A proposed SeaTac initiative that would boost the city’s minimum wage 60 percent and require paid sick leave would likely cause some hotel restaurants to close and marginal lodging and transportation businesses either to move out of the city or fail, some leaders suggest.

“In addition to the number of lost jobs, the people who vote on this will very likely will have much more competition and may not be the very same people who are going to be getting this wage,” said Jan Simon, president and chief executive officer of the Washington Lodging Association.

In an interview, Simon said replacing the state’s $9.19 minimum with a $15 an hour wage would cause far more prospective employees from around the Seattle metropolitan area to come into the SeaTac’s job pool – perhaps edging out immigrants and youths seeking their first jobs.

Perry D. Wall, general manager of the SeaTac Clarion Hotel, called the potential ordinance “not free enterprise” and that “this will hurt already struggling businesses in SeaTac, it will scare any future business away.”

Doris Cassan, president of CMC Investments which operates Dollar Rent A Car said in an e-mail “it is not fair” and the proposed ordinance “discriminates between businesses within the city – why should certain businesses be targeted?”

Cassan said the legislation would make SeaTac City Manager Todd Cutts “responsible for employee relations – it appears the current city manager has a few problems himself.

“This entire ordinance is so over the top of government intrusion,” Cassan said.

Highest in U.S.
Simon said $15 per hour would be the highest in the United States.

“There was an ordinance that I heard passed in San Francisco that created a $10 minimum wage. Our current state minimum wage is the highest in the country and (the SeaTac proposed ordinance) would put us up nearly half again higher than our current minimum wage.”

The ordinance would also require annual increases in the minimum wage “tied to the same Consumer Price Index.”

“It is a $15 minimum wage and it’s (after 2015) annually climbing,” she said.

Also it is unfair because the rate would not apply to stand-alone restaurants, “only restaurants that are located within another facility like the airport,” and to restaurants in SeaTac hotels.

Simon says that when she first heard about this initiative she said she spoke with two managers of hotels in SeaTac.

“They have, combined, 230 employees in their restaurants, alone. Both of these hoteliers said, ‘If this initiative passes, we will close our restaurants.’” One hotel executive said he would replace the restaurant with vending machines, adding, “I cannot stay afloat” if this minimum wage increases is approved.

Simon said the reason is economics.

“It is hard enough to make a living in the restaurant business … but in hotel restaurants, you barely break even. The reason why you have a restaurant in a hotel is as a service to your guests. But, if this initiative passes, those hotel restaurants that are just breaking even, will not be able to break even.

No SeaTac Benefit
“Certainly this is not an ordinance that will benefit SeaTac residences,” said Cassan. “Most of the employees working in SeaTac do not live in SeaTac, including very few of employees that work directly for the city. This ordinance will put the citizens of SeaTac in a position to pay for an ordinance without the benefits.

“Certainly it will hinder businesses both short term and long term,” she said. “I see all types of consequences: frivolous lawsuits by unaccountable employees, taking away incentives offered by most employers to employees and promoting laziness and unaccountable behavior.”

Cassan said, in addition, she “would not wish any more power be given to SeaTac government,” adding she has “been subject to their overreaching power using eminent domain and refusing to allow certain projects to be implemented and others refused.”

Beginner’s business
Simon said lodging is “probably the very last industry that exists where someone can begin their employment right out of high school, right out of college or as they come to this country where you can start in our industry and work your way up to a very high level within that same business.”

She said her 36-member board of directors has more than 600 years of experience.

“There is not a person at that table that hasn’t started at the ground and worked their way up,” Simon said. “They may have started as a valet, they may have started as a busser or driving airport vans.

“If you create a minimum wage at $15 an hour, you will get rid of that opportunity for someone to get their first job in our industry and work their way up because you are not going to be having a starting wage or a training wage. You are going to be offering those positions to someone really with a college education.

“That is one of the unintended consequences of this initiative. I don’t think the people who drafted this ever contemplated all of the unintended consequences.

She said she understands the measure is to intended to increase the wages of the people who would be affected by it, but she says her guess is there will be “a blood bath of people who lose their job” because of it.

“If your minimum wage goes to $15 an hour, that employer is going to have a bigger pool of candidates from which to choose. So, the very people who vote this in will be competing not only with their neighbors in SeaTac, but people from Bellevue, from Renton, from Kent, from Seattle. They are all going to be going for these jobs (in SeaTac).

