I read the kicker as 'sexiest pay gap'.

I wouldnt trust McGinn to lead a PTA meeting, let alone the largest city in the state.

If you are LGBT (and white), or wealthy (and white) or a faux environmentalist (as in pro development, anti open spaces), McGinn is the way to go.

If you are poor, working class, a student, anti-1%, latino, black, or native, McGinn wants you shipped the hell out of his city to Renton or Kent or Burien. And he will work to prevent low income housing and work with racist, abusive SPD leadership to harass you into leaving.

McGinn wants to be Seattle Bloomberg or Daley, and he has the $$$ and corporate backing to do so. Hopefully Seattle isnt dumb enough fall for it...though it seems the stranger has.

@4 What a trip! I got through "If you are LGBT (and white), or wealthy (and white) or a faux environmentalist (as in pro development, anti open spaces)..." and I was SURE you were going to mention the candidate endorsed by the Downtown Seattle Association (or CASE, if we're splitting hairs) the Seattle Times, and funded by a downtown PAC! Instead, you mention the candidate endorsed by the Teamsters No. 28, Local 17, Unite Here Local 8, and UFCW 21. You must think that the members of those working-class unions are dumb dumb dumb.

I'm not even upset that you're spewing hate at McGinn, I'm just wondering whether you can come up with a better argument than the trash you're bringing now.

@4 @5 Seriously! I'm pro-McGinn, but there are arguments to be made against his candidacy (as there are for all candidates). It's been amusing reading araucania's tirades -- they're so divorced from reality.

Joey Gray--notably, a woman--has been talking about this issue since she entered the mayoral race. I know The Stranger has promoted the inevitability of these four male candidates from the beginning, but how about listening to one of the ladies too? You know, just to be a touch more equitable?

How can single mothers NOT be at the bottom of the economic food chain unless the children are considered as property of the state?

@5

YES, because the endorsement of one set of unions after his politically calculated move to stop ONE whole foods (hey, why didnt he do that for the other WF's that opened on his watch in, say for instance, the Magnolia waterfront? Musta been bad timing huh?

But yes, those union groups are the ONLY REPRESENTATIVES of the poor and the minority populations in Seattle. Im sure those natives and blacks will gladly take those ass whippings the McGinn backed SPD deliver knowing that McGinn has the support of the grocers union! Im sure those poor people in first hill, cap hill, rainier, crown hill, greenwood and the last of ballard would have no problem with being priced out of Seattle due to rampant McGinn backed development of high price low quality condos and apartments (with no parking btw) once they know he has support from the teamsters. Sure theyll need to add 2 hours of commuting time from kent and auburn and Shoreline...still totally worthy it!

[For the record, Im not anti union, Im very much pro union...especially private business unions, but there are more important matters at stake to a lot of people that many of you shield your eyes to or secretly feel the same way about that conservatives do. McGinn is on the wrong side of those issues]

@#6 didnt you admit you work for his campaign?

Also Ive noticed you keep saying how pro mcginn you are, but you wont so much as comment on the problems his candidacy faces, specifically involving his stance on the SPD and the OPA, and what people of color who live or work in Seattle seem to think of him.

If you cant defend the guy with substantive counter commentary, and all you can argue with is ad hominems, maybe you shouldnt be working for Team McGinn, I think Fox News would be a better fit.

@8

Really? You have 99%ers, minorities and students? Thats not what the buzz is (or was) around the U, or SCCC, or Highline or NSCC. Its damn sure not the buzz in Capitol Hill or South Seattle or Greenwood or Beacon Hill.

Now, Im sure you have a FEW students and 'minorities' (note the pan-inclusive term you used...dont parse out specific groups that have had a problem with McGinn like Natives, African Americans and Latinos, just say 'minorities' in general and include groups who havent had problems with him) and students and 99%ers. Heck, Im sure you have some tea partiers.

But outliers are not the standard, nor should they be used as tokens and shields to criticisms of anit-inclusive and socially unpopular policy. If you cant argue on merit or substance, you shouldnt be arguing at all.

Seattle has the biggest gender pay gap of the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S. ?? That's disheartening. It's a shame there aren't any female mayoral
candidates running. *sigh*

Can we at least stop the coal trains?

When more women WANT to be Powerlineworkers, and in the upper ranks, and want to make the commitment to get there, there will be. The percieved glass ceiling at the city is not a brick wall. And they will always have to compete with men at some point too. Even lowered physical standards don't make it atractive enough to put a dent in it.

Until then you can't just hire women for women's sake and pay them a higher classifcation than they are qualifed for to make up for it. The city employees are still far more diverse than private industry.

And choosing to not persue an ambitious career, or just staying at your current level, is not a "bad" choice for the one who is content with it. It is their choice, and it's equally valid. Some people are happier with less stress and value time over money, just need a living wage, men and women. Does not mean they are any less productive or valuable. We still espouse the individual freedom to do that, last I checked.

Broad conclusions on pay differences of 17 people applied to 10,000 are not even statiscally valid, but are ripe for cherry picking out of context.

@16: I agree, actually. I wouldn't be interested in running for a public office myself, but admire women who do.
What I said and meant was that it's sad that there aren't any female candidates running for the position of Mayor of Seattle.