE WITH THE NEW STATE
STATE LAW THAT WAS PASSED.
EMPLOYERS ON THE BOARD AND
EMPLOYERS MORE BROADLY THROUGH
THE HAND IN HAND NETWORK, ARE
SUPPORTIVE OF THESE AMENDMENTS
AND WANT TO SEE THEM PASSED. WE
ALSO KNOW THAT SEATTLE CONTINUES
TO BE A NATIONAL LEADER, AND
THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE
LOOKING TO US TO CONTINUE
INNOVATING ON THIS ISSUE.
FINALLY, I WANT TO STRESS THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING FUNDING
FOR IMPLEMENTATION, AS SUGGESTED
IN THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO THAT
ACCOMPANIES THE LEGISLATION. THE
WSB ASKED OLS TO PREPARE A
BUDGET OUTLINE THAT WOULD
ADEQUATELY FUND THIS AT THE TUNE
OF $500,000, AND WE URGE COUNCIL
TO CONSIDER THIS. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, JORDAN. NEXT UP,
WE HAVE JAMIE FACKLER, FOLLOWED
BY NOLAN
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. JAMIE
FACKLER, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
THREE. UNION DELEGATE FROM A
UNION TO MLK LABOR. AS A
DELEGATE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
HEAR AND BECOME AWARE OF THE
SURVEILLANCE PRICING BY MY
SIBLINGS AT U W 3000, AND I'VE
SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES IT IT COME
TO QFC AND TO OTHER GROCERY
STORES. AND IT'S ALSO COINCIDED
WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE REDUCED
STAFFING LEVELS. SO OVERALL, THE
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN
DEGRADED BY THESE CORPORATIONS
THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, REWARDS PROGRAMS AND
EVERYTHING ELSE. I MEAN, WHAT I
WANT TO SEE IS FAIR PRICING,
TRANSPARENT PRICING THAT I KNOW
I'M GOING TO PAY THE SAME AS
ANYBODY ELSE AT THE GROCERY
STORE. AND IF THERE'S COUPONS
ARE AVAILABLE TO ME AND I DON'T
HAVE TO SELL MY PRIVATE DATA TO
THIS COMPANY TO GET THAT, TO GET
THAT DISCOUNT. BUT I ALSO WANT
TO SEE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I
DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR 20
MINUTES TO CHECK OUT OF THE
GROCERY STORE. I DON'T WANT TO
HAVE TO PASS THROUGH A SECURITY
GUARD BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
STEALING, BECAUSE WHAT THEY
CAN'T AFFORD GROCERIES BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE FOOD
BENEFITS AND, AND ALSO BECAUSE
THEY'RE JUST FRUSTRATED ABOUT
STANDING AROUND IN LINE. SO, YOU
KNOW, TO ME, THIS IS A REAL NO
BRAINER. THIS IS ABOUT CUSTOMER.
THIS IS ABOUT CONSUMER
PROTECTIONS. AND WE ALL DESERVE
FAIR PRICING. THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU JAMIE. NEXT UP WE
HAVE NOLAN FOLLOWED BY STACEY.
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS NOLAN TARBOX AND I
WORK AT THE BELLINGER THRIFTWAY
IN SHORELINE IS A GROCERY
WORKER. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE UFCW W 3000 UNION. I'M HERE
TODAY BECAUSE GROCERY WORKERS
SEE HOW MUCH FAMILIES STRUGGLE
WITH THE COST OF GROCERIES EVERY
DAY. I'VE WORKED AS A CASHIER
FOR YEARS, AND I KNOW FROM
EXPERIENCE THAT CUSTOMERS ARE
ALWAYS PAYING VERY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY ARE
BUYING AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
THEY NOTICE WHEN THEIR FAVORITE
PRODUCTS GO UP IN PRICE. THEY'RE
ALWAYS COMPARING PRICES COMING
IN ON DISCOUNT DAYS, AND THEY'RE
USING LOYALTY CARDS, RIGHT, IN
ORDER TO SAVE AS MUCH AS THEY
CAN AT THE CHECKOUT. AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHY THIS LEGISLATION
NEEDS TO PREVENT FAKE DISCOUNTS
FROM BECOMING A LOOPHOLE FOR
SURVEILLANCE PRICING. THERE'S
NOTHING WRONG WITH GROCERY
STORES OFFERING DISCOUNTS BASED
ON LOYALTY. WE HAD THOSE FOR A
WHILE, BUT THE PROBLEM BEGINS
WHEN THAT DATA STARTS TO BE USED
TO DETERMINE PRICES FOR THESE
CUSTOMERS. SO WE'RE ASKING THAT
WE PLEASE PASS A STRONG
ORDINANCE THAT PROTECTS SEATTLE
SHOPPERS AND CLOSES THE LOYALTY
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. NOLAN. NEXT UP WE
HAVE STACEY. AND THEN I'M JUST
GOING TO READ THE NEXT COUPLE OF
NAMES THAT FOLLOWED BY STACEY.
WE HAVE AUSTIN PRICE, AUDREY
WONG, GOSLIN AND THEN LORENA
SORIANO.
-- HI, MY NAME IS STACEY
HIGGINBOTHAM. I AM WITH CONSUMER
REPORTS AND WE ARE HERE IN
SUPPORT OF THE FAIR PRICING ACT
OR BILL. CONSUMERS EXPRESS DEEP
MISGIVINGS ABOUT ALGORITHMICALLY
DRIVEN PRICING CHANGES WHEN IT
BECOMES. WHEN IT COMES TO
ESSENTIAL TOOLS LIKE FOOD. SO WE
DID A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE
SURVEY OF U.S. ADULTS IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2025, AND WE FOUND
THAT 72% OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED
INSTACART IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS
DID NOT IN THE YEAR, DID NOT
WANT THE COMPANY TO CHARGE
DIFFERENT USERS, DIFFERENT
PRICES FOR ANY REASON. INSTACART
SHOPPERS WE SPOKE TO SAID THAT
THEY WERE UNAWARE THAT THEY WERE
PARTICIPANTS IN THIS ACTIVE
PRICING EXPERIMENTS, AND THEY
VIEW THE PRACTICE AS
MANIPULATIVE AND UNFAIR. OUR
RESEARCH INTO THE INSTACART
GROCERY STORE EXPERIMENT SHOWED
THAT PEOPLE WERE PAYING 23%
MORE, UP TO 23% MORE, FOR THE
SAME GROCERIES IN THEIR CARTS.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND WE ARE
HOPING TO SEE SEATTLE STOP THIS.
THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE'LL HEAR
FROM AUSTIN, THEN AUDREY, AND
THEN FOLLOWED BY AUDREY. WE'LL
HAVE LORENA AUSTIN.
-- HI, MY NAME IS AUSTIN PRICE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX,
AND I'M JUST COMING TO VOICE MY
SUPPORT FOR THE ORDINANCE. AS IT
STANDS. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S
EVIDENT ENOUGH THAT PRICES ARE
RIDICULOUS AND IT'S MORE
HORRIFYING THAN AT A TIME WHEN
WE SEE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
RAMPING UP AND USING OUR DATA
FOR ALL KINDS OF HORRIFYING
THINGS, RIGHT? LIKE THE IDEA
THAT, OH NO, WE CAN I DON'T KNOW
THAT WE CAN KIND OF THREAD THE
NEEDLE ON THIS ONE WITH THIS,
THIS DISCOUNT LOOPHOLE SEEMS
VERY DUBIOUS TO ME. AND IT SEEMS
LIKE THIS IS GOING TO GET
ABUSED. LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE,
YOU GIVE THESE PEOPLE AN INCH,
THEY'LL TAKE A MILE WITH OUR
DATA AND OUR PRIVACY. AND IF YOU
THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON
OUR SIDE, I THINK HISTORY PROVES
THAT PRETTY WRONG. SO A STRONGER
ORDINANCE I AM ALL FOR, AND I
APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL BRINGING
THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU AUSTIN. NEXT UP,
WE'LL HEAR FROM AUDREY.
-- HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS
AUDREY. I REPRESENT 350 SEATTLE
AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO. I'M
HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO
APPROVE THIS FAIR AND
TRANSPARENT PRICING POLICY, AND
ALSO TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO
DISREGARD THE ASKS HERE TODAY
AROUND A CARVE OUT FOR
DISCOUNTS. AND THE REASON I SAY
THAT IS, AS AN ENGINEER, HOW DO
YOU KNOW WHETHER AI IS ACTUALLY
DECREASING SOMEONE'S PRICES AND
GIVING THEM DISCOUNTS? YOU
DON'T. IT IS INHERENTLY A BLACK
BOX. SO IF GROCERS HAVE THE
ABILITY, IF THEY HAVE THIS
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DECREASE
PRICES, AND JUST BECAUSE THEY
SAY, SCOUT'S HONOR, WE'RE ONLY
DOING THAT. WE DON'T KNOW THAT
FOR SURE. SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
DON'T GIVE THEM AN INCH.
THEY'LL TAKE A MILE. AS SOMEONE
JUST SAID, AND TO REALLY FOCUS
ON PROTECTING THE PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE, PROTECT CONSUMERS.
THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU AUDREY. NEXT, WE'LL
HEAR FROM LORENA AND FOLLOWED BY
LORENA. WE'LL HEAR I BELIEVE
THIS IS ERIC, FOLLOWED BY HANNAH
AND THEN HARPER.
-- HI. TO BUILD ON WHAT THE
AMAZON GENTLEMAN SAID AND WHAT
DRAY JUST SAID, I WANT YOU TO
IMAGINE THAT TWO NEIGHBORS ARE
WALKING DOWN THE AISLE AT OUR
LOCAL GROCERY STORE, STANDING
SIDE BY SIDE IN FRONT OF THE
GLUTEN FREE PASTA GROCERY STORE
APPS, DATA BROKERS, SEARCH
ENGINES TRACK EVERYTHING YOU BUY
AND SEARCH FOR. THEY DON'T NEED
YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS TO KNOW
THAT YOU'RE A DIABETIC OR HAVE
CELIAC DISEASE. THEIR ALGORITHM
FIGURES IT OUT. PERSON A IS
DOING WELL ENOUGH FINANCIALLY.
THEY'RE TRYING A NEW DIET THIS
MONTH, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO
BUY THIS GLUTEN FREE PASTA. THE
STORE'S ALGORITHM KNOWS THEY
MIGHT WALK AWAY, SO THEY ENTICE
THEM. IT DROPS THE $5 PRICE TO
$4.50 ON THE APP. STEAL OF A
DEAL. PERSON A THINKS RIGHT NEXT
TO THEM. PERSON B BASED ON THEIR
BUDGET, THEY CAN REALLY ONLY
AFFORD THE $3 FOR THAT BOX, BUT
THEIR TODDLER HAS SEVERE CELIAC
DISEASE AND GETS VIOLENTLY SICK
ON NORMAL WHEAT. THEY HAVE TO
BUY IT. THE ALGORITHM KNOWS
THEIR SEARCH HISTORY, KNOWS
IT'S A MEDICAL NECESSITY, AND
JACKS THE PRICE UP TO $5.50.
THEY STILL BUY IT BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NO CHOICE BUT THAT EXTRA
$2.50 COMES DIRECTLY OUT OF
THEIR BUDGET FOR ELECTRICITY,
MEDICATION OR SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
PERSON A GETS A DISCOUNT BECAUSE
THEY HAVE THE OPTIONS. PERSON B
GETS DRAINED FINANCIALLY BECAUSE
THEIR CHILD HAS A MEDICAL
CONDITION THAT'S NOT SUPPLY AND
DEMAND. THAT'S DYNAMIC PRICE
GOUGING ON HUMAN HEALTH. I'M
ASKING THAT YOU BUILD IN
GUARDRAILS AND HOLD
RESPONSIBILITY.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. NEXT UP, I BELIEVE
I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCING
YOUR NAME. I'M SEEING IRIS
ALLEN. HI THERE.
-- MY NAME IS. I'M GOING TO
ADJUST THAT UP A BIT. MY NAME IS
IRIS ALLMAN. I'M HERE IN
SUPPORT OF THE ORDINANCE. I'M
19. I'M A COLLEGE STUDENT. I
HAVE TWO YEARS LEFT, AND
SOMETIMES IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE
A TICKING COUNTDOWN BECAUSE I
DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN WITH MY DATA. I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE WORLD'S GOING TO
LOOK LIKE WHEN I COME OUT. AND
AT THE MOMENT, ALL THE TRENDS
ARE TELLING ME THAT I'M GOING TO
BE GOUGED. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING
TO HAVE MY PRICES GO UP. OR, YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE SAYING, OH,
YOU'LL GET BENEFITS, YOU'LL GET
DISCOUNTS. I DON'T WANT THOSE.
IF IT'S AT THE EXPENSE OF
SOMEONE ELSE IN MY COMMUNITY
WHO'S GOING TO BE CHARGED MORE.
AND THERE'S JUST KIND OF LIKE
AN IMPENDING EXISTENTIAL LOOM.
SO I'M SO GRATEFUL TO SEE THE
SUPPORT FOR THE ORDINANCE, TO
SEE EVERYONE HERE TODAY. AND
THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. IRIS. NEXT, WE'LL
HEAR FROM HANNAH SIFF, FOLLOWED
BY HARPER NALLEY.
-- HI, I'M HANNAH FROM PIONEER
SQUARE. SPECIFICALLY JACKSON
STREET. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE
HOMELESS SITUATION ON JACKSON
AND 12th THAT TWO OTHER PEOPLE
HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IN THE
PAST TWO WEEKS, WHICH REQUIRES
ALL MANNER OF GOVERNMENT
RESOURCES, AND THAT IS A SYMPTOM
OF BROADER COPING ISSUES IN OUR
GLOBAL CIVILIZATION. JACKSON AND
12th IS AN INTERSECTION EXACTLY
A DOZEN BLOCKS FROM HERE IN
LITTLE SAIGON. I DRIVE BY IT
WITH MY SON. WHEN I TAKE HIM TO
CLASSES, AND THE HOMELESS PEOPLE
MAKE IT A LANDMARK BECAUSE
BESIDES THEM BEING THERE, IT'S
AN IN-BETWEEN ZONE WITH SMALL
BUSINESSES ON THREE CORNERS AND
TWO ADJACENT EMPTY LOTS THAT
HAVE SAT EMPTY FOR OVER A YEAR.
ALTHOUGH NOBODY MENTIONS THEM.
THE EMPTY LOTS IS WHAT MAKES IT
RIPE, AND THE STRAINS OUR
RESOURCES IN SO MANY WAYS.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE OLD GUYS
ASKING THAT THEIR HOMES IN
AURORA DON'T GET TAKEN BY
GOVERNMENT FOR EMINENT DOMAIN,
FOR CONSTRUCTION. HOMES ARE A
HOT COMMODITY NORTH TO SOUTH IN
SEATTLE. SO IT'S NEGLECTFULLY
WASTEFUL TO OUR SOCIETY AT LARGE
TO LEAVE IT UNDEVELOPED AS IT
NEGATIVELY SNOWBALLS TO ALL
THESE ISSUES AND MORE SOME WORSE
TO IMAGINE. I IMPLORE YOU TO
DEVELOP THE EMPTY LOTS ON
JACKSON AND 12th, WHATEVER MEANS
NECESSARY. WE HAVE EVERYTHING
BEFORE US AND MAKING BETTER USE
WILL EASE A LOT OF ISSUES WE SEE
BEFORE US TODAY. PLEASE INVEST
IN.
-- PEACE AND SAFETY HERE.
-- ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT,
WE'LL HEAR FROM HARPER,
FOLLOWED BY HARPER. WE'LL HEAR
FROM GABRIEL PRALL. THEN DANIEL
ALVARADO, THEN PAUL WONG.
GOSSELIN, HARPER.
-- HI, I'M HARPER GNARLY FROM
DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M HERE TO
SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PRICE
GOUGING AMENDMENT MEASURE. TRUMP
ROOFING SEATTLE IS ISN'T
LIMITED TO PROTECTING SATELLITES
FROM THE DIRECT ACTION FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT MEANS
SEATTLE OR IT MEANS PROTECTING
SEATTLEITES FROM THE INACTIONS
OF OUR GOVERNMENT. IT MEANS
PROTECTING SEATTLEITES FROM THE
VERY SAME KINDS OF ATTACKS ON
OUR CONSTITUENTS OR ON YOUR
CONSTITUENTS COMMITTED BY THE
BILLIONAIRES. THE IDEA OF USING
THE UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNTS OF
PERSONAL DATA THESE COMPANIES
HAVE ACCESS TO, TO SCRAPE EVERY
LAST DOLLAR THAT WE CAN OR THAT
THEY CAN OUT OF OUR THINNING
BANK ACCOUNTS IS NOTHING SHORT
OF OBSCENE. IT SHOULD NOT, OR I
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WATCH WHAT I
SAY IN MY EMAILS AND TEXTS SO
THAT A BANANA DOESN'T COST $5
WHEN I GO TO THE STORE, BECAUSE
THEY FIGURED OUT THAT'S WHAT I
WILL PAY. AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS
IS HOW THAT WILL BE USED. THE
IDEA THAT THIS DATA WILL ONLY BE
USED TO GRANT DISCOUNTS THE
GOODNESS OF THEIR OWN HEARTS IS
NOTHING SHORT OF A LIE, AND THE
FACT THAT THEY ARE SENDING
REPRESENTATIVES TO ASK YOU TO,
TO USE THIS DATA OR TO ALLOW
THEM TO USE THIS DATA TO LOWER
PRICES, SHOULD BE TREATED WITH
A.
-- THANK YOU
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU HARPER. NEXT, WE'LL
HEAR FROM DUSTIN. AND AGAIN,
PARDON ME, GABRIEL WILL BE
HEARING FROM GABRIEL, FOLLOWED
BY GABRIEL. WE'LL HEAR FROM
DANIELLE, THEN PAUL, THEN
DUSTIN. GABRIEL.
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS GABRIEL. I'M THE
PRESIDENT OF THE SEATTLE CHAPTER
OF THE AYE PHILIP RANDOLPH
INSTITUTE. I'M PAST PRESIDENT
OF LOCAL 52. I'M HERE. FIRST OF
ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE US. CW WORKERS WHO SENT THE
ALARM OUT SO OUR COMMUNITY COULD
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL
SHOULD BE VERY, VERY CONSCIOUS
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, THIS ADMINISTRATION
HAS CHANGED A WHOLE LOT. I KNOW
WE GOT CORPORATION PROFITING
FROM THIS AND WE NEED TO STOP
THAT. I WANT TO ALSO THANK ALL
OF YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE
SUPPORTING US IN THIS FIGHT,
BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT
THING. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE THE
EXAMPLE TO THE NATION IN THIS
CHANGE AND A WIN FOR OUR WORKERS
AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT THIS IS A FIGHT THAT WE NEED
YOUR SUPPORT. YOU ARE THE FRONT
LINE TO MAKE THAT DECISION, TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN WIN. THANK
YOU
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. GABRIEL. NEXT,
WE'LL HEAR FROM DANIELLE,
FOLLOWED BY DANIELLE. WE'LL HEAR
FROM PAUL.
-- GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DANIELLE ALVARADO.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
WORKING WASHINGTON. HERE TO SHOW
OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
TRANSPARENT PRICING POLICY
BEFORE YOU. WE ORGANIZE WORKERS,
LOW WAGE WORKERS, GIG WORKERS,
OTHER WORKERS WORKING PAYCHECK
TO PAYCHECK. FOR MANY OF THEM,
WE ALREADY ARE SEEING THE IMPACT
OF SURVEILLANCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CHANGING THEIR WORKPLACES.
THEY'RE FACING SYSTEMS THAT ARE
USING DATA AND ALGORITHMS TO
CHANGE THEIR PAY, THEIR
SCHEDULES, THEIR ACCESS TO WORK.
AND WE DON'T WANT CONSUMERS
EXPERIENCING THOSE SAME IMPACTS
WHEN THEY'RE AT THE GROCERY
STORE, FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH
THEY CAN SPEND TO SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILIES, SURVEILLANCE PRICING
GIVES CORPORATIONS THE POWER TO
USE PERSONAL INFORMATION,
SHOPPING HISTORY, LOCATION
PREDICTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE'S
BEHAVIOR TO DETERMINE THE PRICES
THAT THEY RECEIVE. AND WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT DISCOUNTS. DISCOUNTS
CAN ALSO BE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
PERSONALIZED PRICES ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER. WHEN. WHEN WE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO SAY THAT THERE'S
INFORMATION THAT DICTATES HOW
MUCH SOMEBODY GETS CHARGED. AT
THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S
CREATING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
SYSTEMS TO EXTRACT MONEY FROM
THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO REALLY
CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE IT. WE
REALLY URGE YOU TO PASS THIS
POLICY, LIKE OTHERS SAID, TO
CONTINUE SEATTLE'S LEADERSHIP
NATION.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. DANIELLE. ALL
RIGHT. NEXT UP, WE'LL HEAR FROM
PAUL, FOLLOWED BY DUSTIN LAMBRO.
AND THEN WE'LL BE GOING TO OUR
VIRTUAL SPEAKERS
-- HI. DID YOU KNOW THAT WALMART
PATENTED A CART THAT CAN MEASURE
YOUR HEAD, YOUR HEART RATE AND
OTHER DATA? THE COMPANIES ARE
DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO
TAKE THE UP TO THE LAST PENNY
THEY HAVE, AND WE KNOW THAT
SOMEBODY HERE SAID, OH, BUT
THERE'S NO PROOF THAT DYNAMIC
PRICING IS USED IN SEATTLE. SO
WHAT? WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR
IT TO BE THERE TO AFTER THAT
SAYS, OH, NO, WE SHOULD NOT DO
THAT. OH, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
ACT WHEN IT COMES TO SEATTLE, IF
IT'S NOT ALREADY THERE.
SOMEBODY SAID, OH, BUT THE
ABILITY TO DO DISCOUNTS COME ON.