“The initiative drafters are doing a great disservice to the immigrants looking for their first jobs,” Simon says, because more educated and native English speakers will come for the jobs.

Wall, of the Clarion, said the “hotel industry saw one of the biggest downturns in recent history and most of them are just beginning to recover. Several of them went into bankruptcy court and most have still not reached the levels of occupancy that they had prior to this last recession.”

Council or the Ballot
It appears the initiative may have received enough signatures to validate it for the November ballot, although the signatures must first be verified by the King County Elections Department.

The SeaTac City Council can then either pass the ordinance and make it the law, or it can let it go to the ballot in November for SeaTac voters to make the final decision.

STB Real Estate Sponsor Prudential Northwest’s Open House for this week is a high quality home with Mt. Rainier and territorial views, with a desirable floor plan!

This great looking home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. One bedroom and den on main floor (possible 5th bed).

The well-designed gourmet kitchen has tile countertops, gas cooktop, hardwood floors and a sunny eating nook.

Dream master suite has two walk-in closets, fireplace, 5-piece master bath with skylight, dual tiled vanity and jetted tub.

Large, private yard with deck – all in a home located in a neighborhood with sidewalks!

Priced to sell at just $374,950!

Here are some pics (click images to see larger versions):

Here are the details:

WHAT: Prudential NW Open House

WHEN: Sunday, May 26, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: 25317 42nd Place S, Kent, WA 98032

INFO:

• List Price: $374,950
• MLS Number: 483399
• Bedrooms: 4
• Bathrooms: 2.5
• Year Built: 1999
• Approximate House SqFt: 2,579
• Lot SqFt: 16,240 sf

Site Features:

• Bath Off Master
• Ceiling Fan(s)
• Dble Pane/Strm Windw
• Dining Room
• High Tech Cabling
• Skylights
• Vaulted Ceilings
• Walk-in Closet

Marketing remarks:

High quality home with Mt. Rainier and Territorial Views with desirable floor plan.

This great looking home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. One bedroom and den on main floor (possible 5th bed).

The well-designed gourmet kitchen has tile countertops, gas cooktop, hardwood floors & a sunny eating nook.

Dream master suite has two walk-in closets, fireplace, 5-piece master bath w/skylight, dual tiled vanity and jetted tub.

Large, private yard with deck.

Located in a neighborhood with sidewalks!

Click here to see the full, detailed listing.

Click here to view all of Prudential Northwest’s Open Houses.

State lawmakers are currently debating over budget plans with varying levels of kindergarten funding. Each of the three plans would fund full-day kindergarten at some, but not all, schools in Highline.

“We cannot wait for the legislature to act. Full-day kindergarten is the right thing to do for all our children and families now,” said Superintendent Susan Enfield. “This is a game-changer for our students.”

Full-day kindergarten is a key strategy for meeting the district goal of 95 percent of next fall’s kindergartners performing at or above grade level in all core subjects by the end of Grade 3. Multiple studies show that children who participate in full-day kindergarten make significant gains in reading and math compared with students in half-day programs. Research also shows that mastering reading and math skills by third grade is critical for success throughout middle and high school.

“Kindergarten is a critical year. It sets the stage for a child’s entire school experience,” said Highline’s P-3 Director Anne Arnold, who directs early learning (preschool through grade 3) programs.

“This is one of several critical investments Highline making toward the bold goals in our new strategic plan,” Enfield added. The district is also investing in high-priority goals for older students, such as ensuring that 19 out of 20 students pass Algebra by Grade 9, and that 19 out of 20 students in the freshman class of 2013 graduate successfully.

by Earl Gipson

Just for fun lets talk fire codes. That’s what was discussed at Tuesday night’s Planning Commission meeting. In a barrage of back and forth between Commission Chair Daryl Tapio and Fire Marshal Jon Napier the necessity of a slew of new regulations concerning water flow, sprinklers, roads widths, etc was questioned. This meeting would have been a real snoozer without that discussion.

Will this add to the cost of building homes in SeaTac? Well of course it will. Have you ever seen a new regulation that didn’t? In typical schizophrenic fashion this is what passes for promoting affordable housing in a bureaucracy. Its not that SeaTac needs anymore of that, I’m just sayin.

