Terrible TDO Update

At Seattle City Council's arts committee meeting on Tuesday, June 25, four city council members ruined Seattle's All Ages Dance Ordinance, the intended repeal of the restrictive Teen Dance Ordinance. (The council repealed the TDO two years ago, replacing it with the AADO, but then-mayor Paul Schell vetoed it.)

It was amazing: At Tuesday's meeting, the council managed to turn the AADO into a junior version of the TDO, the 1980s-vintage law that stifles Seattle's music scene. The new proposed AADO--which will go before the full council on July 8--includes an age limit (14 years old) and re-admission fees. Plus, show promoters have to request off-duty cops after 2:00 a.m., and by July 8, there will probably be insurance requirements in the ordinance. Yeeesh.

Council Members Nick Licata and Richard Conlin had to water down their original (and admirable) AADO proposal thanks to another council member: Council President Peter Steinbrueck. Steinbrueck wasn't a surefire AADO "yes" vote unless the Margaret Pageler-induced amendments (noted above) were made. Annoyingly, Steinbrueck voted for the real AADO two years ago.

"I'm immensely disappointed in Peter Steinbrueck," says local music promoter Dave Meinert. "This is not the All-Ages Dance Ordinance."

He's right. That's why the full city council should vote against the fake AADO on July 8. This council is a wash, and it's clear that as long as they're around, there will never be a meaningful repeal of the TDO.

There's only one thing left to do: Pageler and Steinbrueck are up for re-election in 2003. You'll remember to vote against puritanical Pageler, but clip and save this article so you also remember to vote against faux-progressive Steinbrueck. AMY JENNIGES


Nickels Versus the Housing Office

The Seattle Office of Housing was frustrated with its boss, Greg Nickels, during last week's council debate over the sweetheart deal for local developer R. C. Hedreen Co. ["The Six Million Dollar Scam," Josh Feit, June 20]. Housing was dead set against the stupid deal all along, but Nickels kept saying he hadn't decided his position--forcing the Office of Housing to stay mum. (City departments aren't allowed to have opinions unless Nickels has one.)

It'd be nice if Nickels trusted his own bureaucrats enough to take their advice and tell Hedreen to take a walk. That's exactly what Housing did two years ago when Hedreen first pitched his idea. "Richard Hedreen has approached the Office of Housing about his proposal," they wrote in a September 2000 report. "Specifically, Mr. Hedreen is asking that a code change be adopted to enable housing bonus credits originally linked to the Convention Center to be used instead for one or more of his own development projects. The Office of Housing is not recommending that bonus portability be permitted in this case."

Apparently the only thing that's changed since September 2000 is this: We have a new mayor. JOSH FEIT