DISCOUNTS IS ALREADY COVERED IN
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. ALL THE
COMMON WAY TO DO DISCOUNTS ARE
COVERED. THAT'S THIS BILL IS
GOOD. ALSO, BY THE WAY,
DISCOUNTS ARE COMMUNICATED TO
THE CUSTOMER. THEY ARE OPTIONAL
SO THEY CAN STILL USE THE BASE
PRICE. THERE'S NO LIKE, OH LET
US DO DISCOUNT. LIKE THAT IS NOT
ALREADY COVERED. WE HAVE TO PASS
THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- AND OUR LAST IN-PERSON
SPEAKER IS DUSTIN LAMBRO. AND
THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
-- OH, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MADAM CHAIR. COUNCILMEMBERS. MY
NAME IS DUSTIN LAMBRO HERE TODAY
ON BEHALF OF RCW 3000. FIRST OF
ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE
MAYOR'S TEAM FOR THEIR
INCREDIBLE WORK AND LEADERSHIP
IN PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT WILL BE
THE STRONGEST ORDINANCE EVER
PASSED IN THIS COUNTRY AROUND
SURVEILLANCE, PRICING, THE
GROCERY INDUSTRY TOLD YOU TODAY.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
SAY THAT THIS ORDINANCE
THREATENS DISCOUNTS, LOYALTY
PROGRAMS AND THE ABILITY TO
REWARD CUSTOMERS. THAT IS NOT
TRUE. NOTHING IN A STRONG
ORDINANCE HAS TO PREVENT A
GROCER FROM OFFERING A SALE,
ISSUING A DISCOUNT, GIVING
EVERYBODY THE SAME DISCOUNT. THE
REAL ISSUE IS WHETHER SEATTLE
SHOULD ALLOW GROCERS TO USE WHAT
THEY KNOW ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL
CUSTOMER TO DETERMINE THE PRICE
OR DISCOUNT THAT THAT PERSON
RECEIVES. INDUSTRY MAY CALL IT A
CUTE NAME, LIKE PERSONALIZATION,
BUT A PERSONALIZED DISCOUNT IS
STILL A PERSONALIZED PRICE. IF
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
I'M GOING TO SAY IF THIS
COUNCIL BROADLY EXEMPTS LOYALTY
PROGRAMS, THEN THE EXCEPTION
WILL SWALLOW THE RULE. LET'S
PASS A STRONG ORDINANCE THAT
MAKES SURE WE'RE PROTECTING
CONSUMERS AND WORKERS IN THIS
CITY. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU.
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL
NOW BE MOVING TO OUR ONLINE
SPEAKERS.
-- THE FIRST SPEAKER IS TAMMY
HETRICK. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU
HAVE BEEN UNMUTED
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
TAMMY HETRICK, AND I'M THE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
WASHINGTON FOOD INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION WFP REPRESENTS
INDEPENDENT GROCERS, CONVENIENCE
STORES, WHOLESALERS AND
SUPPLIERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO
CLARIFY THAT INDEPENDENT GROCERS
DO NOT ENGAGE IN ALGORITHMIC
PRICE DISCRIMINATION. OVER THE
PAST TWO MONTHS, WFP HAS MET
REGULARLY WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS ABOUT
POTENTIAL NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
ON INDEPENDENT GROCERS. WE'RE
VERY PLEASED THAT THE ORDINANCE
UNDER CONSIDERATION TODAY DOES
NOT IMPACT SEATTLE'S INDEPENDENT
GROCERY STORES. WE SINCERELY
APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK FOR
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN,
ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND
ADDRESS THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES
IMPACTING SEATTLE'S INDEPENDENT
GROCERS. THIS EXEMPTION IS
CRITICAL TO PROTECTING THE
SMALL, LOCALLY OWNED GROCERY
STORES THAT SERVICE CORNERSTONES
OF SEATTLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU.
-- THE NEXT, EXCUSE ME, THE NEXT
ONLINE SPEAKER IS KATE RUBEN.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE BEEN
UNMUTED.
-- MY NAME IS KATE RUBEN, AND
I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT TWO.
ON BEHALF OF SEATTLE AND THE
SEATTLE RENTERS COMMISSION, WE
ARE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
FAIR PRICING AND TRANSPARENCY
ORDINANCE. OUR UNION ANCESTORS
FOUGHT FOR A 40 HOUR WORK WEEK,
WEEKENDS AND OVERTIME SO WORKERS
COULD HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF
WORK. TODAY, WAGES AREN'T
KEEPING UP WITH THE COST OF
LIVING. PEOPLE ARE WORKING 2 OR
3 JOBS AND STILL BARELY KEEPING
THEIR HEADS ABOVE WATER.
CORPORATIONS KNOW OUR PURCHASING
HABITS, OUR HEALTH AND FAMILY
STRUCTURE, OUR WORK HOURS, WHAT
RESOURCES WE HAVE AND WHAT WE
CAN'T GO WITHOUT. THEY USE THAT
KNOWLEDGE TO EXTRACT AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. RAISE SHOULDN'T TELL
AN ALGORITHM YOU CAN BE CHARGED
MORE. WORKING OVERTIME
SHOULDN'T BE ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY FOR CORPORATIONS TO
TAKE WHAT YOU EARNED. AND DON'T
BE FOOLED BY CLAIMS THAT
PERSONALIZED PRICING LOWERS
PRICES. A LOWER PRICE ISN'T A
BARGAIN WHEN IT'S CALCULATED TO
BE THE MOST THAT THAT PARTICULAR
PERSON CAN AFFORD TO PAY. PLEASE
SUPPORT THIS BILL AND PASS IT AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL
SOTELO. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
MICHAEL, I'M NOT SEEING YOU
ONLINE, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE TO
THE NEXT SPEAKER AND SEE IF WE
CAN GET THAT FIGURED OUT. SO THE
NEXT ONLINE SPEAKER WILL BE
ROBERT SINGLETON. PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX WHEN YOU HEAR THE
PROMPT. YOU'VE BEEN UNMUTED.
-- GOOD MORNING, CHAIR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
ROBERT SINGLETON. I'M WITH
CHAMBER OF PROGRESS, A TECH
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION THAT
SUPPORTS INCLUSIVE INNOVATION.
I'M CALLING TODAY TO
RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COMMITTEE
NOT TO ADVANCE THE DRAFT FAIR
PRICING TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE
AS WRITTEN. WE SUPPORT THE DRAFT
STATED GOALS OF PROTECTING
CONSUMERS FROM HIDDEN DATA
DRIVEN PRICE INCREASES. THE
DRAFT DOES NOT STOP AT
INDIVIDUALIZED MARKUPS. IT ALSO
RESTRICTS EVERYDAY COUPONS,
LOYALTY PROGRAMS AND
PERSONALIZED DISCOUNTS THAT HELP
SEATTLE FAMILIES SAVE. THE
RESULT IS A 20 PAGE PROPOSAL
AIMED AT SECRET PRICE HIKES THAT
SPENDS MOST OF ITS OPERATIVE
DETAIL DECIDING WHO MAY RECEIVE
WHICH LOYALTY, REWARD, AND
INSTRUCTING ALREADY THINLY
STRETCHED BUSINESSES HOW TO
COMPLY IN ORDER TO AVOID COSTLY
LITIGATION. NO SEATTLE CONSUMERS
SHOULD BE CHARGED A HIGHER PRICE
BECAUSE A COMPANY USES THEIR
PERSONAL DATA AGAINST THEM.
HOWEVER, THIS DRAFT DOES NOT
STOP. THERE IS A PROHIBITION
AIMED AT WHETHER PRICE IS
PERSONALIZED AT ALL AND NOT
WHETHER OR NOT THE PRICE WENT UP
OR DOWN, REWARDING CUSTOMER
LOYALTY AND REPEAT PURCHASES
BASED ON A PREEXISTING, MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP IS A
PRACTICE DATING BACK THOUSANDS
OF YEARS. THIS PRACTICE HAS
ALWAYS BEEN UNDERSTOOD TO HELP
CONSUMERS STRETCH THEIR BUDGETS
AND HELP BUSINESSES PREDICT AND
COMPETE FOR THEIR NEXT PURCHASE.
A CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW SHOULD
NOT PRESUME THAT RECEIVING ONE
OF THESE DISCOUNTS IS AN INJURY.
THANK YOU.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY
HARRIS. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- MERCEDES RINCK AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE.
-- MY NAME IS AMY HARRIS, AND
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
WASHINGTON TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING NEARLY
800 TECH COMPANIES IN SEATTLE
AND ACROSS WASHINGTON. WE HAVE
SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE
PROPOSED PRICING ORDINANCE. IT
WOULD WORSEN SEATTLE'S
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND HARM
LOCAL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY
GROCERS. AS DRAFTED, THE
ORDINANCE WOULD REDUCE CUSTOMER
SAVINGS, NOT PROTECT CONSUMERS.
SHOPPERS RELY ON FUEL DISCOUNTS,
DIGITAL COUPONS AND PERSONALIZED
REWARDS. YET THE PROPOSED CARVE
OUTS ARE SO NARROW THAT THEY
COULD EFFECTIVELY PROHIBIT THESE
WIDELY USED PROGRAMS. THE
ORDINANCE ALSO CREATES
SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES. IT MAY
REQUIRE BUSINESSES TO DISCLOSE
COMPETITIVELY SENSITIVE
INFORMATION. GROCERS AND
RETAILERS MAY STOP OFFERING
THESE PROGRAMS ALTOGETHER.
SEATTLE IS ALREADY THE MOST
EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE COUNTRY
FOR DELIVERY. CONSUMER NEEDS.
CONSUMERS NEED MORE WAYS TO
STRETCH THEIR BUDGETS. RETAILERS
NEED TOOLS TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS.
THIS ORDINANCE TAKES AWAY THOSE
OPTIONS WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED
MOST. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY,
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCOS
WANLESS. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- CHAIR RINCK AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS MARCUS
WANLESS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE
SEATTLE LATINO METROPOLITAN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I AM HERE
TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS,
PUT TOGETHER OUR REGISTERED
COLLECTIVE BUSINESSES AND
BUSINESSES. PROFESSIONALS ADD UP
TO MORE THAN 2000 ORGANIZATIONS
AND PROFESSIONALS, MAKING US THE
LARGEST LATINO HISPANIC CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE IN WASHINGTON STATE.
TODAY, WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS NEW PRICING ORDINANCE,
WHICH WOULD HAVE SERIOUS
ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR
CONSUMERS AND GROCERY RETAILERS
IN SEATTLE. THE PROPOSAL BEFORE
YOU STANDS TO ELIMINATE THE
DISCOUNT REWARD PROGRAM AND
OTHER COST SAVING MEASURES
CONSUMERS RELY ON TO KEEP
GROCERIES COSTS DOWN. THIS
ORDINANCE WILL DRIVE THEM UP.
THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THE
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IS REAL.
SEATTLE IS ALREADY TOO EXPENSIVE
FOR MANY FAMILIES AND
INDIVIDUALS. ALL WHO THINK THAT
THIS MEASURE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO
CONTROL PRICES DOWN ARE
FOLLOWING AN IDEALISTIC, ON REAL
PROMISE IN OUR OPEN MARKET
SYSTEM, NOTHING CAN CONTROL
PRICES DOWN BECAUSE IT'S A FREE
MARKET, NOT A CONTROL ECONOMY.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROPOSED
ORDINANCE WILL ALSO INCREASE
COSTS ON BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY
LOW MARGIN RETAILERS LIKE
GROCERS. BUSINESS NEEDS CERTAIN
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN
PINCUS. PLEASE PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU'VE BEEN UNMUTED.
-- I'M JOHN PINCUS FROM THE
NEXUS OF PRIVACY HERE TO SUPPORT
THE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PRICING
ORDINANCE. ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION, ALSO KNOWN AS
SURVEILLANCE PRICING, MEANS
THEY'LL CHARGE YOU MORE IF THEY
THINK YOU CAN MAKE AND GET YOU
TO PAY MORE. THAT SHOULDN'T BE
LEGAL, BUT BIG TECH FIRMS AND
LARGE RETAILERS MAKE A LOT OF
MONEY FROM SURVEILLANCE PRICING,
SO THEY'RE ALREADY USING
EGREGIOUS LIES TO LOBBY AGAINST
THIS ORDINANCE. DON'T BELIEVE
THEM. DESPITE LOBBYISTS
LUDICROUS CLAIMS TO THE
CONTRARY, THE ORDINANCE CLEARLY
ALLOWS LOYALTY AND REWARDS
PROGRAMS, COUPONS, AND
DISCOUNTS, BUT IT DOESN'T ALLOW
RETAILERS USING THESE MECHANISMS
AS SNEAKY BACKDOORS FOR BLACK
BOX ALGORITHMS THAT USE OUR
PERSONAL INFORMATION TO SEND
INDIVIDUALIZED PRICES. AND
THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR
CONSUMERS OF TECHNET. FOR
EXAMPLE, ASK YOU TO ALLOW THEM
TO SET PRICES HIGH FOR EVERYBODY
AND THEN USE ALGORITHMIC PRICING
TO GIVE SELECTIVE DISCOUNTS. HOW
TRANSPARENT IS THAT? HOW FAIR IS
THAT? SO PLEASE PASS THE FAIR
AND TRANSPARENT PRICING
ORDINANCE AND RESIST INDUSTRY
ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN IT. THANK
YOU.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CRYSTAL
LEATHERMAN. PLEASE PRESS STAR
SIX. WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU'VE BEEN UNMUTED.
-- THANK YOU. CHAIR RINCK. THANK
YOU. CHAIR RINCK MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M CRYSTAL
LEATHERMAN WITH WASHINGTON
RETAIL ASSOCIATION. CONCERNED
THAT THEIR PRICING ORDINANCE
COULD ELIMINATE COUPONS,
DISCOUNTS AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS
THAT SAVE SEATTLE FAMILIES
MILLIONS. EVERY YEAR. WE SUPPORT
PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION AND ACTIVELY
WORKED WITH LABOR AND CONSUMER
ADVOCATES. LAST LEGISLATIVE
SESSION TOWARD A PROPOSAL THAT
COULD HAVE BEEN A MODEL FOR
SEATTLE. THIS ORDINANCE DIFFERS
SIGNIFICANTLY. YOU'LL LIKELY
HEAR TODAY THAT IT STILL
PROTECTS COUPONS AND LOYALTY
PROGRAMS. IT DOES NOT. THOSE
EXCLUSIONS ARE UNWORKABLE, AS
WRITTEN OR CONTRADICTED
ELSEWHERE IN THE DRAFT. THE
STAKES ARE REAL. THERE ARE STATE
FUNDED RESEARCH THAT SAYS 68% OF
WASHINGTON HOUSEHOLDS RELY ON
LOWER PRICES, WHICH INCLUDE
COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS TO MANAGE
GROCERY COSTS. AND A SINGLE
LOYALTY PROGRAM CAN SAVE A
FAMILY ABOUT $500 A YEAR. THE
CITY ITSELF EVEN PROMOTES
DISCOUNTS AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS
LIKE AGE FRIENDLY, CITY AT AGE
FRIENDLY SEATTLE, WHICH WORKS
WITH PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES,
WHICH INCLUDES GROCERS AND
RETAILERS. THIS ORDINANCE WOULD
UNDERMINE THE VERY SAVINGS THE
CITY ENCOURAGES AND OUTCOME AT
ODDS WITH THE GOAL OF
AFFORDABILITY. WE'RE COMMITTED
TO HELPING YOU GET THIS RIGHT,
AND I WELCOME THE CHANCE TO WORK
WITH YOU ON SOLUTIONS THAT
PROTECT SEATTLEITES WITHOUT
SACRIFICING THE SAVINGS THAT
COUNT ON.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALYSSA
SUTTON. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- HI, MY NAME IS LIZ. I'M A
DISTRICT THREE COMMUNITY MEMBER.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
PROHIBITING ALGORITHMIC BASED
PRICE DISCRIMINATION IN SEATTLE.
PLEASE PROTECT OUR DATA PRIVACY
AND PROMOTE ETHICAL BUSINESS IN
OUR CITY THAT IS CENTERED AROUND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO
AFFORD THEIR LIVES HERE. THANK
YOU.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR.
ALVAREZ. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING
SURVEILLANCE, PRICING AND
EXPLOITING CUSTOMER DATA. THE
FACT IS, BUSINESS GROUPS HAVE NO
INTEREST IN SAVING CONSUMERS
MONEY, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO,
THESE COMPANIES RECEIVED
MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF
TAXPAYER MONEY AS REFUNDS FOR
THE HIGH TARIFFS OF THE PREVIOUS
YEAR. NONE OF THAT MONEY WAS
REFUNDED TO THE CONSUMER, OR
EVEN USED TO GIVE WORKING STAFF
A BONUS, LET ALONE BEING USED TO
ALLEVIATE THE PRICE INCREASES
DUE TO THE WAR IN IRAN.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK THE
LEGISLATION TODAY FOR GROCERY
AFFORDABILITY IS A GREAT MOVE
FOR OUR CITY. LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING THIS GETTING PASSED.
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD
DAY.
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIM
ENGLAND. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RINCK AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
KIM ENGLAND AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT FOUR. I SUPPORT
AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODES
REGARDING DOMESTIC WORKERS. I
HAVE BEEN AN EMPLOYER OF OF
NANNIES AND HOUSE CLEANERS IN
THE PAST, AND I PLAN TO HIRE A
HOUSE CLEANER AGAIN SOON. I
TRIED TO BE A GOOD EMPLOYER. I
APPRECIATE GUIDELINES TO HELP ME
BE A GOOD EMPLOYER. THE INITIAL
ORDINANCE CERTAINLY DID MUCH OF
THAT, BUT THESE AMENDMENTS
PROVIDED CLARITY OF MY
RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EMPLOYER.
HAVING A WRITTEN AGREEMENT. AND
WHAT WHAT IS REQUIRED OF ME AS
AN EMPLOYER WHEN I WANT TO END A
WORK ARRANGEMENT AND A
REQUIREMENT TO CREATE AND RETAIN
GOALS AS AN EMPLOYER, I BELIEVE
IN TREATING WORKERS WITH DIGNITY
AND FAIRNESS. I WANT TO CARE FOR
MY FAMILY TO HAVE THESE
ADDITIONAL
-- PROTECTIONS LAID OUT IN THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU
FOR HEARING MY COMMENTS
-- OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAINES. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- HI. THANK YOU. DAVID HAINES,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ANTITRUST
MONOPOLY ON THE SHELF SPACE OF
OUR GROCERY STORES THAT ONCE
THEY PROFILE US IN ONE QFC AND
YOU GO TO ALL THE OTHER QFC,
THEY REFUSE TO GIVE YOU ACCESS
TO THOSE DISCOUNTS. AND THEY'RE
PROFILING WHEN YOU'RE BUYING.
IT'S BRUTAL. BUT WE NEED TO
DISCIPLINE THE GREED OF WALL
STREET MIDDLEMEN THAT ARE
SHAKING DOWN OUR ECONOMY WITH
THE IMMORAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM
THAT JUSTIFIES TAKING THE
UNFORESEEN CAPITAL GAINS AND
GIVING IT BACK TO THE WORKERS
AND RENEGOTIATE THE VALUE OF THE
RENT. THE THING IS, IS LIKE,
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESS AUTHORITY WAS SUPPOSED
TO, IN PART, BE CREATED TO SOLVE
THE HOMELESS CRISIS AND WORK
WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS TO KEEP
THEM HONEST, FORTHRIGHT, AND
DILIGENT WITH CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITICISMS. AND ALL WE SEE IS
TROUBLE FROM THE SEATTLE
BELLEVUE THAT ALLOW FOR ALL
THESE EMPLOYEES TO BE HIRED FROM
KING COUNTY REGIONAL HEALTH
AUTHORITY. I DON'T WANT ANY OF
THOSE EMPLOYEES TO COME BACK
INTO THE GOVERNMENT DOING THE
SAME WATERED DOWN OVERSIGHT THAT
NEEDS TO IMPROVE THE EFFORTS, AS
OPPOSED TO SQUANDERING MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS.
-- OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS LAUREN
RENFIELD. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU'VE
BEEN UNMUTED.
-- GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS. MY
NAME IS LAUREN REDFIELD FROM
DISTRICT SIX, AND I'M SPEAKING
ON BEHALF OF THE WASHINGTON AREA
RESISTANCE IN FAVOR OF THE FAIR
PRICING AND TRANSPARENCY
ORDINANCE. WE ARE ENTERING A NEW
FRONTIER OF EXTRACTION WHERE
PERSONAL INFORMATION IS USED TO
MAXIMIZE CORPORATE PROFIT. OUR
PERSONAL DATA SHOULD NOT BECOME
A WEAPON THAT CORPORATIONS USE
TO EXTRACT MORE MONEY FROM THOSE
LEAST ABLE TO AFFORD IT. FOOD IS
A BASIC HUMAN NEED, NOT AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR CORPORATIONS TO
TAKE DATA FROM OUR LIVES AND USE
IT TO DETERMINE THE HIGHEST
PRICE. EACH PERSON IS WILLING OR
FORCED TO PAY. WITHOUT STRONG
GUARDRAILS, AI WILL DEEPEN
INEQUALITY BY ALLOWING
CORPORATIONS TO PROFILE
CONSUMERS, EXPAND SURVEILLANCE,
AND POWER AWAY FROM COMMUNITIES
TOWARDS THEMSELVES, TOWARDS
COMPANIES, INCLUDING THOSE THAT
ALREADY DOMINATE OUR FOOD
SYSTEM. THIS ORDINANCE
REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT STEP
TOWARDS RIGHTS BASED AI
GOVERNANCE, WHERE FAIRNESS,
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
ARE BUILT IN FROM THE BEGINNING.
AI IS NOT INEVITABLE. WE HAVE
CHOICES ABOUT HOW THESE
TECHNOLOGIES ARE DEVELOPED, WHAT
THEY ARE USED FOR, WHO BENEFIT
FROM THEM, AND WHO BEARS THE
RISKS. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO
PASS A FAIR PRICING AND
TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE AND MAKE
SEATTLE A NATIONAL LEADER IN
ENSURING TECHNOLOGY SERVICE,
HUMAN DIGNITY, NOT SURVEILLANCE,
DISCRIMINATION OR UNCHECKED
CORPORATE POWER. THANK YOU.
-- RIGHT. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL PROCEED TO
OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS. AND I
WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE
PERSON WHO HAS COME OUT TODAY TO
MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD. IT IS
INVALUABLE TO ME THAT FOLKS ARE
ENGAGING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
AND I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING
DOWN TO CITY HALL ON A FRIDAY
MORNING. I THINK THIS HAS BEEN
THE LONGEST PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WE'VE HAD IN THIS
COMMITTEE SINCE CHAIRING IT. SO
I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT.