Chairman Tapio has always been flexible in allowing the Public to speak in Commission meetings so the Public did on this and it wasn’t real positive. But in a burst of transparency Fire Marshal Napier finally stated he can implement all of this fun stuff administratively without asking anyone just by accepting the whole 2012 International Fire Code. I probably should have just stayed home because then I said something that wasn’t so bright.

I asked if all this wonderful stuff would have kept the house from burning down a few years back only 500 feet from the new fire station (20 minute response or something like that). There was an uncomfortable silence after that question.

Thank you Chairman Tapio for letting me speak but in this case I probably should have shut up and just invest in a sprinkler system and hope for the best.

Seattle City Light announced Wednesday (May 22) that it is warning customers to protect themselves against con artists who are using false threats of disconnecting electrical service in attempts to steal money.

City Light says that customers reported at least 15 scam attempts this week, and other utilities in the Pacific Northwest have reported similar activity. In Seattle, the scammers appear to be targeting Asian small businesses.

The con works like this: A person claiming to work for the utility calls a customer and claims the account is overdue. The caller then threatens to cut off electricity service unless payment is made immediately.

One new twist in this old scam has the con artists seeking payment by pre-paid debit cards, which might not have the same fraud-detection features as a credit card.

“Awareness is the best defense against con artists,” Customer Service Director Kelly Enright said. “An immediate demand for payment is a red flag for fraud. Anyone who gets a call like this should get contact information then hang up and call the utility and police.”

Seattle City Light customer service representatives are available at (206) 684-3000 to advise customers of their account status and answer any questions they might have.

Anyone who believes they have been contacted by a scam artist should report the incident to Seattle Police at (206) 625-5011.

Seattle City Light will not shut off a customer’s electricity for one late payment. Before a shut off is ordered, Seattle City Light will send the customer at least two written notifications.

Additionally, City Light has programs available for customers who are having trouble paying their electric bills, including a low-income rate assistance program where qualifying customers can save up to 60 percent. Information is available at (206) 684-3417.

Adam’s withdrawal gives the mayor, a council member in Position 4, a free pass to another term. Anderson was first elected to the SeaTac Council in 2006 and was elected by council members as mayor in 2012. He is a commander in the Port of Seattle Police Department in the Professional Standards and Training Division.

Incumbent Position 2 Council member Rick Forschler drew two opponents, Othman Heibe and Kathryn Campbell.

Position 6 incumbent Pam Fernald drew one opponent, Joe Van.

Mayor Tony Anderson drew Suber Adam as his opponent for reelection to Council Position 4 in the SeaTac City Council as filing closed on Friday afternoon.

Anderson was first elected to the SeaTac Council in 2006 and was elected by council members as mayor in 2012. He is a commander in the Port of Seattle Police Department in the Professional Standards and Training Division.

Adam did not respond to an email seeking biographical information.

Incumbent Position 2 Council member Rick Forschler drew two opponents, Othman Heibe and Kathryn Campbell.

Forschler is completing his first term on the council and is retired from Boeing in the Manufacturing Engineering and Information Technology division. He is president of Washington Utility Inc.

Heibe and his wife have two children. He says he “was forced to flee a corrupt government and an environment of poverty and war. The United States lent me a hand, responding with warmth, opportunity and citizenship.”

Heibe says he is running because “I believe that SeaTac needs new leadership.”

Campbell said she was still working on her public biography.

Position 6 incumbent Pam Fernald drew one opponent, Joe Van.

Fernald was elected to the council in 2009. She is retired from Boeing after 38 years as a systems analyst and certified software test engineer

Chung “Joe” Van and his wife, Leslee, have lived in SeaTac for over 23 years. The Vans have three children in Highline Schools. Van is a graduate of Tyee High School, Highline Community College and the Des Moines Police Reserve Academy and works as a supervisor at Owens and Minor, a medical and surgical supply company.

A pickleball tournament will be served up at the SeaTac Community Center this weekend, with the best players from all over the country competing.

“Pickleball was invented in Seattle, and SeaTac will host the current men’s and women’s world champions this weekend,” said Jonathan Blake, who will be playing in the 4.0 division.

Blake adds that several local players from Burien will be competing in this National event, sponsored by the USA Pickleball Association.

