Comments

1

Revoke the permits!

2

Perhaps Working Washington could ask the actual construction workers affected what they think of this situation? Those actual workers were not shy of telling Council Member Sawant what they thought, and how best to resolve this situation.

3

Makes you wonder when we'll hit left-wing overreach here in Seattle.

4

Our State Attorney General is very busy tending to national matters, so it may take several days or weeks for him to respond.

5

Jesus fuck this is terrible reporting. The state law explicitly defines what a threat is (read it for yourself: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.76.180 and http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.04.110), and "a threat to inflict substantial harm on the business and financial conditions of the city" isn't included in the list.

6

(j) To do any other act which is intended to harm substantially the person threatened or another with respect to his or her health, safety, business, financial condition, or personal relationships;

7

So what's "Working Washington's" solution going to be when all the major employers pull out of Seattle?

We're going to end up the next Detroit at this rate...

8

They paused construction planning.

9

@5:

The article doesn't state that is part of the law, which it quotes in its entirety in the third paragraph; it simply presents the argument made by Working Washington, based on THEIR interpretation of the effects on public officials because of Amazon's actions, and which I believe is the point of @6's citation of the relevant language from RCW 9A.04.110. And it's not making a value judgement as to whether or not that interpretation is correct, valid, or actionable, because that's for the AG and the courts to decide.

10

Is Working Washington the group responsible for the huge protest at City Hall this afternoon? There was a lot of blue collar beefcake there, that's for sure.

11

@5 Jesus fuck, what an ignorant comment -- based on what the apparently well informed (probable) Lefties posted @6 and 9.

12

@7:

Yeah, like that's going to happen - NOT. Amazon alone has spent several billion dollars building out infrastructure and siting tens of thousands of employees here, but in your fever-driven hypothetical they're just going to toss all that in the dumpster and set it on fire if they don't get their way, right? Hell even Boeing, the last major employer around here to pull up stakes and move their HQ, continues to this day to maintain major workforce commitments in the region. The only thing Seattle really lost in the aftermath was the bragging rights of calling the City "the home of Boeing", big deal.

Another example: when Washington Mutual went belly up in the wake of the 2008 crash, a lot of people lost their jobs, but then JP Morgan Chase came in and bought up most of WaMu's assets, and now maintains a strong presence in the local market, whereas before they literally had none. They didn't move the branches or the regional operations out-of-town, and people who didn't arrive here until 2010 or later wouldn't even be able to tell the difference.

In short: whinging about "all the major employers pull(ing) out of Seattle" is a weak-ass "Chicken Little" argument that literally no one except people like you takes seriously, so why do you-all keep trotting it out over and over again, as if it was an actual thing that could happen?

And that, BTW is a rhetorical question...

13

Boeing stayed in the region because it got a nice eight year contract with the machinists union though they had to pay for it. When the new contract comes up it will be another long term, more than the usual three years and it will cost them less. Boeing is thinking over the long term and slowly but surely shifting work towards Charleston. Just how soon depends on weather the union plays ball. It is really a shame because one didn't need a college degree to work for Boeing and earn a decent salary; not so in high tech. Amazon is also sewing the seeds for relocation as well.

15

All of the buildings and infrastructure that Boeing has will over time be fully depreciated and most of the general non specific equipment is leased so it will not be so difficult for them to up and leave. The same is also true for Amazon though they will be in for a number of years yet. They and other companies will simply cease expansion in the areas where it is less profitable;
HQ2 is a very strategic move on Amazon's part. Seattle would be wise not to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

16

An amusing idea, but it ain't gonna happen.

17

@16 What makes you so sure? Anything is for sale if the price is right.

18

@6 & @9, "intended" is the key word there. Amazon isn't intending to hurt Seattle by pausing construction. They're re-examining where they want to locate new employees. They're protecting their bottom line, without regard to any detriment or benefit to the city. That's the ugly side of capitalism, but it's not a threat.

19

Jesus, they tapped on the brakes in terms of planning, they didn't stop construction on anything, as this article implies. Fox News worthy, frankly,

20

Jackkay dear, I agree that Boeing's departure is inevitable, but I also think that they are removing themselves in the most graceful way possible. They've outgrown Seattle, but I'd argue that Seattle has also outgrown Boeing. Time to wind it down and free up that land for other uses.


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