I'M GOING TO TAKE US TO OUR
FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
-- COUNCIL BILL 12166. AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO DOMESTIC
WORKER LABOR STANDARDS IN
SEATTLE. AMENDING SECTIONS 1423,
ZERO, TEN, 14, 23, ZERO, 20 AND
1423095 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE AND ADDING NEW SECTIONS 14,
23, 25, 14, 23, ONE, 27 AND
1423, 128 TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH
WRITTEN AGREEMENT REQUIREMENT,
ESTABLISH PROTECTIONS FOR
ENTITLED, PAID AND UNPAID LEAVE,
INCLUDING RETALIATION PROTECTION
FOR TAKING PERMISSIBLE TIME OFF,
REQUIRING HIRING ENTITIES TO
CREATE AND RETAIN RECORDS, AND
ADVANCE NOTICE OF TERMINATION
REQUIREMENT UPDATE REMEDIES AND
PROVISIONS, AND CONFORM TO
CERTAIN CHANGES IN STATE LAW.
WITH CITY LABOR STANDARDS.
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, CLERK, AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. WHEN YOU ARE READY,
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF BY
UNMUTING YOUR MICROPHONE AND
STATING YOUR NAME FOR THE
RECORD.
-- OKAY. STEVE MARCHESE,
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS.
-- GOOD MORNING, DIANA SALAZAR,
SENIOR POLICY ANALYST AT THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS.
-- KARINA COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF,
ANALYST.
-- GREAT, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. CHAIR RINCK VICE
CHAIR, FOSTER MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL. GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS
MORNING. I'M STEVE MARCHESE,
I'M THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS,
AND I'M PROUD TO BE HERE WITH
MY COLLEAGUE, DIANA SALAZAR TO
DISCUSS WITH YOU PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS ORDINANCE. AS YOU HEARD
FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE DOMESTIC
WORKERS BOARD WHO SPOKE TODAY,
AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM THEM IN
THE PAST AT PREVIOUS
PRESENTATIONS. THIS IS A
TRAILBLAZING EFFORT THAT THE
CITY HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING TO
ELEVATE THE VOICE AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC WORKERS,
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
UNDERSTANDING THEIR CONDITIONS
AND THEIR NEEDS AS THEY ADVOCATE
FOR BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS
AND BETTER TREATMENT. THIS
ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN IN
EFFECT SINCE 2019, IT WAS THE
FIRST MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE IN THE
FIRST. WE HAD THE FIRST CITY TO
CREATE THIS. OUR OFFICE HAS HAD
THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTNERING WITH
THE BOARD AND WITH MEMBERS OF
THE COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS,
ADVOCATE, LEARN, SHARE RESEARCH
ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF DOMESTIC
WORKERS, AND WE'VE LEARNED A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT. THIS
PARTNERSHIP IS ONE ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT ONES, I THINK
THIS DEPARTMENT HAS HAD. AND WE
ARE CONSTANTLY, AS I THINK
MENTIONED EARLIER, DISCUSSING
DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER
JURISDICTIONS WHO ARE LEARNING
FROM US THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE PLEASED TO
BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE STATE LAW.
EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT CREATED
STATEWIDE DOMESTIC WORKER
PROTECTIONS. SO THE EFFORT THAT
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THE
INFORMATION YOU'RE SEEING, HAS
BEEN THE PRODUCT OF A LONG
SERIES OF MEETINGS, RESEARCH,
ADVOCACY. IT BOTH HARMONIZES
WITH THE STATE LAW AND ALSO
OFFERS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPAND PROTECTIONS TO WORKERS
WHO MAKE OUR CITY WORK. THESE
ARE THE WORKERS WHO COME INTO
OUR HOMES TO CLEAN, TO CARE FOR
OUR CHILDREN, TO ATTEND OUR
GARDENS AND OUR LAWNS. THESE ARE
FOLKS THAT WE VERY OFTEN SEE,
BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY KNOW,
BUT THEY ARE CREATING THE WORLD
THAT WE LIVE IN AND MAKING IT
POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THE WORK
THAT WE DO EVERY DAY. SO IN
RECOGNITION OF THEIR WORK, IT'S
MY HONOR TO HAVE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT THE CHANGES TO THIS
ORDINANCE. DIANA IS GOING TO BE
ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE
SPECIFICS OF OUR PROPOSALS, AND
I'M GOING TO TURN THE
PRESENTATION OVER TO HER.
-- THANK YOU. STEVE. SO THE
AGENDA FOR TODAY IS I WILL
PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF
WHAT'S IN THE LAW I WILL
DISCUSS THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS, AS STEVE MENTIONED, IS
YEARS IN THE MAKING. THEN I WILL
GO TO A DISCUSSION DETAILING OUT
EACH INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENT THAT
YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
AND THEN I ALSO DO WANT TO HAVE
A DISCUSSION AROUND THE LOCAL
AND STATE INTERACTION WITH THE
NEWLY PASSED STATE LAW THAT WILL
GO INTO EFFECT JULY 1st, 2027.
AND WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING,
SHOULD YOU PASS THESE
AMENDMENTS, TO ALSO GO INTO
EFFECT JULY 1st, 2027? THEN I
WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS. SO AS FOLKS HAVE
MENTIONED ALREADY, WE BECAME THE
FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO
PASS DOMESTIC WORKER ORDINANCE,
MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS DOMESTIC
WORKER BILL OF RIGHTS. YOU SEE
HERE, WHAT ARE THE PROTECTIONS
AFFORDED UNDER THE LAW? I DO
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ITEMS. THE
DWELL ALSO CREATED THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS BOARD, WHICH IS
A BOARD OF 13 MEMBERS HIRED
ENTITY REPRESENTATION, PRIVATE
EMPLOYERS, AS WELL AS DOMESTIC
WORKERS THEMSELVES OR WORKER
ADVOCATES, AND THE PURPOSE OF
THE BOARD IS ESSENTIALLY TO
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON
DOMESTIC WORKER LABOR STANDARDS.
THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO US AT OUR
OFFICE, AS WELL AS TO YOU AS
COUNCILMEMBERS, WHICH THEY
PROVIDED A BRIEF INTRO EARLIER
THIS YEAR AS WELL TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE. THE NEXT THING
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT THE
LAW THAT IS UNIQUE IS THAT
DOMESTIC WORKERS, AS DEFINED
UNDER THE LAW, CAN BE BOTH
EMPLOYEES OR INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS. THEY CAN BE
SALARIED WORKERS OR HOURLY
WORKERS. AND I WILL SHARE
BRIEFLY IN A IN A FUTURE LATER
IN THE SLIDES ABOUT HOW THAT'S
UNIQUE AND HOW WE'VE APPROACHED
THE ENFORCEMENT AND THE
AMENDMENTS TODAY. SO AS
MENTIONED, THIS POLICY, ALTHOUGH
WE STARTED DOING STAKEHOLDER
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THIS REALLY
STARTED BACK IN MAY OF 2021,
WHEN THE BOARD WAS IN FRONT OF
YOU ALL TO DO THEIR INITIAL SET
OF RECOMMENDATIONS. TWO OF WHICH
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY. THEY
ORIGINALLY WERE REQUESTING OR
RECOMMENDING MANDATING WRITTEN
CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING
PORTABLE PAID TIME OFF FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS. COUNCIL
RESPONDED BY DIRECTING OUR
OFFICE TO WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS
TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
AROUND PORTABLE PAID TIME OFF,
WHICH OUR OFFICE SUBMITTED OR
PUBLISHED. PUBLISHED A REPORT IN
OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AND THAT
REPORT ALSO INCLUDED SOME
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
INFORM THE AMENDMENTS TODAY THE
BOARD THEN RECEIVED THAT REPORT,
AS WELL AS THEIR INVOLVEMENT AT
THE STATE LEVEL, TO PASS WHAT
THE DOMESTIC WORKER PROTECTIONS
TO OFFICIALLY VOTE AND DIRECT
OUR OFFICE IN NOVEMBER OF LAST
YEAR TO LOOK INTO AMENDMENTS FOR
THE DOMESTIC WORKERS ORDINANCE
AND PROVIDE SOME TECHNICAL
ANALYSIS. WHILE WE WERE DOING
THAT, THEY WERE ALSO INVOLVED AT
THE STATE LEVEL. AS
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK MENTIONED
EARLIER, SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL
2355 PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL,
AND IT WAS ALSO IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN
OUR OFFICE SPOKE IN SUPPORT. SO
GIVEN THAT WE HAVE NEW
PROTECTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL,
AS WELL AS THE DIRECTION THAT WE
RECEIVED FROM FROM THE BOARD AND
OUR OWN RESEARCH THROUGH THE PTO
REPORT AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
OTHER JURISDICTIONS. WE MOVED
FORWARD AND ASKED THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO OFFICIALLY HAVE SOME
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON THIS
ISSUE AND WHAT THE AMENDMENTS
CAN LOOK LIKE. WE DID THAT IN
COLLABORATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK OFFICE, AND WE HOSTED TWO
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS IN APRIL OF
THIS YEAR. WE HAD ABOUT 40
PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTATION FROM
HIGHER ED ENTITIES, AS WELL AS
DOMESTIC WORKERS AND NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS HAND IN
HAND, THAT WORK WITH EMPLOYERS
AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC
WORKERS ALLIANCE THAT
CONVERSATION PRIMARILY FOCUSED
ON THE BOARD'S INITIAL SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH ARE
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS, RETALIATION
PROTECTION FOR TAKING TIME OFF
AND HIRING ENTITY RECORDS.
THROUGH THOSE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS AND OUR RESEARCH
AND OUR COLLABORATION WITH
CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL. WHAT YOU
SEE HERE TODAY IS THESE SETS OF
AMENDMENTS, THE DEFINITION OF
ADVERSE ACTION WORKER
PROTECTIONS TO ALIGN WITH THE
STATE, ADDING SOME EXPLICIT
LANGUAGE FOR RETALIATION,
PROTECTION, FOR TAKING
PERMISSIBLE TIME OFF, REQUIRING
HIGHER ENTITIES TO TRACK AND
RETAIN PAYMENT RECORDS, REQUIRE
ADVANCE NOTICE OF TERMINATION,
REQUIRE WRITTEN AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN THE DOMESTIC WORKER AND
THE HIRING ENTITY, AND
STANDARDIZE OUR ENFORCEMENT
LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE FINES FOR
VIOLATIONS AS WELL AS OTHER
STANDARD LANGUAGE IN OUR
ENFORCEMENT CODE AND OTHER
ORDINANCES, SUCH AS WAIVERS. I
WILL NOW DISCUSS, BIT BY BIT OR
IN DETAIL WHAT EACH AMENDMENT
DOES. SO THE FIRST YOU'LL NOTICE
IS WE ADDED THE DEFINITION OF
ADVERSE ACTION INTO THE
ORDINANCE TEXT. IT WAS
ORIGINALLY IN THE RULES OF THE
LAW AND WE DECIDED TO MOVE IT
INTO THE ORDINANCE FOR MORE
CLARITY. IT ALSO IS AN EVOLUTION
OF OUR EXISTING DEFINITION. I
MENTIONED EARLIER THAT DOMESTIC
WORKERS CAN BE BOTH INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS OR EMPLOYEES, AND
SINCE WE PASSED DWO, WE'VE ALSO
PASSED ADDITIONAL LABOR
STANDARDS THAT PERTAIN TO
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND APP
BASED WORKERS. AND SO WE WANTED
TO INCLUDE THE DIFFERENT
DEFINITION TO REFLECT THE
DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE WORK THAT
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND APP
BASED WORKERS MAY DO TO REFLECT
THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF
RETALIATION PROTECTIONS. WE ALSO
ADDED ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE AROUND
IMMIGRANT WORKER PROTECTION.
THIS IS SIMILAR FROM THE STATE.
WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD
CONSISTENT LANGUAGE AROUND
IMMIGRANT PROTECTIONS. GIVEN THE
POLITICAL REALITY AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL. SIMILAR TO ALIGNING WITH
THE STATE IS DOMESTIC WORKER
PROTECTIONS, WORKER DOCUMENTS,
EXCUSE ME. CURRENTLY, DOMESTIC
WORKERS DO HAVE PROTECTIONS FROM
THEIR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS OR
PERSONAL EFFECTS WITH THE HIGHER
ENTITY MAY NOT TAKE THAT. THE
STATE WENT ABOVE. BEYOND THAT
AND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL CLARITY
TO ALSO INCLUDE LEGAL DOCUMENTS,
FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION,
PASSPORTS OR IMMIGRATION
DOCUMENTS FOR SIMILAR REASONS.
WITH THE ADVERSE ACTION, WE FELT
THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO ALIGN
WITH THE STATE AND INCLUDE THIS
LANGUAGE AS WELL. THE NEXT PIECE
IS RETALIATION. PROTECTIONS FOR
TAKING PERMISSIBLE TIME OFF. I
DO WANT TO STRESS THAT THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WE ARE NOT
MANDATING OR SUGGESTING THAT
HIGHER ENTITIES PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL PAID TIME OFF THAN
WHAT THEY ARE ALREADY LEGALLY
ENTITLED, OR HAVE TO COMPLY
UNDER, BUT INSTEAD WANT TO
STRESS WHAT WE FOUND FROM OUR
PTO REPORT. AND THAT IS DOMESTIC
WORKERS ARE STILL NOT TAKING
TIME OFF, EVEN IF THEY ARE AWARE
THAT THEY ARE COVERED UNDER, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE SEEK AND SAVE TIME
LAW. IF THEIR EMPLOYEES. SO WE
REALLY WANT TO PROVIDE EXPLICIT
LANGUAGE UNDER THE DWO THAT IF
YOU TAKE TIME OFF THAT YOU ARE
ALREADY LEGALLY ENTITLED TO, YOU
DO HAVE PROTECTIONS FROM
RETALIATION AND WHAT WE HEARD
FROM HIGHER ED ENTITIES AND FROM
DOMESTIC WORKER IS THAT HAVING
THEIR RIGHTS LIVE UNDER ONE LAW,
SUCH AS THE DWO, EVEN THOUGH IT
INCORPORATES EXISTING
PROTECTIONS. IF YOU'RE AN
EMPLOYEE UNDER STATE OR IF YOU
ARE AN APP BASED WORKER UNDER
THE APP BASED WORKER, SST,
HAVING ALL OF THAT LIVE UNDER
ONE ORDINANCE IS HELPFUL FOR
EMPLOYERS TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF
THEIR COMPLIANCE AND FOR
DOMESTIC WORKERS TO UNDERSTAND
ALL OF THEIR RIGHTS. SO THE DWO
CAN FUNCTION AS A VEHICLE TO
CONTINUE TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT
HIGHER ENTITIES ARE EMPLOYERS,
AND DOMESTIC WORKERS, ARE
WORKERS AND HAVE LABOR
PROTECTIONS THE NEXT PIECE IS
RECORDS RETENTION. WE ARE
REQUIRING FOR HIGHER ENTITIES TO
CREATE AND RETAIN RECORDS. THIS
IS A STANDARD PRACTICE ACROSS
THE OTHER 15 LAWS THAT WE
ENFORCE, AND IT'S ALSO
CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. AND
WE ARE NOT REQUIRING THE HIGHER
ENTITY TO PROVIDE US WITH THE
RECORDS AS THEY'RE CREATING.
ONLY IF WE HAVE A COMPLAINT OR
HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE WE THERE
MAY BE A VIOLATION. THE NEXT
PIECE IS TERMINATION. NOTICE
AGAIN, THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH
THE STATE LAW. DOMESTIC WORKERS
SOON WILL HAVE A TWO WEEK
ADVANCE NOTICE IF THEY ARE TO BE
TERMINATED, OR FOUR WEEKS IF
THEY ARE LIVE IN DOMESTIC
WORKERS. AGAIN, WE WANT TO HAVE
CONSISTENT RIGHTS AND HAVE
INCLUDED THAT WITH OUR
AMENDMENTS HERE TODAY. THE LAW
DOES PROVIDE SOME EXCEPTIONS
THAT YOU SEE HERE FOR NOT
NECESSARILY HAVING TO FOLLOW THE
TWO WEEK OR THE FOUR WEEK
TIMELINE. THE ORDINANCE IN FRONT
OF YOU TODAY CREATES A NEW
SECTION UNDER WRITTEN
AGREEMENTS. THIS SECTION
PROVIDES THAT A HIGHER ENTITY
SHALL HAVE WRITTEN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THEM AND THE DOMESTIC
WORKER. THIS IS ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
THE BOARD BACK IN 2021, AND IT
SHOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION SUCH
AS LOCATION, RATE OF PAY, HOURS,
TERMS OF SERVICES, WHETHER OR
NOT THE DOMESTIC WORKER IS AN
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OR AN
EMPLOYEE, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL
BENEFITS THAT THEY NEGOTIATED
AND AGREED UPON. SO ULTIMATELY,
THE DOMESTIC WORKER AND THE
HIGHER ENTITY MUST AGREE TO THE
TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT. BUT THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
DOMESTIC WORKER TO REQUEST
ADDITIONAL VACATION TIME. FOR
EXAMPLE, ARE ABLE TO SAY, THIS
IS WHAT I THESE ARE THE TERMS
UNDER THE UNDER WHICH I WILL
PERFORM THE WORK THAT WE ARE
DISCUSSING. WE HEARD FROM
STAKEHOLDERS THAT THE PRIMARY
METHOD OF COMMUNICATION IS TEXT
MESSAGES. THEY. YOU KNOW, WOULD
WANT TO BE FLEXIBLE UNDER THE
WRITTEN AGREEMENT THAT. THE
WRITTEN AGREEMENT CAN ALSO BE A
PRINTED DOCUMENT. IT COULD BE AN
EMAIL, IT COULD BE TEXT MESSAGES
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT
WE'VE ALSO SEEN UNDER THE
SEATTLE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
PROTECTION, WHERE THEIR WRITTEN
AGREEMENTS CAN ALSO BE FORMS OF
TEXTS. SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE
AS ACCESSIBLE FOR COMPLIANCE AND
FOR UNDERSTANDING THEIR RIGHTS
FOR UNDER THIS LAW, ALTHOUGH
THEY DO NOT NEED TO USE OUR
TEMPLATE, WE ARE GOING TO CREATE
A TEMPLATE. SHOULD THESE
AMENDMENTS PASS, JUST TO MAKE
SURE THAT IF IF DOMESTIC WORKERS
OR HIGHER ENTITY WANT TO USE OUR
TEMPLATES OR ENSURE THAT THEY
ARE COMPLETING IT AS REQUIRED,
THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION. THE
NEXT PIECE IS OUR ENFORCEMENT
CODE. THIS AMENDMENT INCLUDES
ADDING A TABLE THAT AGAIN, IS
CONSISTENT WITH ALL OF OUR LABOR
STANDARDS TO INCLUDE FINES BY
VIOLATION. IT'S A WAY TO
CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WHAT THE
FINES MAY BE TO ENCOURAGE
COMPLIANCE AND AS STANDARD WITH
ALL OF OUR OTHER ORDINANCES, WE
DO ADJUST THEM ANNUALLY. AND
WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING READY TO
DO THAT AS WE TYPICALLY ANNOUNCE
THE NEW MINIMUM WAGE AND FINES
AND PENALTIES ADJUSTMENT IN THE
FALL SO I DO WANT TO TAKE SOME
TIME HERE TO DISCUSS THE
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE LOCAL
LAW AS IS AND WITH AMENDMENTS,
SHOULD IT PASS WITH THE STATE.
THE STATE. THERE ARE SOME KEY
DISTINCTIONS. WE ARE PROPOSING
THESE AMENDMENTS IN THE SPIRIT
OF HARMONIZATION AND ALIGNMENT,
AS MUCH AS WE CAN, TO HAVE
CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT. HOWEVER,
AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY DO HAVE
A COVERAGE THRESHOLD IN ORDER TO
BE PROTECTED UNDER THE NEW STATE
PROTECTIONS, THE DOMESTIC WORKER
NEEDS TO HAVE WORKED FOR A
HIGHER ENTITY AT LEAST FOUR
HOURS A MONTH, SO THERE MAY BE A
SITUATION WHERE A DOMESTIC
WORKER MAY NOT BE COVERED UNDER
STATE PROTECTIONS IN A GIVEN
MONTH. IF THEY DO NOT MEET THAT
COVERAGE THRESHOLD. FOR THAT, WE
FEEL STRONGLY THAT THESE
AMENDMENTS SHOULD BE PASSED AT
SEATTLE SO THAT IF A WORKER IS
NOT COVERED UNDER THE STATE LAW,
THEY MAY STILL HAVE THESE THE
SIMILAR PROTECTIONS UNDER
SEATTLE LAW, AS WE ARE NOT
PROPOSING ANY COVERAGE THRESHOLD
TO BE COVERED UNDER THE SEATTLE
PROTECTIONS. HOWEVER, BOTH OUR
EXISTING LAW AND THE STATE LAW
EXCLUDES CASUAL LABOR, AND WE DO
DEFINE WHAT WE MEAN BY CASUAL
LABOR. SO IF THE AMENDMENTS ARE
PASSED, WE. OUR OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE THE
LOCAL ENFORCEMENT. WE ALSO HAVE
A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION, AND
WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR FUNDED
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
TO HELP NOT ONLY PROVIDE
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION ABOUT
THESE NEW LAWS, BUT AS WELL CAN
CAN HELP AND ADDRESS ANY ALLEGED
VIOLATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT IS
THE LABOR OF INDUSTRY OR LNI,
AND THEY ALSO HAVE A PRIVATE
RIGHT OF ACTION. SO THE LAST
SLIDE HERE JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE STATE
AND THE LOCAL LAW AND WHETHER OR
NOT THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD BE
MORE EXPANSIVE THAN THE STATE OR
WILL BE CONSISTENT OR ALIGNED
WITH THE STATE. THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF INSTANCES WHERE IT
DOES NOT APPLY, AS THERE IS NO
EQUIVALENT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE
AMENDMENTS HERE TODAY FOR THE
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS IS MORE
EXPANSIVE THAN THE STATES. THE
STATES ONLY REQUIRES THE RATE OF
PAY AND HOURS TO BE INCLUDED IN
THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT THE HIRING
ENTITY RECORDS EXPANDS OR ALIGNS
DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DECIDE.
UNDER THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT, AND
WE WOULD ALSO BE ALIGNING WITH
THE STATE ON ADVANCE NOTICE OF
TERMINATION THAT CONCLUDES MY
PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU, AND
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
-- [APPLAUSE]
-- THANK YOU. DEANNA. I DO WANT
TO JUST NOTE ALSO, FOR THE
RECORD ATTACHED TO TODAY'S
COMMITTEE AGENDA, WE ALSO HAD A
CENTRAL STAFF MEMO. SO I DO WANT
TO INVITE OUR CENTRAL STAFFER AT
THE TABLE. KARINA, IF THERE'S
ANYTHING ADDITIONAL YOU'D LIKE
TO ADD.