The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning (May 18), and will go to at least 8 p.m. Saturday night. Play resumes at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning (May 19) and completes when the double elimination matches are over.

According to Wikipedia, Pickleball “…started during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington at the home of Congressman Joel Pritchard, U.S. House of Representatives for the State of Washington. He and two of his friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, returned from golf and found their families bored one Saturday afternoon. They attempted to set up badminton but no one could find the shuttlecock. They improvised with a whiffle ball, lowered the badminton net, and fabricated paddles of plywood from a nearby shed.”

Here are some videos of the game in case you’re not familiar with it:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Seatac Community Center is located at 13735 24th Ave S., SeaTac; 206-973-4680.

STB Real Estate Sponsor Prudential Northwest’s Open House for this week is a cute Craftsman that’s all NEW inside!

Beautiful living room with brick & slate fireplace, large Kitchen, petite Dining Room or Den and much more!

The main floor Master has a big closet and gorgeous tiled bath, there’s a 1+ extra finished room or 2 bedrooms up with storage, along with a main floor utility/mud room, patio, fully fenced yard, stone BBQ, fire pit, carport and workshop.

Oh and did we mention it’s priced to sell at just $214,700…AND there’s a $5,000 Buyer Bonus w/full price offer!

Here are some pics (click images to see larger versions):

Here are the details:

WHAT: Prudential NW Open House

WHEN: Sunday, May 19, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: 10027 17th Ave SW, Seattle 98146-3702

INFO:

• List Price: $214,700
• MLS Number: 446881
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 1
• Year Built: 1954
• Approximate House SqFt: 1,482
• Lot SqFt: 5,624 sf

Site Features:

• Cable TV
• Dog Run
• Fenced-Fully
• Outbuildings
• Patio
• RV Parking
• Shop

Marketing remarks:

$5000 Buyer Bonus w/Full Price Offer! Cute Craftsman,

All NEW Inside!

Beautiful Living Rm w/Brick & Slate FP. Large Kitchen, Petite Dining Rm or Den. Main Floor Master w/Big Closet, Gorgeous Tiled Bath. 1+ Extra Finished Rm or 2 Bedrms Up w/Storage.

Main Flr Utility/Mud Rm, Patio & Fully Fenced Yard, Stone BBQ & Fire Pit, Carport & Workshop. Alley Access, Addl Pkg.

Bsmnt “Person Cave”, High Ceiling & Sep Entry.

Zoned R24 Multi-Fam on Double Lot.

NOT a Short Sale, Bank or Flip! Can Close Quick!

Click here to see the full, detailed listing.

Click here to view all of Prudential Northwest’s Open Houses.

by Earl Gipson

As promised I and fellow readers Vicki Lockwood, and Erin Sitterley read the 9 page Initiative imposing on our employers a minimum $15.00 per hour plus benefits for Hospitality/Transportation workers along with City management thereof into the record at the Council Meeting Tuesday.

Everyone there was well behaved (or more likely sat in stunned silence) as it was proposed the City take over wage/employment management of SeaTac’s largest employers. Since no one could comment for or against the insanity (as the City Staff/Council warned us) I could not mention our bought and paid for Council members who were behind this. That will be at a future Council meeting.

So what will our SeaTac businesses get for this imposed largesse? Bupkis, nada, zero. Not even a free ticket out of town. Where do the citizens think the tax revenue for roads, parks, fire, and police will come from when businesses start leaving? Denny’s, etc need not worry. The unions are only harassing our largest employers. How did that work for Detroit? Didn’t the cars makers just say toodles? The unions may think the employers are backed into a corner (bought Council members included) but history says people fight back when put in that position. The City giving some 3,000 service workers a 66 percent raise with other people’s money for the same job – sounds incredible but that is what is proposed.

So what do the service employees get for all this? Well for one less jobs if this passes. A career path that leads nowhere. The motivation to better oneself, in the toilet. And finally a dependency on a City government (by fiat) to take care of them in perpetuity.

What do the Citizens of SeaTac get for all this? Emptier streets, emptier buildings, and economic development stopped in its tracks. We will also get more of the highly touted diversity except they will just be unemployed waiting for the 100 or so service jobs left.

Hey, lets look at the bright side. I could be wrong (doubt it). What they will say about what’s left of SeaTac is that they built a utopia and no one showed up or left as soon as possible.