Possible outcomes from the new Seattle Council

Dec 6, 2019
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Written by wpengine
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Inside Seattle Retail

Now that Seattle voters have ensured a pro-labor majority on the new Seattle City Council, what could it mean for new requirements on businesses?

KUOW radio’s politics reporter David Hyde, who covers the council, offers five possibilities based upon his knowledge of plans by current council members.

They are:

  • Possible new labor protections. The council that approved a $15-an-hour minimum wage and a domestic workers’ bill of rights may attempt protections for gig economy employees such as grocery delivery drivers for InstaCart, some of whom are not guaranteed a minimum wage
  • Possible approval of safe drug injections sites, which some neighboring cities already have banned.
  • Rent control, which currently is illegal in the state.
  • A limit on corporate spending in political campaigns, a topic considered already by Councilwoman Lorena Gonzalez.
  • Return of a head tax, passed by the prior council but quickly repealed after strong opposition from the business community.

In his recent report, Hyde acknowledged that some of these proposals are so controversial that court challenges could be expected if they are enacted. Read about the report and listen to it here.