-- THANK YOU. SO THE CENTRAL
STAFF MEMO ALSO PROVIDES AN
OVERVIEW TO COMPLEMENT OFFICE OF
LABOR STANDARDS OVERVIEW. AND IT
DOES PRESENT TWO POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS FOR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND COUNCIL AS A WHOLE,
AND ONE OF THEM IS IN REGARDS TO
PAYMENT DISCLOSURES. PAYMENT
DISCLOSURE IS AN ITEMIZED
STATEMENT THAT BREAKS DOWN A
WORKER'S EARNINGS EVERY TIME
THEY ARE PAID. IT'S SOMETHING
THAT'S STANDARD FOR EMPLOYEES
UNDER STATE LAW. UNDER LOCAL
LAW, IT'S ALSO PRESENT IN THE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
PROTECTORS ORDINANCE FOR
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHO WORK
FOR COMMERCIAL HIRING ENTITIES,
AND ALSO FOR APP BASED WORKERS
THAT ARE COVERED BY THE MINIMUM
PAYMENT LAW. SO THOSE IN THE
DOMESTIC WORKER CONTEXT, THAT
MIGHT BE DOMESTIC WORKERS
WORKING FOR HANDY. IS THAT
RIGHT? LOOKING AT OLS FOR THAT.
HOWEVER, FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
WHO WERE HIRED AS INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS THAT AREN'T COVERED
BY ANY OF THOSE LAWS, THEY DO
NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE PAYMENT
DISCLOSURES AS THIS IS CURRENTLY
WRITTEN. PAYMENT DISCLOSURES ARE
CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE THREE
CORE TREND TRANSPARENCY AND FAIR
PAY MEASURES THAT ARE IN ALL OF
THESE LAWS. THAT WOULD BE NOTICE
OF INFORMATION BEFORE YOU'RE
HIRED. THE PAYMENT OF FULL PAY
ON A TIMELY BASIS. AND THEN
THESE PAYMENT DISCLOSURES. SO
TWO OF THOSE THINGS ARE IN THIS
ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED. AND THE
PAYMENT DISCLOSURES ARE NOT. SO
THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO
CONSIDER EITHER. ADDING TO THIS
LEGISLATION OR ASKING OLS TO
RESEARCH, BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE
AN IMPACT ON HIRING ENTITIES.
THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER THING THAT
THEY WOULD NEED TO DO EVERY TIME
THAT THEY PAID. A DOMESTIC
WORKER HIRED AS AN INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTOR. THE NEXT IS OUTREACH
AND OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS
HAS ESTIMATED THAT THE COST OF
IMPLEMENTING THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD BE ABOUT $9,000 FOR
OUTREACH OR FOR RULEMAKING
EXPENSES, AND THAT WOULD COVER
LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS,
INTERPRETATION, TRANSLATION, AND
ALSO SOME STAKEHOLDER
COMPENSATION FOR THAT PROCESS.
OUTREACH IS THE IS A CRITICAL
COMPONENT TO THE CITY'S LAWS
AND THE THAT ESTIMATED COST
WOULD NOT COVER THE COST TO
REVISE AND FURTHER DISTRIBUTE
THE OUTREACH MATERIALS. THERE
ARE A GOOD NUMBER OF OUTREACH
MATERIALS THAT. OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS HAS ALREADY CREATED
VIDEOS, TEMPLATES, ET CETERA.
INTO. TO HAVE THOSE REFLECT THE
AMENDMENTS THEY WOULD NEED TO BE
REVISED AND THE VIDEOS JUST TO
PROMOTE AWARENESS HERE. THEY.
THEY ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL. THEY
ARE WRITTEN IN IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
AND THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM
INCREASED VIEWERSHIP. SO IF
THERE'S WAYS TO INCREASE THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE VIDEOS, THEN
MORE PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT THE
RIGHTS AND THE OBLIGATIONS IN
THESE ORDINANCES. SO OUTREACH
APPROPRIATIONS FOR OUTREACH
MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL
MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER
POTENTIALLY FOR THE 27, 2027
PROPOSED BUDGET.
-- THANK YOU FOR LAYING OUT
THOSE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS,
KARINA. AND THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY, COLLEAGUES.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FIRST TO
YOU ALL FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE ON THIS ITEM. I'M SEEING A
HAND FROM VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU AS ALWAYS TO THE
FANTASTIC CENTRAL STAFF AND THE
OLS TEAM AND TO THE DOMESTIC
WORKER STANDARDS BOARDS FOR YOUR
SERVICE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU. AND I KNOW YOU HAD THIS IN
COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS YEAR AS
SORT OF AN OVERVIEW ITEM. SO
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE THE LIST
AND THE CLARIFICATION IN TERMS
OF WHAT WRITTEN DISCLOSURE COULD
MEAN. I KNOW WE HAD A REALLY
ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. SO
THIS WAS REALLY GREAT. MY, MY
QUESTION IS JUST A CLARIFYING
QUESTION AROUND THE PAYMENT
DISCLOSURE. AND I'M CURIOUS, IS
THAT A PART OF THE STATE
STANDARD CURRENTLY, OR IS THAT
JUST NOT PART OF ANY OF OUR
STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO
DOMESTIC WORKERS?
-- IT IS NOT PART OF THE STATE
STANDARD FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
WHO WERE HIRED AS INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS. FOR ANY DOMESTIC
WORKER WHO IS HIRED AS AN
EMPLOYEE, THEY'RE GOING TO
ALREADY HAVE RIGHTS TO PAYMENT
DISCLOSURE UNDER STATE LAW AND
UNDER THE CITY'S WAGE THEFT
ORDINANCE.
-- THANK YOU FOR THAT
CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL
HANDS. COLLEAGUES, I KNOW WE'VE
HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS NOW
ON DOMESTIC WORKERS ORDINANCE
THROUGH BOTH THE STANDARDS BOARD
AS WELL AS PRIOR BRIEFINGS ON
THIS TOPIC. I WILL ASK JUST ONE
QUESTION, MAYBE TO ROUND US OUT.
LIKE IF MY COLLEAGUES, ANOTHER
MOMENT TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT THIS
A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT I WANTED
TO ASK JUST AS A CLARIFYING
POINT, HOW DOES OLS HANDLE
SITUATIONS WHERE DOMESTIC
WORKERS ARE ASKING QUESTIONS OR
REPORTING POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS,
BUT NOT TO OLS TO FILE A CLAIM?
ARE THERE OTHER WAYS OLS CAN
INTERVENE TO HELP WORKERS AND
EMPLOYERS THAT DO NOT RISE TO
THE LEVEL OF AN OFFICIAL
INVESTIGATION?
-- YEAH, THERE WE HAVE A NETWORK
OF PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH
WHO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND
COMMUNITY, AND OFTEN AS PART OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE
PROVIDING INFORMATION BACK TO
THE WORKER ABOUT WHAT IS WHAT
THEY CAN EXPECT. IT GIVES THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WORKER TO
ADVOCATE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO,
ON THEIR OWN. IT ALSO, IF IT
INVOLVES AN EMPLOYER AND WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE
OF THEIR BEING IN COMPLIANCE. WE
DO WORK WITH EMPLOYERS TO LET
THEM KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE A
VIOLATION OF THE LAW, AND GIVE
THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECTIFY
THE SITUATION IN LIEU OF OPENING
A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION.
THAT'S PARTICULARLY SO IF WE
ONLY HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF
WORKERS, IF IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL,
FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT NOT OPEN
UP A FULL INVESTIGATION. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKER'S
MADE WHOLE AND THAT THE EMPLOYER
UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE THEIR
OBLIGATIONS ARE. AND SO WE HAVE
A MEMBER OF OUR ENFORCEMENT TEAM
WHO WILL WORK WITH THAT EMPLOYER
TO HELP THEM GET INTO COMPLIANCE
-- IF I CAN JUST ADD A COUPLE OF
OTHER AVENUES IS WE DO PROVIDE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON ONE END
FOR WORKERS. THEY CAN GO TO OUR
ENFORCEMENT TEAM TO ASK
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS WITHOUT THE
FEAR OF POTENTIALLY THIS TURNING
INTO AN INVESTIGATION. IF THEY
JUST WANT TO GET MORE
INFORMATION AS WELL AS ON THE
OTHER SIDE, THEY CAN. EMPLOYERS
CAN ASK TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
WITH SIMILAR. JUST TO CLARIFY
WHAT THEIR COMPLIANCE ARE
WITHOUT THE FEAR OF THAT. WE
WILL THEN TALK TO OUR
ENFORCEMENT TEAM TO TURN THAT
INTO AN INVESTIGATION. WE WANT
TO TRUST IS IMPORTANT, AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN COME TO
US. AND ALSO, THE BOARD PLAYS A
PIVOTAL ROLE. IT IS INTIMIDATING
TO COME TO A GOVERNMENT OFFICE,
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE MAKING
TREMENDOUS HEADWAY TO BUILD
TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE
STILL ULTIMATELY A GOVERNMENT
AGENCY. AND SO WORKERS DO ATTEND
BOARD MEETINGS TO ASK
INFORMATION OR JUST TO
FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH
BOARD MEMBERS. AND THEY CAN ALSO
TALK TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS
WITH FOR MORE INFORMATION. IF
THEY ARE NOT COMING FROM AN
ORGANIZATION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
IS FUNDED THROUGH US OR JUST
WANTS TO GET TO KNOW THE BOARD A
BIT BETTER.
-- IF I COULD ALSO ADD IN THAT
EARLIER THIS WEEK WE ANNOUNCED
THE THE, THE CONCLUSION OF OUR
RFP PROCESS FOR THE 26 TO 28
BIENNIAL PERIOD FOR OUR
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
FUND CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY
PARTNERS THAT DO WORKER
EDUCATION, AND SEVERAL OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE
FUNDING SPECIFICALLY ARE BEING
FUNDED TO, TO DO OUTREACH TO
WORKERS IN THE DOMESTIC WORKER
INDUSTRY. AND SO MANY OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF THEM ARE
KNOWN WELL IN COMMUNITY, LIKE
CASA LATINA, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE,
ARE DOING WORK RIGHT NOW AND ON
AN ONGOING BASIS. THEY HAVE
STAFF THAT HAVE A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE AND
AWARENESS. AND SO WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE PARTNERS OF
LONG STANDING WHO HAVE KNOWLEDGE
IN THEIR OFFICES THAT CAN BE IN
COMMUNITY TO TALK WITH WORKERS
AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND. AND WE
ALSO HAVE A LONG TERM
ARRANGEMENT WITH HAND IN HAND,
WHICH IS A WELL KNOWN HIRING
ENTITY, ORGANIZATION. AND THEY
WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT
HIRING ENTITIES ARE AWARE OF
THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE
ORDINANCE. AND THAT'S BEEN A
LONG STANDING CONTRACT WITH OUR
DEPARTMENT AND SUPPORTED BY
FUNDING FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.
-- THANK YOU BOTH FOR THOSE
RESPONSES, COLLEAGUES. I'M NOT
SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL HANDS, SO
I'M GOING TO KEEP US ROLLING.
WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION ON THIS
ITEM TODAY. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF
OUR FIRST BRIEFINGS. NOW THAT WE
HAVE SOME DRAFT LANGUAGE IN
FRONT OF US, AN ORDINANCE BEFORE
US. SO I DO WANT TO NOTE BEFORE
WE CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM, I WANT
TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE AGAIN TO
THE OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS,
AS WELL AS THE DOMESTIC WORKER
STANDARDS BOARD FOR THEIR WORK
ON THIS, PARTICULARLY LIANNA.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING
ALONGSIDE YOU AND GREAT
APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO SHAPE THIS
AMENDED ORDINANCE COMING BEFORE
COMMITTEE TODAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. AND WE I JUST WANT
TO SAY WE ALSO HAVE APPRECIATED
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
YOUR TEAM. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK
AND DOING THE STAKEHOLDER RING
AND ALSO SHARING JUST BACKGROUND
INFORMATION ON THIS. SO
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR ASSISTANCE
AND YOUR TEAM'S ASSISTANCE.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- AND WITH KARINA AS WELL.
-- AND A HUGE THANK YOU, OF
COURSE, TO KARINA ON CENTRAL
STAFF FOR HER INCREDIBLE WORK.
THANK YOU ALL. WONDERFUL. WITH
THAT, WE'RE GOING TO WRAP ITEM
ONE, AND I'LL THANK YOU ALL
AGAIN FOR BEING HERE THIS
MORNING. AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
TWO INTO THE RECORD?
-- ITEM TWO FAIR PRICING AND
TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION
-- GREAT. AT THIS POINT, WHILE
WE'RE IN THIS TRANSITION AND
BRINGING OUR PRESENTERS UP TO
THE TABLE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A
COUPLE OF WORDS ON THIS DRAFT
ORDINANCE. SO AFTER MONTHS OF
EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH LABOR
AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH VICE CHAIR
FOSTER AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL, I'M
REALLY EXCITED TO BE GETTING
INTO THE WORK OF DISCUSSING THIS
GROUNDBREAKING LEGISLATION IN
COMMITTEE TODAY. AND AS WAS ALSO
NOTED IN PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER,
LEADING THE NATION AS SOME OF
THE STRONGEST LEGISLATION
RELATED TO SURVEILLANCE PRICING
AT THE RALLY BEFORE COMMITTEE
AND DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE
HEARD JUST HOW TIMELY AND
IMPORTANT THIS POLICY IS.
GROCERIES ARE GETTING MORE
EXPENSIVE EVERY FOR EVERY DAY
SEATTLEITES. WHILE THE BUYING,
SELLING AND LEVERAGING OF OUR
PRIVATE INFORMATION TO
MANIPULATE PRICES IS MAKING BIG
NATIONAL GROCERY CORPORATIONS
MILLIONS IN PROFITS, THIS
LEGISLATION IS INTENDED TO PUT
SOME GUARDRAILS ON WHAT BIG
BUSINESSES CAN DO WITH OUR
PERSONAL INFORMATION. AND AT A
TIME WHEN SNAP REDUCTIONS HAVE
ROCKED OUR COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE
HAVE EVEN LESS TO SPEND ON FOOD,
I BELIEVE THAT IT IS INCUMBENT
UPON THE CITY TO USE EVERY TOOL
IN OUR TOOLBOX AND TAKE THIS
STEP TO PREVENT AI ASSISTED
PRICE GOUGING AND ENSURE
DISCOUNTS ARE FAIR FOR EVERYONE.
AND BEFORE OUR PRESENTERS GET
STARTED, I ALSO WANT TO GET ON
THE RECORD MY DEEPEST
APPRECIATION FOR THE TEAM BEHIND
TODAY. SO A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
SEJAL PARIKH. EDDIE NOSRATI
KARAM LEVITAS, SAGE WILSON,
CHERYL DOUGLAS AND BARBARA
TALKINGTON. THOSE FOLKS HAVE PUT
IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK
DEVELOPING THIS POLICY, AND I
APPRECIATE THE MAYOR FOR MAKING
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION A
PRIORITY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF JASMINE
MARWAHA, AS WELL AS TOMASSO
JOHNSON, WHO AREN'T HERE TODAY.
AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF WITHIN
MY OWN OFFICE AS WELL. TIM
LENNON AND KENNY TRAN, WHO HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS POLICY AND
THE WORK TO GET US HERE TODAY.
AND OF COURSE, EXPRESSING
SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE
PARTNERSHIP AND A CO-SPONSOR ON
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. VICE
CHAIR FOSTER, THANK YOU TO YOU
AND YOUR TEAM. ALL RIGHT. AT
THIS JUNCTURE, I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO OUR PRESENTERS TO GO
INTO IT. SO IF YOU CAN UNMUTE
YOUR MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELF BY STATING YOUR FULL
NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THEN
TAKE IT AWAY.
-- GOOD MORNING. ALMOST
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR HAVING US.
THANK YOU, CHAIR RINCK REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TIME. MY NAME IS
KAREN LEVITAS, SENIOR POLICY
ADVISOR IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND I SEE BOTH OUR PRESENTERS
ARE HERE. SO FANTASTIC. WE HAVE
TWO OUTSIDE EXPERTS WHO ARE
EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD WHO HAVE
DEDICATED YEARS OF THEIR LIFE TO
THIS SUBJECT. SO I'LL JUST PASS
IT TO THEM BRIEFLY TO INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES BEFORE GETTING INTO
OUR MATERIALS I GUESS, LEE, IF
YOU WANT TO GO FIRST, JUST SINCE
YOU'RE FIRST IN THE IN THE
MATERIALS.
-- SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY
NAME IS LEE HEPNER. I'M SENIOR
LEGAL COUNSEL AT THE AMERICAN
ECONOMIC LIBERTIES PROJECT,
WHICH IS A NONPROFIT AND
NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN RESEARCH
AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION THAT
PROMOTES ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE
FACE OF THE ABUSE OF CORPORATE
POWER. AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING
INTO EMERGING PLATFORMS FOR
SEVERAL YEARS
-- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
KATIE WELLS, AND I'M A SENIOR
FELLOW AT THE AI NOW INSTITUTE,
WHICH IS A THINK TANK LOCATED IN
NEW YORK CITY. I AM THRILLED TO
BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
-- ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU BOTH FOR
BEING HERE. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME AND YOUR EXPERTISE.
I'LL PROVIDE JUST A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION TO THIS LEGISLATION
BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO OUR
EXPERTS TO REVIEW SOME OF THEIR
WORK. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY
BECAUSE THIS LEGISLATION IS
FOCUSED ON AS IT'S AS IT'S
NAMED, PROVIDING FAIR AND
TRANSPARENT PRICING FOR GROCERY
GOODS AND WE'VE SEEN SORT OF IN
RECENT YEARS AN EXPLOSION IN THE
TYPE OF DATA THAT'S COLLECTED
ABOUT US AND HOW THAT DATA IS
USED IN PRICING ACROSS ACROSS
THE ECONOMY. SO I THINK WE'VE
ALL HEARD STORIES OR SEEN SOCIAL
MEDIA POSTS ABOUT DIFFERENT
PRICES FOR HOTELS FROM FROM DAY
TO DAY, DIFFERENT PRICES AT THE
SAME TIME, IN THE SAME DAY FOR
DIFFERENT PEOPLE LOGGING IN FROM
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. SAME WITH
AIRFARE AND UBER RIDES. AND
THAT'S CONCERNING ACROSS THE
BOARD. BUT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW,
LARGELY DISCRETIONARY SPEND. AND
IT'S EVEN MORE CONCERNING WHEN
IT COMES TO ESSENTIAL GOODS AND
GROCERY ITEMS. AND SO TODAY,
WHAT WE WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS IS
THAT GROCERS COLLECT AS MUCH AS
2000 DATA POINTS ABOUT
CONSUMERS. THAT INCLUDES
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION,
FINANCIAL DATA LIKE INCOME
LEVELS AND DEBT, AND YOUR
INTERACTIONS WITH WITH BROWSERS
AND SEARCH ENGINES, ET CETERA.
THAT ALLOWS COMPANIES TO
IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL'S PAIN
POINT OR THE MAXIMUM PRICE THAT
A CONSUMER WILL PAY. AND THE
IMPACTS ARE BOTH ON CONSUMERS IN
TERMS OF THE DIFFERENT PRICES
THAT DIFFERENT CONSUMERS RECEIVE
FOR THE SAME GOODS. AND THERE
ARE ALSO IMPACTS ON SMALL AND
INTERMITTENT INDEPENDENT GROCERS
WHO ARE NOT ENGAGING IN THESE
ACTIVITIES. THEY DON'T HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY AND THE
DATA MINING TO DO IT, BUT
THEY'RE IN COMPETITION WITH
LARGER ENTITIES THAT DO SO.
AGAIN, JUST A HIGH LEVEL
OVERVIEW OF OF THE OF THE TOPIC
TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE
INTRODUCTION TO OUR PRESENTERS
LEE LEE HEPNER IS A IS A
CALIFORNIA BASED ANTITRUST
LAWYER AND SENIOR LEGAL COUNSEL
AT AMERICAN ECONOMIC LIBERTIES
PROJECT. HE STARTED HIS CAREER
IN CIVIL LITIGATION REPRESENTING
PLAINTIFFS IN LABOR AND FIRST
AMENDMENT LITIGATION. AND FOR
THE LAST DECADE, HE HAS WORKED
IN AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT ON
POLICIES THAT ADDRESS CORPORATE
POWER AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND
FEDERAL LEVEL. AND DR. KATIE
WELLS IS A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE
AI NOW INSTITUTE'S INSTITUTE.
SHE WRITES ABOUT HOW TECHNOLOGY
AFFECTS THE WAY WE LIVE IN
CITIES AND CONDUCTS QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH PROJECTS ABOUT THE GIG
ECONOMY. IN 2025, DR. WELLS LED
A STUDY ABOUT THE PRICING
EXPERIMENTS OF INSTACART, WHICH
ENGENDERED AN INVESTIGATION BY
THE FTC AND THE NEW YORK
ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND SHE'LL
SHARE A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN
HER PRESENTATION. A QUICK
HIGHLIGHT OF OUR PRESENTATION
TODAY, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING
ALGORITHMIC PRICE DISCRIMINATION
BACKGROUND AND SOME OF THE
POLICY INTERVENTIONS AROUND THE
COUNTRY. DR. WELLS WILL FOCUS ON
HER RESEARCH AND SOME OF THE
DEEPER DIVE INFORMATION ON HOW
THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKS. AND THEN
I'LL BE PRESENTING THE
LEGISLATION THAT THE EXECUTIVE
IS TRANSMITTED. OUR ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS, THE DETAILED POLICY
OVERVIEW AND THEN IMPLEMENTATION
AND ENFORCEMENT. SO WITH THAT
SAID, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
LEE.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK
YOU. CHAIR MERCEDES RINCK AND
VICE CHAIR FOSTER AND MEMBERS
FOR TAKING UP THIS ISSUE THIS
MORNING. I THINK WE CAN PROCEED
TO THE NEXT SLIDE. OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS, I HAVE STUDIED
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
AND SURVEILLANCE PRICING OR THE
TARGETING OF DISCRIMINATORY
PRICES AT INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS.
EVEN NARROW CONSUMER SEGMENTS
BASED ON THEIR PRIVATE PERSONAL
INFORMATION. AND I'VE BEEN PART
OF TEAMS THAT HAVE CRAFTED
LEGISLATIVE RESPONSES TO THIS
PHENOMENON, VARIATIONS OF WHICH
HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN DOZENS
OF JURISDICTIONS AT THE LOCAL,
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, WHICH
WE'LL TALK ABOUT A BIT TODAY,
AS WAS MENTIONED IN THE INTRO,
SURVEILLANCE PRICING IS THE
TARGETING OF DIFFERENT PRICES AT
INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS BASED ON
THEIR PRIVATE PERSONAL
INFORMATION, EVERYTHING FROM
YOUR PRECISE LOCATION TO YOUR
SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL
NETWORKS, YOUR SHOPPING HISTORY,
YOUR MARITAL STATUS, INFERENCES
ABOUT YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND
FINANCIAL STATUS, YOUR ONLINE
BROWSING HABITS, EVEN THE WAY
YOUR CURSOR MOVES ON YOUR
COMPUTER SCREEN. ALL OF THIS
INFORMATION IS BEING USED BY
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE DESIGNED
TO ESTIMATE THE HIGHEST PRICE
ANY GIVEN CONSUMER IS WILLING TO
PAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THEY
ACCOMPLISH WHAT HAS HISTORICALLY
BEEN DESCRIBED AS FIRST DEGREE
PRICE DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF
THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN THAT
INDIVIDUALIZED PRICE
DIFFERENTIATION, OR THAT PRICE
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON VERY
NARROW SEGMENTS. IN AN FTC
REPORT FROM EARLY 2025, YOU SEE
EXAMPLES WHERE PARENTS NEW
PARENTS ARE TARGETED WITH HIGHER
PRICED BABY THERMOMETERS BASED
ON THE TIME OF DAY THAT THEY ARE
PURCHASING THEM. SO IF A NEW
PARENT IS PURCHASING A BABY
THERMOMETER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT, FOR INSTANCE, THE
RETAILER MAY INFER THAT THEY ARE
IN A MOMENT OF ACUTE NEED AND
WILL THEREFORE BE LESS PRICE
SENSITIVE OR WILLING TO PAY A
HIGHER PRICE. SO WHAT ECONOMISTS
HAVE LONG THEORIZED AND
DESCRIBED AS QUOTE UNQUOTE,
WILLINGNESS TO PAY PRICING
DRIFTS REALLY EASILY INTO
ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER NEED OR
DESPERATION. AND SO SOME HAVE
REFERRED TO SURVEILLANCE PRICING
AS PAIN POINT PRICING OR
DESPERATION FINANCE. NEXT SLIDE.
PLEASE. THIS INDIVIDUALIZED FORM
OF ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION IS INHERENTLY
UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE. IT
FUNCTIONS BY VIRTUE OF ERODING
THE NOTION OF A SHARED PRICE OR
PREVAILING MARKET PRICE. THAT'S
THAT'S THE PRICE THAT YOU SEE
ON THE PRICE TAG IN A GROCERY
STORE. BUT TO BE CLEAR, NOT ALL
FORMS OF PRICE DISCRIMINATION
ARE BAD. HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE
OFFERED SENIOR DISCOUNTS,
STUDENT DISCOUNTS, VETERANS
DISCOUNTS. THOSE ARE ALL FORMS
OF PRICE DISCRIMINATION. BUT
UNLIKE THE FIRST DEGREE
DISCRIMINATION OF SURVEILLANCE
PRICING, THESE QUOTE, UNQUOTE
THIRD DEGREE FORMS OF
DISCRIMINATION ARE BASED ON
PUBLICLY ADVERTISED DISCOUNTS
AIMED AT BROAD CONSUMER SEGMENTS
THAT ARE UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD.
COUPONS ARE ANOTHER FORM OF
PRICE DISCRIMINATION, AND I COME
FROM A FAMILY THAT, YOU KNOW,
CLIPPED COUPONS GROWING UP, AND
SOMETIMES THAT MEANT, YOU KNOW,
GETTING A DISCOUNT ON SKIPPY
PEANUT BUTTER WHERE OTHERWISE WE
MIGHT HAVE PURCHASED JIF PEANUT
BUTTER. BUT THOSE AGAIN, THOSE
ARE BROADLY ADVERTISED DISCOUNTS
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL
CONSUMERS WHO ARE WILLING TO
CLIP THAT COUPON TO AVAIL
THEMSELVES OF THAT DISCOUNT OR
TO TRY A NEW PRODUCT THAT MIGHT
BE CHEAPER THAN THE ONE THAT
THEY NORMALLY BUY. SO THE
PROBLEM HERE THAT WE'RE
ENCOUNTERING IS THAT CONSUMER
PROTECTION LAWS EVOLVED DURING
AN ERA WHEN THE CONDUCT WE ARE
OBSERVING TODAY WAS THOUGHT TO
BE IMPOSSIBLE, AND IT REMAINS
UNCLEAR AT BEST, WHETHER
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS CAN BE
BROUGHT TO BEAR TO CONFRONT
SURVEILLANCE PRICING. TO BE
CLEAR, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH
GROCERS AND IN THEIR WRITTEN
STATEMENTS SUBMITTED IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS, AS WAS
ARTICULATED IN THE INTRODUCTION
HERE, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT
GROCERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY DO
NOT ENGAGE IN THESE FORMS OF
SURVEILLANCE PRICING, AND THIS
TARGETED, INDIVIDUALIZED
DISCRIMINATION, AT LEAST NOT AT
THE STORE LEVEL. BUT IN RECENT
YEARS, WE'VE SEEN HOW
INDEPENDENT GROCERS ARE COERCED
INTO PRICE DISCRIMINATION
SCHEMES FACILITATED BY ONLINE
PLATFORMS AND THIRD PARTY
PRICING SERVICES LIKE INSTACART,
WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF A
HEADLINE MAKING EXPOSÉ LAST
YEAR THAT KATIE MAY ADDRESS.
TODAY, INDEPENDENT GROCERS ARE
BECOMING DEPENDENT ON FOOD
DELIVERY PLATFORMS THAT ALSO
INTERFERE WITH THEIR INDEPENDENT
PRICING DECISIONS, OR THE
COMMUNICATION OF FEES AND
DISCOUNTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE
TO OFFER. NOW, LARGE CHAINS ARE
A DIFFERENT STORY. I THINK MOST
PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO
LEARN, FOR INSTANCE, THAT
KROGER, ONE OF THE LARGEST
GROCERY CHAINS IN THE COUNTRY,
MAKES OVER 35% OF ITS ANNUAL
REVENUE FROM ITS DATA BROKER
BUSINESS. SCRAPING AND TRADING
PERSONAL DATA THAT CAN THEN BE
USED TO TARGET CONSUMERS WITH
DISCRIMINATORY PRICES. NEXT
SLIDE. PLEASE. SO LET'S SEE,
WHERE AM I AT HERE? OKAY, SO
TURNING TO THE POLICIES THAT ARE
PENDING IN SEVERAL STATES. AND
NOW BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, I WANT
TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS
NO PROHIBITION IN THIS POLICY ON
DISCOUNTS OR LOYALTY PROGRAMS.
IN PREPARING FOR THIS HEARING, I
SAW VARIOUS STATEMENTS BY TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS THAT THIS POLICY
WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM OFFERING
DISCOUNTS OR LOYALTY PROGRAMS.
AND NOW THAT IS CATEGORICALLY
UNTRUE. I THINK IT IS
APPROPRIATE FOR THIS COUNCIL, AS
SEVERAL POLICY MAKERS HAVE DONE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TO
ARTICULATE THAT THIS LEGISLATION
IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT CONSUMER
BENEFITS. IT WOULD PROTECT
DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS, STUDENTS,
VETERANS AND LOW INCOME
CONSUMERS. IT WOULD PROTECT
COUPONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN
YOU ARE BEING ADVERTISED A
QUOTE, UNQUOTE, GOOD DEAL, THAT
THAT IS IN FACT A GOOD DEAL AND
THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING INDUCED
TO PURCHASE SOMETHING UNDER THE
FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THAT THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT THE
TERM PERSONALIZED DISCOUNTS IS,
IS A, IS A REALLY CLEVER, I
THINK, MISNOMER FOR
INDIVIDUALIZED PRICE
DISCRIMINATION. WHEN EVERY
PERSON IN THE MARKETPLACE IS
OFFERED A DIFFERENT DISCOUNT
BASED ON THEIR WILLINGNESS TO
PAY, WE LOSE THE ENTIRE CONCEPT
OF A PREVAILING PRICE AGAINST
WHICH THAT PURPORTED DISCOUNT
CAN BE COMPARED. SO JUST BY WAY
OF EXAMPLE, IF TEN CONSUMERS ARE
OFFERED TEN DIFFERENT PRICES
BETWEEN 10 AND $20 IS THE ONE
PERSON WHO PAYS $19 RECEIVING A
DISCOUNT BECAUSE IT'S LOWER
THAN $20. NOW, I THINK THAT THAT
PERSON MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO
KNOW THAT EIGHT OTHER CONSUMERS
ARE PAYING A LOWER PRICE FOR THE
SAME GOOD OR SERVICE. AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, THIS LEGISLATION PROTECTS
ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF QUOTE,
UNQUOTE, PRICE DISCRIMINATION,
PRICE DISCRIMINATION,
TECHNICALLY PRICE DISCRIMINATION
THAT HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED AND
WHICH WERE BROADLY ADVERTISED TO
THE PUBLIC. THEY WERE ADVERTISED
PERSISTENT TO TERMS THAT WERE
CLEARLY DISCLOSED, LIKE THOSE
EXAMPLES FOR SENIOR OR STUDENT
OR LOW INCOME DISCOUNTS. AND
THEN THOSE TERMS WERE EQUALLY
APPLIED TO CONSUMERS SO THAT
CONSUMERS COULD BE INFORMED WHEN
THEY ARE MAKING A DECISION
WHETHER TO PURCHASE SOMETHING AT
A DISCOUNTED PRICE. NEXT SLIDE.
PLEASE. AND SO JUST THIS IS A
REITERATION OF EVERYTHING THAT
I'VE BEEN SAYING IN A, IN A
MORE KIND OF CONCISE FORM. BUT
THE THREE PILLARS OF FAIR
PRICING, AS I SEE THEM, ARE
PREDICTABILITY. YOU KNOW, WHAT
THE PRICE OF A THING IS GOING TO
BE. THE PRICE IS RIGHT WAS THE
LONGEST RUNNING GAME SHOW IN
AMERICA FOR A REASON. THAT WAS
BECAUSE THERE WAS A SHARED
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE THAT WE
KNOW WHAT SOMETHING SHOULD COST.
AND WE'VE ORIENTED OUR SOCIETY
AROUND THAT FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE,
THAT PREDICTABILITY IN THE
PRICING TRANSPARENCY, YOU KNOW,
WHY SOMETHING COSTS THE WAY IT
COSTS. YOU KNOW, WHY A DISCOUNT
IS, IS BEING OFFERED. YOU KNOW,
THAT IT IS IN FACT, LOWER THAN
THE, THAN THE PRICE THAT IS
PREVAILING IN THE MARKETPLACE,
THAT A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THE
CONSUMERS PAY AND FAIRNESS. YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS A
FUNDAMENTAL PART OF SURVEILLANCE
PRICING THAT ERODES THE
COMPETITIVE PRESSURE FOR
GROCERIES, FOR GROCERY STORES
AND OTHER RETAIL OUTLETS ACROSS
OUR ECONOMY TO COMPETE FOR
CONSUMER FAVOR BY HOLDING OUT A
PRICE TO ALL CONSUMERS. THAT IS
FAIR AND CONSISTENT AND NOT
BEING USED OR NOT BEING BASED ON
A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE. NEXT
SLIDE. PLEASE. SEVERAL STATES,
AS I HAVE MENTIONED, HAVE BEGUN
BANNING SURVEILLANCE PRICING
THAT USES PERSONAL DATA TO
CHARGE MORE. I WILL NOTE THAT
THIS SLIDE MAKES REFERENCE TO A
BILL IN MARYLAND THAT WE
ACTUALLY ENDED UP OPPOSING
REALLY STRONGLY, BECAUSE WHAT
THAT BILL DID WAS IT CREATED
VERY BROAD, UNDEFINED EXCEPTIONS
FOR THINGS LIKE LOYALTY, LOYALTY
PROGRAMS FOR QUOTE, UNQUOTE,
LOWER PRICES, WHICH CANNOT BE
DISCERNED IN A IN A MARKETPLACE
WHERE EVERY PRICE IS DIFFERENT
FOR PERSONALIZED DISCOUNTS,
WHICH AGAIN, ARE NOTHING
DIFFERENT THAN A DISCRIMINATORY
PRICE SETTING PRACTICE. SO WE
ENDED UP OPPOSING THAT BILL, BUT
NEVERTHELESS, THE THE STATES
HAVE BECOME FACTORIES OF, OF
INNOVATION ON THIS POLICY. AND I
WOULD ACTUALLY POINT TO COLORADO
AS A LEADING EXAMPLE OF A BILL
THAT REALLY GOT THIS RIGHT AND
PROTECTING DISCOUNTS AND
PROTECTING LOYALTY PROGRAMS. AND
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS JUST A
VISUALIZATION. I BELIEVE THIS IS
OUT OF DATE AT THIS POINT, BUT
THIS IS FROM A, A WEBSITE THAT
WE PUT UP CALLED FAIR PRICE
FIGHT BECAUSE MANY OTHER STATES
AND CITIES HAVE SINCE INTRODUCED
POLICIES AIMED AT ADDRESSING
SURVEILLANCE, PRICING FEDERALLY.
I'M AWARE OF AT LEAST THREE
BILLS BY SENATOR GALLEGO,
REPRESENTATIVE KASSAR, AND
REPRESENTATIVE TLAIB THAT ALL
AIM TO ADDRESS SURVEILLANCE
PRICING. SO SEATTLE WHILE AT THE
CUTTING EDGE OF THIS POLICY IS
ALSO IN GOOD COMPANY WITH POLICY
MAKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO
ARE RECOGNIZING THE HARMS OF
PERSONALIZED PRICE
DISCRIMINATION. AND I'LL
CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- GREAT. THANKS, LEE, AND
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS
UNFAIR PRACTICE AND HOW WE, AS
RESEARCHERS, HAVE GONE ABOUT
DOCUMENTING IT. BUT FIRST, I
WANT TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT HOW I
ENDED UP GOING DOWN THIS RABBIT
HOLE OF ALGORITHMIC PRICING
DISCRIMINATION. IT WAS A TUESDAY
EVENING. I WILL TELL YOU.
TUESDAY, MAY 7th OF LAST YEAR,
AND I WAS DOING WHAT MOST
PARENTS DO AFTER THEIR KIDS
FINALLY GO TO BED. I WAS
SHOPPING ONLINE FOR GROCERIES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. KAREN. ONE OF
THE ITEMS I OFTEN BUY ONLINE IS
A SPECIALTY GLUTEN FREE VEGAN
BANANA BREAD MIX. MY SON HAS
ALLERGIES TO EGG AND WHEAT AND
SO THIS MIX IS OFTEN MAGICAL.
THE PRICE, HOWEVER, IS NOT, AND
I OFTEN COMPARE HOW MUCH THIS GO
NANA'S BANANA BREAD MIX COSTS
AT TARGET, SAFEWAY, WHOLE FOODS
ON THIS PARTICULAR TUESDAY
NIGHT. LAST YEAR, I STARTED TO
PLACE AN ORDER FOR THIS ITEM ON
MY COMPUTER, BUT I GOT
DISTRACTED. LIFE HAPPENED AND
THEN I TRIED TO FINISH UP THE
ORDER ON MY PHONE, AND HERE WAS
THE PROBLEM. ON MY COMPUTER, THE
PRICE WAS $8.99. ON MY PHONE, IT
HAD RAISED TO 9.79. THE PRICE ON
MY COMPUTER AT THE SAME MOMENT
WHEN I GOT FRUSTRATED IN
INCOGNITO MODE WAS 7.99. AS
SOMEONE WHO HAD SPENT A DECADE
STUDYING UBER, DOORDASH, AND
INSTACART AND HOW THOSE
COMPANIES USE ALGORITHMIC WAGE
DISCRIMINATION, I SHOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN SURPRISED, BUT I WAS. AND
THUS BEGAN A RESEARCH PROJECT
ABOUT HOW AI POWERED ALGORITHMS
ALLOW COMPANIES TO CHARGE
DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS, DIFFERENT
PRICES FOR THE VERY SAME ITEMS
AT THE VERY SAME TIME. NEXT
SLIDE. PLEASE, WITH A TEAM OF
ALL STAR PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY
DEREK KRAVITZ, ANGEL HAHN, ALAN
SMITH AT CONSUMER REPORTS, AND
ERIC GARDNER AT MORE PERFECT
UNION. I LED AN INVESTIGATION
INTO ALGORITHMIC PRICING ON THE
INSTACART PLATFORM, INCLUDING AT
THE SEATTLE SAFEWAY, THE ONE
THAT I'VE LISTED HERE ON
OTHELLO STREET. WE BROUGHT
TOGETHER MORE THAN 400 SHOPPERS,
MOSTLY ONLINE, TO LOOK AT THE
COST OF 20 ITEMS. WHAT WE FOUND
WAS A GROCERY PLATFORM SATURATED
IN ALGORITHMIC PRICING. NEXT
SLIDE PLEASE. NEARLY 75% OF THE
ITEMS HAD MULTIPLE PRICES. A
PACKAGE OF OSCAR MAYER DELI
TURKEY HAD FIVE DIFFERENT PRICES
ACROSS OUR SHOPPERS. SAME WITH A
BOX OF WHEAT THINS. SOME OF THE
PRICES DIFFERED BY AS MUCH AS
23%. OUR INVESTIGATION BECAME
THE SUBJECT OF AN EMMY NOMINATED
VIDEO BY MORE PERFECT UNION THAT
I HAVE TAKEN A PICTURE OF HERE,
AND THIS VIDEO HAS AMASSED MORE
THAN 10 MILLION VIEWS. IT ALSO
WAS A SUBJECT OF AN AWARD
WINNING STORY BY CONSUMER
REPORTS, AND IT GENERATED
INVESTIGATIONS BY GOVERNMENT
AUTHORITIES. AS KARA MENTIONED.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE OUR FINDINGS
AND THOSE OF A GROWING BODY OF
RESEARCH RESONATE WITH SO MANY
PEOPLE BECAUSE WE STILL, AS A
SOCIETY, HOWEVER FRACTURED,
STILL HOLD DEAR A SET OF VALUES
ABOUT WHAT'S OKAY IN THE
MARKETPLACE ALGORITHMIC PRICING
DISCRIMINATION SETS FIRE TO
THOSE VALUES AND TO THOSE RULES.
IT FEELS TERRIBLE TO SEE OUR
VALUES, OUR IDEAS ABOUT
FAIRNESS, AND OUR COMMITMENTS TO
THE COMMON GOOD GO UP IN FLAMES.
NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE. ONE OF THE
PARTICIPANTS IN OUR INSTACART
STUDY FROM CONSUMER REPORTS PUT
IT THIS WAY, ALEX TULLY SAID,
QUOTE, THEY SAY THERE'S A PRICE
TO BEING DISABLED OR OLD. AND
THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE HERE.
I WORRY THAT ONCE I GET OLDER, I
WON'T BE ABLE TO FULLY
APPRECIATE THE PRICE GAMES THEY
ARE PLAYING. I'LL BE VERY
VULNERABLE AND THEY WILL
BASICALLY BE SCREWING ME OUT OF
MY MONEY. NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE.
RECENTLY I WAS AT MY
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFEWAY STORE
PICKING UP PAPER PLATES FOR, I
THINK IT WAS A BLOCK PARTY.
OKAY, I PULLED OUT MY SAFEWAY
APP TO GET THE COUPONS BECAUSE
THAT'S WHERE COUPONS ARE THESE
DAYS. AND AN OLDER WOMAN WAS IN
THE PAPER GOODS AISLE TWO. AND
SO I WAS NOSY AND I SAID, OH,
WHAT DO YOU GOT? PRICES FOR
PAPER PLATES? AND SURE ENOUGH,
WE LOOKED JUST THIS ONE DAY AND
WE SHOOK OUR HEADS BECAUSE WHAT
WE SAW WERE DIFFERENT PRICES
FROM THE COUPONS, DIFFERENT
COUPONS. AND HERE WE CAN CUE THE
LOYALTY TRAP WORK BY SAM LEVINE
AND STEPHANIE WINN. WE SHOOK OUR
HEADS AT THE UNFAIRNESS. NEXT
SLIDE PLEASE. THIS WEEK, AT A
SENATE HEARING WHERE LEE HEPNER
TESTIFIED, WE HEARD THAT WALMART
HAS PATENTS TO CHECK THE HEART
RATE OF SHOPPERS. AND SOMEONE.
THIS MORNING IN SEATTLE
TESTIFIED THAT THEY HAD HEARD
THAT NEWS. TWO RETAILERS HAVE
INVESTED HEAVILY TO DEVELOP
TECHNOLOGY TO DO ALGORITHMIC
PRICING DISCRIMINATION. THEY'VE
TOLD THEIR INVESTORS IN THEIR
STATEMENTS, THEY'VE GOTTEN THE
PATENTS. THE EVIDENCE IS GROWING
AND CLEAR. IT'S UP TO US,
THOUGH, TO SAY NO TO ALGORITHMIC
PRICING DISCRIMINATION. WE CAN
AND MUST CHOOSE OTHERWISE.
ALGORITHMIC PRICING
DISCRIMINATION IS NOT NOT NOT
NOT THE INGREDIENT OF A DECENT
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU. LEE AND KATIE.
I'LL JUMP IN AND I'M GOING TO
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
POLICY BEFORE WALKING THROUGH IN
A LOT MORE DETAIL EACH OF THE
ELEMENTS. AND OF COURSE, PLEASE
STOP ME AT ANY TIME. SHOULD
SHOULD ANY OF IT ENGENDER AN
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION. SO AT A
HIGH LEVEL, THE POLICY PROPOSAL
THAT THAT WE'VE TRANSMITTED
PROHIBITS PRICE SETTING BASED ON
PERSONAL INFORMATION. SO THAT
INCLUDES INFORMATION LIKE RACE,
GENDER, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, YOUR
ACTIVITY ONLINE, YOUR GOOGLE
SEARCHES AND, AND THINGS LIKE AI
CHATBOT CONVERSATIONS. THE
SECOND THING IT DOES IS WE'VE
BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL TO MAKE
SURE THAT IT PROTECTS COMMON
DISCOUNTS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND
APPRECIATE, LIKE THE DOLLAR OFF
CUCUMBERS OR YOUR SHOPPER'S
CART DISCOUNTS, THOSE SORTS OF
THINGS. SECONDLY, WE'VE BEEN
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE'S NO IMPACTS ON
TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PRACTICES
LIKE STORE BASED PRICING, THE
TYPE OF MARKET ANALYSIS AND
REGIONAL PRICING THAT GROCERS
AND RETAILERS ENGAGE IN THAT
DOES NOT INVOLVE PERSONAL
INFORMATION. IT ALSO IS VERY
INTENTIONAL IN TRYING TO PROTECT
SMALL AND INDEPENDENT GROCERS.
THOSE GROCERS ARE NOT COVERED BY
THIS LEGISLATION. I'LL SAY MORE
ABOUT THAT IN THE COVERAGE
SECTION. BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT
IMPACTED, AND THEY, BY AND
LARGE, DO NOT ENGAGE IN THESE
ACTIVITIES, BUT THEY ARE IN A
COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE WITH
LARGER ENTITIES THAT DO SO. THIS
LAW WILL HAVE A BASELINE SORT OF
COMMON PRACTICE SETTING OF
ACCEPTABLE PRACTICES THAT WILL
ALSO SERVE TO TO EQUAL THAT
PLAYING FIELD AND SUPPORT SMALL
GROCERS. OTHER TWO ELEMENTS THAT
THE LEGISLATION COVERS IS
MANDATORY DISCLOSURES. I'LL
I'LL REVIEW THOSE. AND
ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS. SO
BEFORE JUMPING INTO THE POLICY
DETAILS, I'M GOING TO TALK
THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF OUR
ENGAGEMENT. WE WE HAD A ROBUST
ENGAGEMENT BOTH ON THE COMMUNITY
AND BUSINESS SIDE AND REALLY
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TEAM
HERE REALLY LED THIS EFFORT.
SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY
AS WELL AS ARI NOSRATI AND
SHERYL DE LA. I REALLY WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR GOOD WORK. SO
WE HAD ABOUT SEVEN GROUP
MEETINGS ON THE COMMUNITY SIDE,
MULTIPLE INDIVIDUAL
CONVERSATIONS. YOU CAN SEE SOME
OF THE THE GROUPS WE ENGAGED
WITH ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR
SCREEN. I'M NOT GOING TO REVIEW
THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE POLICY IN
THIS SECTION. I'LL TALK THROUGH
THOSE AS WE GET INTO THE POLICY
DETAILS THEMSELVES. BUT THEY'RE
ON THE SLIDE HERE. JUST FOR
REFERENCE ON THE BUSINESS SIDE,
AGAIN, VERY ROBUST ENGAGEMENT
OVER 35 INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, SIX
LARGE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS,
ENGAGED WITH EVERYONE FROM
INDIVIDUAL GROCERS LIKE SAFEWAY
AND QFC TO WASHINGTON RETAIL
ASSOCIATION, NORTHWEST GROCERS
ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS SORT OF
THE TYPES OF ENTITIES THAT ARE
IN THE DELIVERY SPACE LIKE
AMAZON, INSTACART AND DOORDASH.
ALSO CONSULTED WITH NATIONAL
EXPERTS, INCLUDING THE DOCTOR,
WELLS AND LEE, WHO ARE ON THE
CALL TODAY, AND A NUMBER OF
OTHER ENTITIES WHO HAVE BEEN IN
THIS WORKING IN THIS SPACE FOR
FOR MANY YEARS. SO I'LL JUMP IN
NOW TO THE POLICY PROVISIONS
ITSELF, STARTING WITH WHO IS
COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE AND
WHAT IS COVERED. AND THERE'S
REALLY TWO ELEMENTS TO ANALYZING
COVERAGE IS THE TYPE OF ENTITY
AND THE TYPE OF ITEM. THERE'S
THREE ENTITIES THAT ARE COVERED.
THERE'S A LOT OF TEXT ON THIS
SLIDE. I'LL JUST WALK THROUGH
IT STEP BY STEP. BUT THERE'S
THREE ENTITIES, GROCERY
BUSINESSES, MIXED USE GROCERY
BUSINESSES AND DELIVERY
PROVIDERS THAT ARE COVERED. A
GROCERY BUSINESS IN THE
ORDINANCE IS DEFINED, YOU KNOW,
AND WE'RE JUST TO START WITH AN
EXAMPLE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
YOUR SAFEWAYS, YOUR QFC IS YOUR
TRADITIONAL GROCERS HERE.
THEY'RE DEFINED AS HAVING AT
LEAST 10,000FT , 20 OR MORE
LOCATIONS, AND PRIMARILY
RETAILING GROCERIES. SO UNDER 20
LOCATIONS ARE NOT COVERED BY
THIS ORDINANCE. SO THAT'S YOUR
PCC, YOUR RED APPLES, YOUR
UWAJIMAYA. THEY ARE NOT COVERED
BY THIS ORDINANCE AT ALL. AGAIN,
RECOGNIZING THAT THEY ARE NOT
ENGAGING IN THESE PRACTICES. AND
IN FACT, THIS LEGISLATION IS
DESIGNED TO EVEN THE PLAYING
FIELD FOR THE LARGER ENTITIES
THAT ARE THE SECOND COVERED
ENTITY. SORRY. AND I'LL JUST SAY
FOR THOSE FOR THOSE GROCERY
BUSINESSES, THE TYPES OF ITEMS
THAT ARE COVERED, MEANING THE
TYPES OF ITEMS THAT CANNOT BE
USED, PERSONAL DATA TO PRICE.
IT'S ANY ITEM RETAILED BY A
GROCERY BUSINESS FOR A MIXED USE
GROCERY BUSINESS IS THE SECOND
ENTITY THAT'S COVERED. THESE
ARE YOUR TARGETS. FRED MYERS,
COSTCO'S DEFINED AS AT LEAST
10,000FT DEDICATED TO GROCERY,
BUT NOT ONLY RETAILING,
GROCERIES, GROCERY ITEMS. AND
BECAUSE THEY RETAIL A WHOLE LOT
MORE THAN JUST GROCERIES, WE HAD
TO DEFINE THE ITEM COVERAGE MORE
NARROWLY OR WITH MORE
SPECIFICITY TO INCLUDE GROCERIES
THEMSELVES, DIAPERS, GROOMING
AND HYGIENE PRODUCTS, AND
OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS. SO SORT
OF, IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR
AISLES IN A GROCERY STORE, WE,
WE TOOK THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS AND
DEFINED CREATED A STATUTORY
DEFINITION THAT COVERED THEM FOR
THIS TYPE OF RETAILER THAT
RETAILS OTHER THINGS LIKE
CLOTHES AND TVS, ET CETERA.,
WHICH ARE NOT COVERED BY THE
ORDINANCE LASTLY, WE HAVE
DELIVERY SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THESE ARE YOUR, YOUR AMAZON'S
INSTACART, DOORDASH THAT ARE
DELIVERING GROCERY ITEMS AND
RELATED ITEMS. THEY ARE COVERED
IF THEY HAVE AT LEAST 100
EMPLOYEES AND THEY FACILITATE
DELIVERY OR PICK UP FROM A
GROCERY STORE, A MIXED USE STORE
OR A WAREHOUSE, THE ITEMS THAT
ARE COVERED ARE ANY ITEM THAT IS
DELIVERED FROM A GROCERY STORE
OR PICKED UP FROM A GROCERY
STORE, AS WELL AS THOSE SAME
BUCKET OF ITEMS I MENTIONED
ABOVE. GROCERIES, DIAPERS,
GROOMING AND HYGIENE PRODUCTS,
AND OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS OKAY,
SO THAT'S WHO IS COVERED AND
WHAT IS COVERED. WHAT IS THE
REGULATION ACTUALLY DO? AS I
SAID AT THE TOP, IT BANS
ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION, WHICH IS DEFINED
AS SETTING, ALTERING OR
MANIPULATING THE PRICE OF GOODS
BASED ON MONITORING, TRACKING OR
AUTOMATED ANALYSIS OF A
CONSUMER'S BEHAVIOR, LOCATION,
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS,
BIOMETRIC DATA, OR OTHER
PERSONAL INFORMATION. I'LL SAY
MORE ABOUT THAT TERM ON THE NEXT
SLIDE, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A
PROHIBITION ON USING ELECTRONIC
SHELF LABELS. THIS IS A DIGITAL
DISPLAY OF PRICES WHICH ARE
DEPLOYED CURRENTLY IN SOME
LOCATIONS IN SEATTLE TO DISPLAY
ALGORITHMICALLY MODIFIED PRICES
SO PERSONAL INFORMATION, WHICH
CANNOT BE USED TO MANIPULATE
PRICES, IS DEFINED AS
INFORMATION THAT IDENTIFIES,
RELATES TO, DESCRIBES, OR COULD
REASONABLY BE LINKED WITH
CONSUMER, A HOUSEHOLD OR DEVICE,
INCLUDING THROUGH CONSUMER
PROFILES. SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT,
AND THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE
LIST, BUT JUST TO GIVE FOLKS AN
IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, IT'S PERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS LIKE AGE, RACE,
GENDER, YOUR STATUS AS AN
EMPLOYEE OR YOUR MARITAL STATUS
OR YOUR PARENTAL STATUS, YOUR
ACTIVITY ONLINE LIKE GOOGLE
SEARCHING, GOOGLE SEARCHES OR
SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS, MORE
NUANCED PERSONAL INFORMATION
LIKE NAME, SOCIAL SECURITY
NUMBER AND IP ADDRESS, AND
COMMERCIAL INFORMATION LIKE
PERSONAL PROPERTY PRODUCTS OR
SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE
PURCHASED. SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT
AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT JUST AN
EXAMPLE OF THE TYPES OF
INFORMATION THAT CANNOT BE USED
TO TARGET PERSONALIZED PRICES
WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF WORK
TO ENSURE THAT BUSINESS
PRACTICES THAT MAY APPROACH SOME
OF THIS ACTIVITY, OR MAY BE WERE
CONCERNED. WE HEARD CONCERNS
FROM BUSINESSES ABOUT
POTENTIALLY BEING IMPACTED ARE
SPECIFICALLY PROTECTED. SO
EXAMPLES OF THIS, AND THIS
REALLY IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE
BACK AND FORTH ENGAGEMENT WE HAD
ON BOTH THE BUSINESS AND THE
COMMUNITY SIDE AND CONCERNS THAT
WE HEARD, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THE
POLICY. SO THINGS LIKE STORE BY
STORE PRICING. SO A DIFFERENT
PRICE IN WEST SEATTLE VERSUS
CAPITOL HILL, NOT IMPACTED, NOT
REGULATED BY THIS ORDINANCE.
PRICING BASED ON A DIFFERENT
DELIVERY LOCATION. YOU HEARD A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN PUBLIC
COMMENT. SO IF I'M GETTING AN
ITEM DELIVERED TO ME AND YOU
KNOW, A FRIEND IS GETTING
SOMETHING IN A DIFFERENT
LOCATION, IT'S FINE TO HAVE THE
TOTAL PRICE BE DIFFERENT. YOUR
LOCATION IS PERSONAL INFORMATION
UNDER THIS ORDINANCE, BUT WE
HAVE CARVED OUT THAT TYPE OF
PRICE DIFFERENCE IN THE
LEGISLATION. THINGS LIKE
CUSTOMER RETENTION OFFERS. YOU
MAY BE DISCONTINUING A
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, SOMETHING
OF THAT NATURE. THE RETAILER
WANTS TO OFFER YOU A RETENTION
OFFER OF SOME NATURE THAT WOULD,
UNDER A PLAIN READING, BE
PERSONAL INFORMATION. BUT WE'VE
CARVED THAT OUT BASED ON THAT
BUSINESS FEEDBACK AND THAT
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. AND LASTLY
RETAILERS ARE FREE TO DO SORT OF
MARKET, REGIONAL OR NEIGHBORHOOD
ANALYSIS BASED ON AGGREGATE DATA
TO PRICE THINGS ACCORDING TO
WHAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE
IN THE MARKET OR BASED ON SUPPLY
AND DEMAND THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE
PERSONAL INFORMATION. WE'VE MADE
THAT VERY CLEAR IN THE ORDINANCE
SIMILARLY, WE'VE WORKED REALLY
HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
ORDINANCE PROTECTS COMMON,
EVERYDAY DISCOUNTS THAT WE ALL
ARE FAMILIAR WITH. AND I'LL JUST
SAY THE EXAMPLES ON THIS SLIDE
ARE THINGS THAT I PERSONALLY
BOUGHT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS,
AND DISCOUNTS THAT THAT GOT ME
TO PUT SOMETHING IN MY, IN MY
BASKET. SO EVERYDAY DISCOUNTS
LIKE THE DOLLAR OFF CUCUMBERS OR
THE $4 OFF COFFEE NOT IMPACTED
BY THIS ORDINANCE, PERFECTLY
ACCEPTABLE LOYALTY CLUB
DISCOUNTS ARE ALSO A
PERMISSIBLE. AND IF THEY'RE MADE
AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS, THE
TYPES OF DISCOUNTS THAT LEE
MENTIONED, LIKE GROUP DISCOUNTS
FOR
-- TEACHERS, STUDENTS OR
EMPLOYEES ARE SPECIFICALLY
EXEMPTED IN THIS. IN THIS
ORDINANCE. THERE'S ALSO A CARVE
OUT FOR SIGNING UP FOR A
PROMOTION OR A MAILING LIST OR
BULK PURCHASES. THOSE ARE
PERMITTED THINGS LIKE
MANUFACTURERS COUPONS AND
DISCOUNTS BASED ON PRIOR
PURCHASES, PURCHASE HISTORY
SUBJECT TO DETAILS THAT I'LL
TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THIS KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE
A WHOLE LONG LIST. AND IT AND IT
IS. AND THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF
THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE BACK AND
FORTH. WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE REALLY TARGETING
THIS ORDINANCE TOWARDS THE CORE
PURPOSE OF NOT PROTECTING
PERSONAL DATA IN PRICING
DECISIONS AND NOT IMPACTING
THESE TYPES OF OTHER DISCOUNTS
THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM RETAILERS
ARE IMPORTANT, THAT WE'VE
ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY TO HEAR
THAT IT HAS, THAT THERE ARE NOT
SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT, AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAILORING
POLICY TO SORT OF WHAT IS THE
REALITY IN IN THE MARKET AND,
AND IN AND IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY
CONCERNS? SO THE LAST POINT
ABOUT PRIOR PURCHASE HISTORY,
EXCUSE ME. THESE ARE DISCOUNTS
THAT ARE THAT YOU MAY BE OFFERED
BECAUSE YOU BOUGHT A PRODUCT IN
THE PAST. RETAILERS WANT TO
OFFER YOU SOME SORT OF DISCOUNT
BASED ON THAT. WE'VE HEARD THESE
ARE IMPORTANT TO RETAILERS.
WE'VE HEARD ALSO FROM COMMUNITY
THAT SOME FOLKS ARE HAVE
RECEIVED THESE AND APPRECIATE
THEM. BUT THAT IS PERSONAL
INFORMATION AND PERSONAL
TARGETING. SO WE WANT TO ALLOW
THAT PRACTICE, MAKE SURE IT IS
THERE ARE SOME GUARDRAILS. AND
SO WHAT THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES
IS THAT YOU CAN OFFER A PERSONAL
DISCOUNT BASED ON YOUR PRIOR
PURCHASE HISTORY. IF YOU IT IS
BASED NOT ON INDIVIDUALIZED
PRICING, BUT PLACING CONSUMERS
INTO DEFINED TIERS. AND SO TO
GIVE AN EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY I
PURCHASE DIET COKE LAST WEEK. IF
I'M OFFERED A DISCOUNT BASED ON
THAT LAST WEEK PURCHASE, IT
NEEDS TO BE OFFERED TO EVERYBODY
WHO MEETS THOSE CRITERIA. IF I
HAVEN'T BOUGHT DIET COKE IN IN
TWO MONTHS AND THE RETAILER
WANTS TO GET ME BACK ON THAT
DIET COKE TRAIN, THEY CAN OFFER
ME A DISCOUNT AS LONG AS
EVERYONE WHO'S WHO'S MEETS
THAT PATTERN ALSO RECEIVES THE
SAME DISCOUNT. SO GETTING
GETTING TO THE END HERE,
THERE'S A NUMBER OF DISCLOSURE
REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO IF YOU ARE OFFERING A
DISCOUNT BASED ON A GROUP LIKE
TEACHERS OR VETERANS OR
EMPLOYEES, YOU NEED TO TELL YOU
NEED TO DISCLOSE WHAT ARE THOSE
GROUPS? HOW DO YOU QUALIFY? WHAT
IS THE WHAT IS THE DEFINITION?
IF THERE ARE DISCOUNTS BASED ON,
YOU KNOW, SIGNING UP FOR
PROMOTION OR A MAILING LIST?
AGAIN, THOSE NEED TO BE
DISCLOSED AND THOSE CONSUMER
TIERS I MENTIONED NEED NEED TO
BE DISCLOSED AS WELL. SO SORT OF
WRAPPING UP HERE, JUMPING INTO
ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
ENFORCEMENT IS ENVISIONED TO BE
BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
WHO MAY WHO CAN FILE A LAWSUIT
TO ENFORCE VIOLATIONS, AS WELL
AS A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION TO
MAKE SURE THAT CONSUMERS HAVE AN
ABILITY TO ADVOCATE ON THEIR OWN
BEHALF. THIS IS THE TYPE OF
REGULATION AND VIOLATION THAT
WILL HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
VISIBILITY. AND SO HAVING THAT
KIND OF PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION
AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
IMPLEMENTATION. AND I'LL JUST
NOTE, THERE IS NO AGENCY
ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT
ENVISIONED IN THE LEGISLATION AS
TRANSMITTED FAS WILL HAVE
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY, AND WE'LL
BE DOING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
OUR FISCAL NOTE INCLUDES 175,000
OF ONE TIME FUNDING FOR THAT ONE
TIME FUNDING NEEDS. FOR THAT, NO
ADDITIONAL FEES ARE NEEDED TO
IMPLEMENT THIS ORDINANCE. AND
THEN WE'VE SCOPED A EFFECTIVE
DATE OF SEPTEMBER 1st, 2027 TO
GIVE FAS THE TIME TO DO THAT
RULEMAKING AND TO GIVE REGULATED
ENTITIES A PRETTY LONG RUNWAY,
REALLY A YEAR TO UNDERSTAND THE
ORDINANCE AND TO BUILD THEIR
COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS TO TO
IMPLEMENT IT. AND THAT CONCLUDES
THE PRESENTATION. EAGER TO TAKE
ANY QUESTIONS OR ANSWER ANYTHING
THAT WE CAN
-- THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY. IT WAS A
TREMENDOUSLY THOROUGH AND JUST
PARTICULARLY ILLUMINATING FOR
ME. SO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
COLLEAGUES. I'M JUST GOING TO
JUMP IN AND TAKE US BACK TO
SLIDE 30 VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE I
KNOW FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WE
HAD WITH INDUSTRY, IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE WERE CRYSTAL
CLEAR IN OUR LEGISLATION THAT WE
STATE EXPLICITLY IN THE
DEFINITION OF ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION, THAT THIS BILL
DOES NOT AFFECT DISCOUNTS
APPLIED TO PARTICULAR GROUPS
LIKE SENIORS, STUDENTS AND
VETERANS. AND WE TOOK THAT
FEEDBACK AND BAKED IT INTO THE
LEGISLATION. BUT IT'S SO FUNNY.
I'M GETTING THESE TEXTS THAT I
DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR SAYING THAT
THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO TAKE
THOSE AWAY. SO, KAREN, COULD YOU
CLARIFY WHAT KINDS OF ORDINARY
DISCOUNTS AND PROMOTIONS WOULD
STILL BE ALLOWED UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION?
-- YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY THE
LIST, THE LAUNDRY LIST HERE ON
ON THE ON THE SLIDE. SO THE
STORE BASED DISCOUNTS THAT WE
ALL ENCOUNTER. AND THAT GOT ME
TO BUY THE COFFEE LAST WEEK THAT
YOU SEE IN THE GROCERY STORE NOT
IMPACTED. IF THERE IS A,
DISCOUNT THAT'S ONLY AVAILABLE
THROUGH YOUR SHOPPER'S CART,
PERFECTLY FINE. GROUP DISCOUNTS,
SIGNING UP FOR LISTS AND
MANUFACTURERS COUPONS ARE ALL
PERMISSIBLE. AND EVEN THAT PRIOR
PURCHASE HISTORY DISCOUNTS ARE
ALSO PROTECTED.
-- WOULD THIS LEGISLATION
PREVENT A GROCERY STORE FROM
LOWERING PRICES OR OFFERING
DISCOUNTS TO CUSTOMERS?
-- NO.
-- DOES THIS ORDINANCE REGULATE
THE PRICE A GROCERY STORE CAN
CHARGE, OR DOES IT REGULATE THE
INFORMATION A COMPANY CAN USE TO
DETERMINE THAT PRICE?
-- TO THE SECOND QUESTION, ONLY
IF IT USES PERSONAL INFORMATION.
THEY CAN USE AGGREGATE DATA.
THEY CAN USE SUPPLY AND DEMAND
DATA. YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF
TYPICAL MARKET PRICING THAT
WE'VE SEEN FOR FOR DECADES NOT
IMPACTED. THEY CANNOT USE YOUR
PERSONAL DATA TO SET AN
INDIVIDUAL PRICE. THAT'S,
THAT'S REALLY THE CORE OF WHAT
THE, THE LEGISLATION DOES.
-- AND WOULD RETAILERS STILL BE
ALLOWED TO CHANGE PRICES BASED
ON ORDINARY BUSINESS FACTORS,
SUCH AS WHOLESALE COSTS,
INVENTORY SEASONALITY, OR STORE
WIDE PROMOTIONS?
-- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND IT
DOESN'T AFFECT SORT OF SORT OF
POINT IN TIME PRICING. THEY CAN
DISCOUNT A PRODUCT AT THE END OF
THE DAY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE
BREAD'S GOING STALE. THAT'S NOT
IMPACTED. AGAIN, NOT JUST IT
DOESN'T INVOLVE PERSONAL
INFORMATION. SO IT'S NOT OUTSIDE
OF SCOPE OF THE REGULATION.
-- AND WOULD A RETAILER STILL BE
ABLE TO OFFER THE SAME LOYALTY
DISCOUNT TO EVERYONE WHO MEETS
THE SAME CLEARLY DISCLOSED
CRITERIA?
-- YES
-- AND IF A RETAILER USES
INFORMATION ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL
CUSTOMER TO DECIDE THAT ONE
PERSON RECEIVES A $1 DISCOUNT
WHILE ANOTHER PERSON RECEIVES NO
DISCOUNT ON THE SAME ITEM, IS
THAT FUNCTIONALLY A FORM OF
INDIVIDUALIZED PRICING? EVEN IF
THE COMPANY CALLS IT A DISCOUNT?
-- YES.
-- GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. AND COLLEAGUES, I'D
LIKE TO OPEN IT UP NOW TO YOU
FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE
ABOUT THE DRAFT LEGISLATION. I
SEE A HAND FROM COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
-- THANK YOU, CHAIR. THE TIME IS
NOW TO PROTECT GROCERY
AFFORDABILITY FOR SEATTLE
CONSUMERS. THIS LEGISLATION IS
ESSENTIAL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS
FROM ALGORITHMIC PRICE GOUGING
AND DISCRIMINATORY SEVERITY.
SURVEILLANCE, PRICING FOR
CLARITY AS KIND OF REVEALED IN
THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND BY
THE SPECIFIC EXPRESS TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF THE LEGISLATION
ITSELF, THIS BILL WOULD NOT BAN
DISCOUNTS OR LOYALTY PROGRAMS IN
SEATTLE, BUT IT WOULD SHUT DOWN
PREDATORY PRACTICES AND
POTENTIALLY ANTI-COMPETITIVE
BEHAVIORS IN ALGORITHMS.
IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD ALSO
PROMOTE FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY
AND AFFORDABILITY BY BARRING
LARGE RETAILERS FROM USING
PERSONAL DATA TO INFLATE PRICES.
THIS MEASURE ENSURES A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD SO THAT EVERYDAY
SEATTLEITES ARE NOT PENALIZED
FOR THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS OR
BROWSING HABITS. IT'S WELL
KNOWN THAT I REPRESENT A COUNCIL
DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE. WHERE
THERE ARE MANY FOOD DESERTS,
SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS, AND D1
LIKE SOUTH PARK, GEORGETOWN, AND
THE DUWAMISH VALLEY. AND THEN
INDEED IN WEST SEATTLE AS WELL.
AREAS LIKE DELRIDGE, PIGEON
POINT, PUGET RIDGE, WELL KNOWN
ESTABLISHED FOOD DESERTS. SO
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY
CONSTITUENTS AND MY NEIGHBORS.
AS A DELRIDGE RESIDENT BEING
CHARGED MORE BY LARGE
CORPORATIONS WHO RECOGNIZE THAT
WE HAVE FEWER OPTIONS NOW,
WHETHER THAT THOSE INCREASED
PRICES ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF
INTENTIONAL ACTIONS OR MORE
LIKELY THAN NOT, BY UNREGULATED
ALGORITHMS RUNNING AMOK. NOW, I
HAVE CAREFULLY REVIEWED THIS
LEGISLATION. I BELIEVE THIS
LEGISLATION IS DIRECTIONALLY
CORRECT AT THE PRINCIPAL LEVEL.
AND AT THE PROVISION LEVEL. I
BELIEVE THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT
WE NEED RIGHT NOW, GIVEN THE
MOUNTING CONCERNS AROUND PRICING
DISCRIMINATION AND
AFFORDABILITY. NOW IS THE
SPECIFIC LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN
THE BILL PERFECT? I DON'T KNOW
REMAINS TO BE SEEN AS WE GO
THROUGH OUR COUNCIL REVIEW
CONSIDERATION AND DELIBERATION
PROCESS. BUT THE ELEMENTS ARE
THERE. THE PRINCIPLES ARE THERE,
THE PROVISIONS ARE THERE. AND
FOR THOSE REASONS, CHAIR RINCK,
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION AND WOULD LIKE TO BE
LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
-- THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. AYE. HAPPILY ACCEPT THAT
CO-SPONSORSHIP, AND WE'LL MAKE
SURE IT'S ADDED IN THE
LEGISLATION AS TRANSMITTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
ON THIS AND BELIEF IN THIS
EFFORT. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR
PANEL TODAY? VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
-- EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
CHAIR RINCK. I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND I'M
SO PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THIS WITH
YOU. I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO THE MAYOR AND TO
HER STAFF. AND KAREN, YOU'VE
BEEN IN FRONT OF US A FEW TIMES
ON POLICY. SO TO YOU ESPECIALLY,
I'M SURE IT'S BEEN VERY LONG
DAYS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS
FOR YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST START WITH
ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT, AND THEN I WILL
HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. BUT YOU
KNOW, FOR ME, WHEN I GO TO BUY
AN AIRLINE, AN AIRPLANE TICKET,
I USUALLY LEAVE MY HOUSE. I GO
TO THE LIBRARY OR I TURN ON.
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW. OR I TURN
ON A PRIVATE BROWSER. AND
THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, MAYBE I SHOULD GET A VPN,
BUT I'M NOT SAVVY ENOUGH TO DO
THAT. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN
I'M BUYING AN AIRPLANE TICKET,
RIGHT. AND I DON'T HAVE TO BUY
AN AIRPLANE TICKET. BUT I KNOW
THAT PRICE DISCRIMINATION
EXISTS, BUT PEOPLE DO HAVE TO
BUY GROCERIES. AND SO I THINK
THIS LEGISLATION IS A REALLY
SMART WAY FOR US TO HELP ENSURE
THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR
RESIDENTS AND THAT WE'RE
BRINGING FORWARD THOUGHTFUL
CONSUMER PROTECTIONS SO THAT
PEOPLE DON'T EXPERIENCE THE
KIND OF PRICE DISCRIMINATION
THAT WE HEARD ABOUT TODAY. I
MEAN, HEARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
20 TO 70% DIFFERENCES AND OR,
EXCUSE ME, 75% OF PRODUCTS
HAVING DIFFERENT PRICES AND A
POSSIBLE MORE THAN 20% PRICE
RANGE DIFFERENCE FOR THE EXACT
SAME ITEM ON THE SAME POINT IN
TIME FOR CUSTOMERS IS CERTAINLY,
I THINK, JUST SHOCKING
INFORMATION FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT
OR STANDING IN THE GROCERY STORE
AND STANDING NEXT TO SOMEONE AND
LOOKING AT THE SAME ITEM AND A
COUPON AND SEEING DIFFERENT
PRICES TARGETED BASED ON THE
INFORMATION THAT THAT COMPANIES
HAVE ABOUT US. SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION
TODAY. THE QUESTION THAT I WANT
TO ASK, I JUST WANT TO HEAR A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
STRATEGY FOR PROTECTING SMALL
GROCERS AND FOR PROTECTING STORE
BASED PRICING. CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE?
-- YEAH. THE FIRST ONE IS, IS
VERY CLEARLY DELINEATED IN THE
ORDINANCE. IT JUST DOESN'T IT
DOES NOT COVER RETAILERS THAT
HAVE 20 OR I SHOULD SAY 19 OR
FEWER LOCATIONS. 20 OR MORE ARE
COVERED. SO AND YOU KNOW, IF
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE INTERESTED,
WE CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE
DETAILED SKETCH OF EXACTLY WHO
THOSE RETAILERS ARE. BUT, YOU
KNOW, THE, THE DATA THAT WE'VE
LOOKED AT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
PCC, WHICH HAS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD OF 15 TO 17
LOCATIONS WITH ABOUT FOUR RED
APPLE AND GROCERY OUTLET,
THAT'S SORT OF THE TOP OF THE
LIST. YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S
PROBABLY A SEVERAL OTHER SMALLER
ONES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, 1 OR 2
LOCATIONS THAT WE CAN ALSO
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALL ABOUT
ALSO DOES NOT COVER SORT OF
SMALL MARKETS UNDER 10,000FT .
OR, OR CONVENIENCE STORES. SO,
SO I THINK THAT'S THE, YOU
KNOW, THAT'S THE FIRST
QUESTION. IF YOU COULD JUST
REPEAT THE SECOND.
-- OH, THE STORE BASED PRICING
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY FOR A
STORE TO OFFER A DISCOUNT FOR
PARTICULAR LOCATION.
-- THANK YOU. YEAH. AT THE, AT
THE OUTSET, I'LL JUST SAY THAT
DOESN'T INVOLVE PERSONAL
INFORMATION AT ALL. SO ACTUALLY,
IT WAS A BIT OF AN INTERESTING
PROCESS AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS
DEVELOPMENT. IT'S NOT CAPTURED
IN THE DEFINITION OF ALGORITHMIC
PRICE DISCRIMINATION PERIOD. WE
DID HEAR CONCERN FROM RETAILERS
THAT IT COULD BE CONSTRUED IN
THAT WAY. SO WE, WE, WE, WE PUT
INTO THE LANGUAGE A SPECIFIC
CARVE OUT THAT MAKE THAT CLEAR
THAT LOCATION BY LOCATION.
PRICING IS NOT IMPACTED BY THE
LEGISLATION. SO THAT'S SORT OF
REFLECTIVE OF THAT STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS AND THAT DIALOG WITH
RETAILERS WANTING TO MAKE SURE
WE HAD IT, YOU KNOW, BUTTONED
UP. SO FOLKS WERE 100%
COMFORTABLE THAT THOSE TYPES OF
PRACTICES OF ANALYZING EITHER
WHAT THEY THINK THE A PARTICULAR
REGION OR MARKET CAN BEAR BASED
ON AGGREGATE DATA IS TOTALLY
FINE. OR IF THERE'S SIMPLY
DIFFERENT SUPPLY AND DEMAND
CONCERNS BY, FOR PROVIDING A
PRODUCT AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
IN THE CITY.
-- THANK YOU. THAT'S REALLY
HELPFUL. AND CHAIR, JUST ONE
FINAL QUESTION FOR ME. YOU KNOW,
ONE THING I'VE NOTICED, JUST AS
A AS A MOM WHO BUYS STUFF IN THE
CITY IS INCREASINGLY GOING INTO
GROCERY STORES AND SEEING THE
ELECTRONIC SHELF LABELS. THEY
KIND OF JUST STICK OUT WHEN YOU
SEE THEM. AND WHEN I THE FIRST
TIME I SAW THEM, I WAS LIKE,
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE? AND, AND, YOU
KNOW, CERTAINLY I THINK THERE'S
QUESTIONS THAT THEY RAISE. BUT
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS
LEGISLATION DOES NOT BAN THOSE
SHELF LABELS. THOSE STORES WILL
STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO
THOSE. IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE
BANNING THE USE OF THOSE LABELS
FOR ALGORITHMIC PRICING. IS THAT
CORRECT?
-- THAT'S CORRECT. WE KNOW THAT
AGAIN, REFLECTIVE OF THE
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. WE WE WE HAD
WE KNOW THAT SOME RETAILERS HAVE
ALREADY INVESTED IN THIS
TECHNOLOGY AND THEY'RE ROLLING
IT OUT. THIS LEGISLATION ISN'T
ABOUT INTERRUPTING THOSE
INVESTMENTS AND THAT THAT
TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY MAY THINK
IS APPROPRIATE. IT'S REALLY
FOCUSED ON ALGORITHMIC PRICE
DISCRIMINATION, USE OF PERSONAL
DATA. SO THE REGULATION OF
ELECTRONIC SHELF LABELS IS, IS
VERY CLEARLY TAILORED ONLY TO
DISPLAYING PRICES THAT ARE
ALGORITHMICALLY MODIFIED BASED
ON PERSONAL DATA.
-- THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK
YOU. CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. FOSTER
COLLEAGUES, IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME, I AM GOING TO KEEP US
MOVING ALONG FOR TODAY'S AGENDA,
BUT I WANT TO LEAD US INTO SOME
STEPS ON PROCESS AND TIMELINE.
THE DRAFT WILL BE ON THE IRC
NEXT WEEK, AT WHICH POINT
CENTRAL STAFF WILL FINISH THEIR
WORK ON THEIR BILL MEMO. I
BELIEVE THAT WE CAN EXPECT THAT
BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SO HUGE.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO JASMINE AND
TOMASO. AMENDMENT CONCEPTS WILL
BE DUE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE
RELEASE OF THE CENTRAL STAFF
MEMO. CENTRAL STAFF WILL INCLUDE
SPECIFIC DUE DATES WITH THEIR
MEMO EMAIL AND AT THE AUGUST
21st MEETING OF THIS COMMITTEE,
WE WILL BE BRIEFED BY CENTRAL
STAFF ON POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
OF THIS BILL AND, IMPORTANTLY,
ANY COUNCILMEMBERS WITH
AMENDMENT CONCEPTS WILL BE ASKED
TO SPEAK TO THEM THEMSELVES IN
THIS COMMITTEE. SO AGAIN,
THAT'S HAPPENING ON AUGUST 21st
IN OUR FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING
FOLLOWING COUNCIL RECESS, WE
WILL VOTE ON AMENDMENTS ON THE
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION. MY TEAM
AND CENTRAL STAFFERS ARE
AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT
FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
BUT WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK
OUR PRESENTERS AGAIN FOR COMING
TODAY, PARTICULARLY OUR FOLKS,
OUR NATIONAL EXPERTS, FOR COMING
ONLINE AND SHARING A BIT ABOUT
YOUR RESEARCH AND YOUR
EXPERTISE. IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY
VALUABLE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP ON THIS. AND THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR WALKING US THROUGH
THE BILL AND FOR ALL OF YOUR
HARD WORK BRINGING US HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
-- [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
-- PAUL. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL
NOW MOVE TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL
ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM THREE INTO THE
RECORD?
-- ITEM THREE KING, KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
CASEY R H CONTRACTS TRANSITION
PLAN BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
-- ALL RIGHT. AS OUR PRESENTERS
ARE SETTLING IN AT THE TABLE, I
AM GOING TO SAY TO THE TOP
COLLEAGUES, WE ARE GOING TO END
AT NOON TODAY. I KNOW FOLKS HAVE
A HARD STOP, BUT GIVEN THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC, I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AT
LEAST GOT THE PRESENTATION READ
INTO THE RECORD WITH AN
EXPECTATION THAT FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS CAN COME UP, AND WE
KNOW THE CONVERSATION RELATED TO
KCRA WILL BE CONTINUING AS WE
NAVIGATE THE TRANSITION. SO HUGE
APOLOGIES TO OUR FRIENDS AT HSD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AND
WITH THAT, WHEN YOU ARE READY, I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
-- GREAT. GOOD MORNING. FOR THE
RECORD, MARK ELLENBROOK, I'M THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR CITY
GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN SERVICES IN
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. I'LL HAVE
THE OTHER FOLKS INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES, AND THEN WE WILL GET
STARTED.
-- GOOD MORNING. TANYA KIM,
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
-- CHRIS GLEASON, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR, HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT.
-- GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY THANK
YOU. COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, FOR
THE INTRODUCTION. WE ARE HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
AND THE SET OF STEPS THAT WE ARE
GOING THROUGH SPECIFICALLY TODAY
RELATED TO THE CONTRACT
TRANSITIONS PLAN. SO WE WILL
WALK THROUGH THOSE STEPS AND
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WE
GO THROUGH IT. SO WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT GUIDING PRINCIPLES
AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE
HAVE CONSIDERED. I THINK US
TOGETHER WITH KING COUNTY AND
OTHER PARTNERS, STABILIZING AND
RIGHTSIZING THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
OUR CONTRACT TRANSITION PLAN,
HSD STAFFING, AND THEN WE WILL
ANSWER QUESTIONS. SO ONE OF THE
THINGS, JUST BY WAY OF
BACKGROUND, FOLKS KNOW THAT
THERE WAS A FORENSIC EVALUATION,
THE KING COUNTY REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY, BACK IN
THE LATE WINTER, EARLY SPRING
THAT IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF
CONCERNS ABOUT FINANCIAL
PRACTICES AND OTHER PRACTICES.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE BEEN
HAVING A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION,
A REGIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, AND WHAT ARE THE
APPROPRIATE STEPS TO HELP. I
THINK RIGHT SIZE AND SUPPORT THE
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
AT THE SAME TIME, BY DOING RIGHT
BY THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING
HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
SAFEGUARDING OUR FUNDS. AND SO
PART OF THAT PROCESS HAS BEEN
THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE DELIVERY
OF A REPORT TO COUNCIL, WHICH WE
WILL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION ON
THAT TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE
STEPS THAT WE ARE DOING TO WORK
WITH THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS THE
TRANSITION OF CONTRACTS BACK TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND ALSO TO
KING COUNTY. IN DOING THAT, WE
CONSIDERED A NUMBER OF GUIDING
PRINCIPLES TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT SET OF PROCESSES, IN FACT,
WAS TRUE TO OUR REGIONAL VALUES.
WE CAN REMAIN COMMITTED TO
PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY SHELTER
SERVICES AND HOUSING TO THE
FOLKS WHO ARE THE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
OUR LIVING HOMELESS, BOTH IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND THROUGHOUT
OUR REGION. CONTINUING TO WORK
TO CREATE CLEAR PATHWAYS FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO EXIT
HOMELESSNESS, TO SHELTER AND
SERVICES, AND TO LONG TERM
HOUSING. THAT HAS BEEN A LONG
TERM GOAL OF THIS REGION. AND
THIS REGION HAS ACTUALLY
DEVELOPED SOME OF THE LEADING
AND MOST EFFECTIVE PATHWAYS FOR
FOLKS EXITING HOMELESSNESS. AND
THEN I THINK, CONTINUING TO
STRESS THAT HOMELESSNESS IS A
REGIONAL ISSUE. AT THE END OF
THE DAY, FOLKS, JUST LIKE ALL OF
US, ARE FREE TO MOVE THROUGHOUT
OUR REGION FOR OPPORTUNITY. AND
THAT IS ALSO TRUE AMONG THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY,
LIVING HOMELESS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. SO IT TAKES A
RESPONSE FROM ALL THE FOLKS
THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY TO BE
EFFECTIVE IN THAT SPACE. KEY
CONSIDERATIONS. AS WE THOUGHT
ABOUT NEXT STEPS WITH THE
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
FIRST AND FOREMOST, PROTECTING
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OUR REGION.
JUST AS AN ASIDE, FOLKS MAY OR
MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THERE HAD
BEEN CHALLENGE TO THE HUD'S
CONTINUUM OF CARE NOFO FOR THIS
YEAR, IT WAS CHALLENGED BY
WASHINGTON STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND OTHERS, AND WE HEARD
TODAY THAT, IN FACT, THAT
CHALLENGE WAS UPHELD. SO THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE NOFO THAT HUD
ISSUED THAT REALLY CHANGED THE
PRIORITIES FOR HOMELESSNESS
RESPONSE, MOVING AWAY FROM
PROVEN STRATEGIES LIKE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO THINGS
LIKE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING WITH
REQUIREMENTS THAT NOFO HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN STRUCK DOWN. AND
HUD WILL NEED TO CONSIDER OR
RECONSIDER HOW THEY MOVE FORWARD
SO THAT, FRANKLY, FOR HOW WE
RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS IN THIS
COMMUNITY IS A POSITIVE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO STRESS
MINIMIZING SERVICE DISRUPTION
FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR CLIENTS,
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO END
THEIR OWN HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO
FOR OUR PROVIDERS THAT WE WORK
WITH EVERY DAY. AND THEN, AS I
HAD MENTIONED, REALLY
MAINTAINING A REGIONAL APPROACH
TO HOMELESSNESS. SO WHAT WHERE
WE ARE KIND OF HAVE BEEN AND
WHERE WE ARE GOING, FOLKS MAY
REMEMBER EARLY IN JULY, MAYOR
WILSON AND EXECUTIVE ZALI
ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO STABILIZE
AND RIGHTSIZE THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY.
THIS FOLLOWED UP THE FORENSIC
EVALUATION THAT I ALREADY
DISCUSSED. THIS REALLY IS AN
EFFORT TO GET THE REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY TO FOCUS
ON ITS CORE MISSION, AND I'LL
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT IN A SECOND. WHILE
STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE CONTRACTS AND THE FUNDING.
AND BOTH I AND THE FOLKS FROM
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT. A KEY COMPONENT OF THAT IS
RETURNING CITY FUNDS AND COUNTY
FUNDS. THESE ARE LOCAL DOLLARS,
NOT THE FEDERAL CONTINUUM OF
CARE FUNDS TO OUR RESPECTIVE
GOVERNMENTS STARTING IN 2027.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO
MORE DETAIL AROUND THAT
TRANSITION PLAN IN A MINUTE. SO
THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE HERE
REALLY IS TO STABILIZE THE
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY
AND MITIGATE OUR RISKS. THAT
FOCUSES ON FOUR MAIN AREAS. I'VE
MENTIONED ALREADY THE IMPORTANCE
OF MAINTAINING SERVICES. WE HEAR
THAT NOT ONLY FOR THE FOLKS WHO
ARE LIVING HOMELESS, BUT ALSO
FOR OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE
NEED TO HAVE SHELTER, PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, OUTREACH
SERVICES CONTINUE TO BE
AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS AND HAVE NO
BREAK IN. SERVICE PROVIDERS
CERTAINLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO
RECEIVE THEIR PAYMENTS AND
STABILITY HERE REMAINS A
PRIORITY. SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
HEARD FROM ADVOCATES, FROM
PROVIDERS, FROM FOLKS
REPRESENTING THE HOMELESS
THEMSELVES. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON
STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL
OVERSIGHT. WE HAVE WORKED TO
PLACE AN INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL
ENTITY WITH THE KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY,
DESIGNED TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF
THE SHORTFALLS THAT THE FORENSIC
ANALYSIS BROUGHT TO THE FORE.
AND THAT WORK IS ONGOING. WE
LOOKED AT CONTINUE TO LOOK AT
THINGS LIKE MONTHLY REPORT
REPORTING AND INTERNAL CONTROLS.
THESE ARE A COUPLE OF THE THINGS
I WON'T GO THROUGH. EACH
COMPONENT HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW
WE ARE ALSO A LITTLE BIT SHORT
ON TIME, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO
ADDRESS THE AUDIT FINDINGS WITH
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND THEN
BECAUSE THE FEDERAL FUNDING IS
SO KEY TO OUR REGION, WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STRESSING
COMPLIANCE AND BEING PROACTIVE
IN HOW WE LOOK AND ADMINISTER AT
AND ADMINISTER THOSE FEDERAL
FUNDS. LAST SLIDE THAT I WILL
TALK TO, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO FOLKS FROM THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS JUST TO
HIGHLIGHT SORT OF WHERE THE
DIVISION OF LABOR WILL BE WITH K
C, R, H A, AND WITH THE CITY AND
THE COUNTY. I MENTIONED THAT WE
REALLY WANT TO STRESS CENTERING
THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, AS THE NAME IMPLIES
ON ITS REGIONAL FUNCTIONS. THESE
ARE OUTLINED HERE ON THIS SLIDE,
INCLUDING THE CONTINUUM OF CARE
LEAD APPLICANT, AS WELL AS
SERVING AS THE ADMINISTER OF
SOME SPECIFIC CONTINUUM OF CARE
CONTRACTS. THE HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
COORDINATED ENTRY POINT IN TIME
COUNT AND THE SEVERE WEATHER
RESPONSE. THESE ARE REMAIN
CENTRAL FUNCTIONS. WHETHER YOU
ARE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
YOU'RE IN AUBURN, YOU'RE IN
KIRKLAND. THESE ARE FUNCTIONS
THAT ARE SHARED ACROSS THE
REGION. THE CITY AND THE COUNTY
WILL STEP UP AND LOOK AT AND
TAKE BACK OUR NON CONTINUUM OF
CARE CONTRACTS AND CONTINUE TO
ALSO ASSIST WITH FISCAL
OVERSIGHT, WITH THE REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY AND
CONTRACT MONITORING, AND MAKE
SURE THAT OUR PAYMENTS AND OUR
PROCUREMENTS FOLLOW ALONG OUR
GUIDELINES AND ARE EFFICIENT TO
SUPPORT THE PROVIDERS. ONE THING
THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HERE
BRIEFLY THAT IS NOT ON THIS
SLIDE, BUT I KNOW IS IMPORTANT
TO COUNCILMEMBERS AND IMPORTANT
TO US IS THE OMBUDS FUNCTION.
THE KCRHA HAS THAT IS, WE AGREE,
I THINK WITH COUNCILMEMBERS AND
WITH THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY, THAT IS A KEY AND
IMPORTANT FUNCTION THAT RESTS
WITH THE REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY. AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING
THAT AS WE DETERMINE HOW THAT
FUNCTION CONTINUES TO BE PRESENT
AND WORKING FOR FOLKS WHO ARE
LIVING HOMELESS SO THAT THEY
CAN, IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS
AROUND THE WAY THAT SERVICES ARE
BEING DELIVERED, THAT THERE IS A
PLACE THAT THEY CAN GO AND HAVE
THOSE CONCERNS RAISED AND THEN
PROVIDED TO EITHER REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY OR,
FRANKLY, TO THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY AS WE TAKE OVER
ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONTRACTS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER, I THINK, TO CHRIS
CLAYSON TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICS
AROUND THE CONTRACT TRANSITION
PLAN.
-- THANKS, MARK. I KNOW WE HAVE
A FEW MINUTES, SO I'M GOING TO
TRY TO RUN QUICKLY THROUGH THIS.
BUT IN JANUARY 2027, WE WILL BE
TAKING BACK UP TO 117
HOMELESSNESS SERVICE CONTRACTS
WITH A TOTAL BUDGET THERE OF 113
MILLION ACROSS 40 PROVIDERS. SO
THIS SLIDE WILL JUST SHOW THE
SCOPE OF SERVICES THAT ARE
INCLUDED WITHIN THAT. I DO WANT
TO NOTE WE WILL WE WILL BE
TAKING BACK THE SEVERE WEATHER
CONTRACTS AS WELL. BUT BUILDING
IN A REQUIREMENT IN THOSE
CONTRACTS TO COLLABORATE AND
FOLLOW KCJ SEVERE WEATHER
COORDINATION EFFORTS, BUILDING
ON OUR CURRENT PARTNERSHIP WITH
THEM IN TIER THREE ACTIVATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE. HERE'S OUR GENERAL
TIMELINE FOR TAKING CONTRACTS
BACK. WE WANT TO START WITH LAST
MONTH, HSD AND DHS HAVE BEEN
PARTNERING TO HOLD PROVIDER
MEETINGS. WE HAD OUR FIRST ONE
ON JULY 1st TO ANNOUNCE THE
TRANSITION PLAN. AND AS MARK
MENTIONED, WE HAVE EMBEDDED THE
FINANCIAL FIRM AT KCJ THIS
MONTH. OBVIOUSLY, THE CONTRACT
TRANSITION PLANS HAVE BEEN
TRANSMITTED TO THE RESPECTIVE
COUNCILS, AND HSD IS TAKING SOME
NEXT STEPS AS WELL. OVER THE
COMING WEEKS, WE WILL BE SENDING
OVER A WELCOME PACKET TO
PROVIDERS COMING BACK, SHARING
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR
DEPARTMENT, THE CONTRACT PROCESS
AND OUR EXPECTED TIMELINES. AND
THEN THERE'S 15 OF THE 40
PROVIDERS NEED TO EXECUTE A
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITION
AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS TO HAPPEN
BEFORE WE GET INTO THOSE 27
CONTRACTS. SO WE'RE GOING TO
WRAP THAT UP BY THE END OF THIS
SUMMER. THROUGHOUT THE FALL, I
MENTIONED OUR HSD DHS MEETING.
WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ANOTHER ONE
ON SEPTEMBER 9th AND ONGOING.
FROM THERE. I'LL SHARE MORE
SOON. WE ARE ALSO IN SEPTEMBER
GOING TO BE SENDING OUT
PRELIMINARY AWARD LETTERS AND
SENDING OUT PACKETS TO COMPLETE
INITIAL INFORMATION THAT
AGENCIES CAN SEND TO US FOR THE
CONTRACT PROCESS, AND THEN WE'LL
STAFF UP. JANUARY 1st, 2027.
WE'LL TAKE THOSE CONTRACTS
BACK.
-- [LAUGHTER]
-- NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HSD
STAFFING. WE'RE GOING TO
INCREASE OUR STAFFING BY 23
POSITIONS. ONGOING ANNUAL COST
OF ABOUT 3.9 MILLION. THIS WILL
BE A STAGGERED HIRING PROCESS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO START IN
SEPTEMBER, FOCUSING IN ON
CONTRACT POSITIONS. BELOW ARE
SOME OF THE SCOPES THAT THESE
POSITIONS WILL COVER IN THE NEXT
SLIDE HAS THE FULL DETAIL ON
WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE AND
THAT'S THAT SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE.
PLEASE.
-- THEN ONE MOMENT. I JUST WANT
TO PAUSE HERE BECAUSE I JUST
WANT TO DO A QUICK TIME CHECK.
COLLEAGUES CAN WE I'M AIMING TO
GET US DONE. AND I'M RECOGNIZING
WE'RE WE'RE JUST TOWARDS THE
END. CAN FOLKS SEE A LITTLE BIT
AFTERNOON. OKAY. OKAY. YOU CAN
SLOW DOWN. PLEASE GO. EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU. CHRIS.
-- SLOW DOWN. JUST A.
-- OKAY, GREAT. SO IF WE CAN
SLOW DOWN FOR THE STAFFING ONE,
SURE. IT WOULD BE GOOD HERE.
JUST TO EXPLAIN THE 23 STAFF AND
AND PROPORTIONAL TO THE DIVISION
AS WELL AS THE OVERSIGHT.
-- YEAH. AS DIRECTOR KIM
MENTIONED, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY
TAKING BACK THESE CONTRACTS IS A
BIG EFFORT FOR THE ENTIRE
DEPARTMENT. AND SO OF THE 23
POSITIONS, 13 WILL BE IN THE
HOMELESSNESS DIVISION. AND THOSE
ARE THE FIRST FOUR THERE. SO WE
HAVE OUR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.
SUPERVISORS, GRANTS AND CONTRACT
SPECIALISTS. A.
-- THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND SO
WE DO HAVE SOME TIME FOR
QUESTIONS. SO I AM GOING TO OPEN
IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON THE
PRESENTATION. VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR
RINCK. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF
OUR PRESENTERS AND JUST I'LL DO
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CHRIS FOR
THAT. LIKE JUST SEASONED, UH,
WALK THROUGH THERE. UM, SO I
HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT
I WANT TO ASK JUST TO GET A
LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY. SO I
APPRECIATE THE POINT IN THE
SLIDES. I THINK IT'S ON SLIDE
TEN AROUND THE 3.9 MILLION IN,
UM, COST FOR CONTRACT
ADMINISTRATION. AND I WANT TO
GET CLARITY. IS THAT ADDITIONAL
COST OR IS THAT COST THAT IS
INCLUDED WITHIN THE 112.8
MILLION EXISTING CONTRACTS.
-- YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT.
THE ANNUAL COST WILL BE INCLUDED
WITHIN THAT EXISTING BUDGET
LINE. I THINK AS WE LOOK TO
BRING THESE FOLKS IN IN Q4 AS
WELL, THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT
SOME UNDERSPEND THAT WE HAVE AS
WELL. BUT YOU'RE CORRECT. AND I
SEE DIRECTOR KIM WANTS TO.
-- SO WE RECEIVED THOSE
EMERGENCY POCKETS FOR 2026, AND
YOU WILL HAVE SPECIFIC
INFORMATION IN THE BIENNIUM
BUDGET THAT WILL BE, UM,
PROPOSED SHORTLY. UH, BUT THIS
IS THE, WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH
RIGHT NOW.
-- OKAY. GOT IT. AND I SORRY, I
SAID, IS IT THIS OR IS IT THAT?
AND THEN CHRIS, YOU SAID YOU ARE
CORRECT. AND SO I'M NOT SURE
WHICH ONE.
-- YOU'RE CORRECT IN THAT IT
WILL BE BROUGHT FROM THE
EXISTING HOMELESSNESS BUDGET. WE
HAVE THE 3.9, THE 113 MILLION.
-- OKAY. GOT IT. THE 3.9 IS
INCLUDED WITHIN THE 113 MILLION.
-- YEAH. AND I WOULD SAY THE 113
ON THAT SLIDE. SORRY TO BE
HOPEFULLY THIS ISN'T TOO
CONFUSING. THAT'S RELATED TO
THE CONTRACTS. WE DID NOT
INCLUDE THE ADMINISTRATIVE
FUNDING CURRENTLY A CASE FOR
THAT. BUT THAT IS ALSO WHAT
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
-- SO OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. UM, AND THEN THE
OTHER QUESTION I WANT TO ASK IS
I KNOW THAT WE, THAT THE PLAN
THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING IS TO
BRING THOSE CONTRACTS BACK AND
THEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
STILL SUSTAINING KCJ BECAUSE
THERE'S JUST A CRITICAL
FUNCTION FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND CAN WE JUST SPEAK TO THE
APPROACH THAT YOU'RE TAKING IN
TERMS OF MAKING SURE THEY HAVE
THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY TO
CONTINUE IN THAT IMPORTANT
LEADERSHIP ROLE?
-- SURE. I'M HAPPY TO START.
AND IF FOLKS WANT TO ADD. SO I
THINK THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS
THAT I THINK THAT ARE IMPORTANT
THERE, COUNCILMEMBER. ONE IS
SORT OF WHAT IS THE COST OF
THAT? AND THEN I THINK PART OF
IT IS, IS WHAT IS THE SORT OF
STAFFING THAT THEY WILL HAVE IN
PLACE. SO ONE OF THE TASKS THAT
WE ARE ASKING THE FINANCIAL
ADVISORY FIRM THAT IS WORKING
THERE IS TO DO AN EVALUATION OF
WHAT THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF
STAFFING AND COST WOULD BE FOR
AN AGENCY. WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS
OF BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY
ARE TAKING BACK. UM, AND THAT IS
DUE TO US PROBABLY IN THE NEXT
FEW WEEKS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE
THAT INFORMATION. AND THEN THAT
WILL ALLOW US, I THINK, AND
ALLOW KCRW TO CONSIDER BOTH, I
THINK, THEIR STAFFING AND THEIR
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE DOES BRING
WITH IT ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS
THAT KCRHA HOLDS FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THOSE CENTRAL
FUNCTIONS, AND I THINK THEY WILL
HOLD LIKELY THE LION'S SHARE OF
THOSE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THOSE. I
DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING
MORE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO ADD.
-- I THINK THE ONLY OTHER POINT
IS WE'RE STILL WITH THAT WORK.
IF WE MAKE SOME DECISIONS, BY
THE TIME THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS
READY, THEN YOU WILL SEE MORE
SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT THE CITY
AND THE COUNTY PERHAPS WILL BE
CONTRIBUTING TO OFFSET THE
ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IF THE OMBUDS
ON SOME LEVEL IS THERE OR AT THE
CITY, THAT WILL LIKELY BE
DETERMINED AT THAT TIME. UH,
ANOTHER WOULD BE THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE. UM, SO AS CHRIS
POINTED OUT, WE ARE TAKING BACK
THOSE CONTRACTS, BUT WE DO
BELIEVE IT'S JUST THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF THAT
FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER LEVEL
THREE. BUT REALLY, WE, WE DO
KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY EFFECTIVE
ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP
THE REGION'S RESPONSE TO SEVERE
WEATHER. AND WE WOULD WANT THEM
TO RETAIN THAT ROLE. AND SO
THERE LIKELY WILL BE SOME
CONTRIBUTION. UM, ABOVE, UM,
WHAT C OH, C IS DOING, FOR
EXAMPLE.
-- GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND I
THINK WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT TO
MEAN IS THERE'S POTENTIAL
ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IN TERMS
OF NOT JUST ENSURING THAT WE
HAVE AN ONGOING REGIONAL
APPROACH, BUT DETERMINING THAT
WE HAVE SORT OF A SHARED FUNDING
AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY. AND
THAT SORT OF JUST DOVETAILS INTO
SOMETHING THAT MY FINAL QUESTION
HERE, WHICH IS, CAN YOU JUST
SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE
APPROACH WITH BRAIDED CONTRACTS
AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE
PROVIDERS, UM, ABLE TO CONTINUE
TO EXECUTE THEIR APPROACHES AS
PLANNED?
-- YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY A
BIT OF WORK THAT WE ARE
CONTINUING TO BUILD WITH DHS AND
DOING THAT REALLY THOUGHTFULLY.
I THINK WE, WE HEARD FROM A LOT
OF PROVIDERS, JUST THE DESIRE
NOT TO HAVE MULTIPLE CONTRACTS
WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY. AND SO
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT MIGHT
MAKE SENSE TO CONSOLIDATE THAT
AND WHETHER IT BE THROUGH AN MOA
OR SUPPORTING THAT. I THINK
THOSE ARE THE DETAILS THAT WE'RE
FIGURING OUT AND IRONING OUT
THROUGH THE, UH, THIS MONTH AND
HOPE TO HAVE THAT FINALIZED BY
THE END OF AUGUST.
-- SO AGAIN, I'LL JUST ADD THAT
OUR GOAL IS TO START ALL OF THE
CONTRACTS JANUARY 1st, BUT WHERE
THERE IS SOME MAYBE
COMPLICATIONS, WE KNOW THAT WE
MIGHT NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME IF THERE ARE COMPLICATED
CONTRACTS, BUT WE'LL KNOW
SHORTLY.
-- OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
THANK YOU. AND GIVEN THAT
THERE'S THIS ONGOING
COLLABORATION HAPPENING BETWEEN
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND
HEARING YOUR RESPONSE THAT IT'S
IT'S VERY ACTIVE. UM, I WONDER,
DO YOU ANTICIPATE REPORTING TO
COUNCIL ABOUT THAT COMPONENT?
UM, PRIOR TO BUDGET?
-- I THINK WE WILL HAVE MORE
DETAILS ON THAT, BUT I WOULD
DEFER TO MARK OR DIRECTOR KIM
WITH MORE.
-- YEAH. I THINK AS WE GET THE
INFORMATION, BOTH FROM THE
FINANCIAL ADVISORY FIRM. AND I
THINK AS WE WORK WITH THE
COUNTY, WE'RE HAPPY TO COME
BACK AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
UPDATES KIND OF THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
-- THANK YOU. AND I THINK
THAT'S I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THE APPROACH THAT YOU'RE TAKING,
AND I APPRECIATE ESPECIALLY LET
ME BE SPECIFIC HERE TO BE
RESPONSIVE TO PROVIDERS WHO ARE
SHARING THAT CONCERN AROUND THE
BRAIDED CONTRACTS AND THEIR.
THERE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE EXECUTING THEIR WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT
UNDER CONSIDERATION. I ALSO JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
SET UP TO BE GOOD PARTNERS
DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND
THAT EARLY INFORMATION WILL
ALLOW US TO DO SO. SO I LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING MORE SOON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
-- THANK YOU FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS. VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
UM, I'LL WRAP US UP WITH JUST A
FEW QUESTIONS FOR TODAY. UM, IT
APPEARS FROM THE SLIDES THAT THE
RESET PROPOSAL THAT THE INTENT
IS THAT THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY WILL WORK ON
DEVELOPING A JOINT RFP PROCESS
FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE
HOMELESSNESS SERVICE CONTRACTS
THAT COULD BE ISSUED IN Q1 2028.
JUST TO CONFIRM, IS THAT
ACCURATE? AND WHAT IS THE
TIMELINE FOR PUTTING THESE
CONTRACTS OUT FOR THE RFP?
-- YEAH. THAT'S ACCURATE. WE
WOULD PLAN TO PUT THAT OUT IN
Q1. UM, ACTUALLY RELEASE AN RFP
FOR THAT FOR 2029 SERVICES. AND
I THINK THE CONVERSATIONS MARK
MENTIONED IN TERMS OF REGIONAL
RESET, WE HOPE TO BE KIND OF
FOUNDATIONAL IN BUILDING UP THAT
THAT PLANNING FOR THE 2028
RELEASE.
-- SO IF I COULD SLOW IT DOWN
FOR JUST A TAD, SO IT WOULD BE
PLANNING, THAT WOULD OCCUR IN
2027 FOR A NOFA ANNOUNCEMENT IN
2027, SO THAT THERE COULD BE AN
RFP OR AN RFQ IN 2028. YOU RUN
THAT PROCESS. IT WOULD BE PRETTY
MAJOR. SO WE WANT TO GIVE IT THE
APPROPRIATE BREATHING SPACE, UH,
FOR PROVIDERS AND FOR COUNTY.
AND I'M ASSUMING AND THE CITY.
AND THEN NEW AWARDS, THOSE
CONTRACTS WILL BEGIN IN 2029. SO
IT'S SOUNDS LIKE A LONG TIME,
BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
WORK THAT ENTAILS WITH IT AND
THE SPEED IN WHICH THE PROVIDERS
WILL NEED TO APPLY AND PREPARE,
THAT'S THAT'S THE TIMING THAT
WE'RE PROPOSING. UH, I WOULD
SAY THERE'S A CAVEAT. WE ALWAYS
WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT
HAPPENS TO SEE. OH, SEE,
THERE'S SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW,
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION. AND SO THAT IS
THE PROPOSED TIMELINE. I ALSO
WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT JOINT LOOKS
LIKE. I THINK WE NEED TO
DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS. SO
WHETHER IT'S A LITERAL ONE, RFP
WITH BRAIDED FUNDS, OR IF WE
JUST DO THIS COLLABORATIVELY AND
THEN BEHIND THE SCENES, WORK IT
OUT, WE JUST NEED TO, UM, I
THINK, IDENTIFY AND FIRM UP WHAT
THOSE DETAILS ARE, BUT JUST
WANTING YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE
GOING TO PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE SHARED OUTCOMES, WE'RE
GOING TO TRY TO DEVELOP THE
CADENCE ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE
WANT TO DO REGIONALLY, BUT
LITERALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE
NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE PLANNING
TIME.
-- THANK YOU FOR UNPACKING THAT.
DIRECTOR KIM. AND MY LAST
QUESTION FOR TODAY IS JUST MORE
BROADLY IN TERMS OF PROCESS. I
MEAN, THIS IS A HUGE TRANSITION.
UM, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO MANAGE
THE IMPACTS OF THAT TRANSITION,
STABILIZE SERVICES AND MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO SERVE ARE NOT IMPACTED. AND
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE BROADER
COMMUNITY OF WORKERS WHO SUPPORT
THE SYSTEM THAT ARE BEING
IMPACTED BY THESE CHANGES. SO
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK
TO PERHAPS THIS IS A QUESTION
FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. JUST
SPEAK TO, IN BROAD STROKES, HOW
WE'RE ENGAGING OUR LABOR
PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THIS
TRANSITION AND THE RESPECTIVE
WORKFORCES THAT ARE IMPACTED.
-- YEAH. GOOD QUESTION. UM, AND
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM
KCRW, FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES AND
FROM OUR LABOR PARTNERS, WE'VE
HAD, I BELIEVE TWO, AT LEAST 3
OR 3 MEETINGS WITH A BROAD SET
OF LABOR PARTNERS ALREADY.
THEY'VE RAISED THEIR CONCERNS
AND QUESTIONS JUST AROUND THAT
TRANSITION. THE IMPACT OF THE
KCRW H A EMPLOYEES. WHAT WOULD
THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BE
WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE CITY?
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN THAT CONVERSATION, AS
YOU WELL KNOW, THERE ARE SORT OF
LIMITATIONS AROUND WHAT WE CAN
DO AS FAR AS, UM, PROVIDING
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO SORT OF
ONE SET OF FOLKS OR ANOTHER. BUT
WE ARE IN ACTIVE CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE KNOWN
AND AVAILABLE TO. KCRW. TO
IMPACTED EMPLOYEES. AND THEN I
THINK ALSO, UM, WHAT THAT WOULD
POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE, I THINK
FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE
COUNTY LIKE AS AN EMPLOYER? WHAT
IS THE CITY LIKE AS AN EMPLOYER?
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE ACTIVE IN
THAT SPACE. AND I THINK THE
LABOR PARTNERS HAVE BEEN ASKING
A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS.
-- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO
WRAP US UP AND THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR PRESENTING TODAY.
GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. AND WE'LL
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE REACHED THE
END OF TODAY'S AGENDA. IS THERE
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE
CLOSE OUT? I SEE THE NEXT
COMMITTEE ALREADY SITTING IN
CHAMBERS. SO I THINK WE GOT TO
GET OUT OF HERE. UM, COLLEAGUES,
THE NEXT HUMAN SERVICES, LABOR
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21st AT 9:30
A.M.. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS. WE ARE ADJOURNED.
-- THANK YOU.