Seattle’s very own elected Socialist is at it again.
via MYNorthwest—Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant wants rent control for small businesses.
Sawant released a seven-point plan on Tuesday that includes stabilizing commercial rent.
“There’s a lot of small business rhetoric from corporate politicians, but little actual policy making that helps our city’s small businesses,” Sawant said. “Commercial rent control, for example, is a policy that will directly benefit small businesses.
“City Hall needs to stop conferring sweetheart deals on big developers and corporations, and begin serving the interests of small businesses and working people.”
The announcement coincides with the city council’s review of the proposed 2016 operating budget.
“We all love Seattle’s quirky unique culture, but we need to support our small businesses if we’re serious about preserving the character and soul of our city,” said David Meinert, owner of The Comet and other businesses. “We especially need to move on these policy ideas to support women- and minority-owned businesses.”
One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is the increasing cost of rent, according to Sawant. Though there is a ban on regulation of rent in the housing market, Sawant says the ban does not apply to commercial leases.
Under Sawant’s new plan, there would be a city-sponsored pension; an expansion of social service outreach for homeless people and people with mental illnesses and additions; a municipally-owned bank; and expanded late-night public transit. Sawant also wants to give small businesses and artists priority for commercial leasing.
A small business task force would be formed to address the challenges facing small businesses as well.
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She has the same wincing effect on me as when I hear Obama speak.**shudder**
Sawant:
No, it won’t, you economic ignoramus. It will make it more difficult for small businesses to find rental properties, just the same way that residential rent control creates artificial shortages of apartments and homes.
The citizens of Seattle are going to absolutely love when all those evil corporate types leave town and watch their tax bills skyrocket.
That damn bitch isn’t even from the U.S. and she is here telling us how we should be living. Believe it or not, she has raised more money for re-election than anyone before her. You would think that if she really believed her socialist propaganda she would distribute her funds equally among her opponents.
The entire Pacific Northwest is turning into little Britain, socialism run rampant. They deserve and have earned where this is going…bon apetite el stupidos…
Illuminati, we’re not all socialists, but we are outnumbered.
Socialist economic policy is like Whack A Mole – when you pound one pesky perceived problem, two or three more pop up elsewhere. However, like the sugared up kids at Chucky Cheese, socialists are not smart enough to realize this is a game which they cannot win and eventually they will run out of game tokens.
The likely outcome of rent control for any real estate, commercial or residential, is a decrease in supply. This has been proven over and over, but the socialist answer is usually not to do away with rent control, but increase regulations designed to prohibit any other use. When private enterprise starts leaving, socialists then step in and take over, with the usual bad results when governnments try to operate businesses.
Unfortunately, much of this analysis is not theoretical, but demonstrated over and over in numerous cities, states and countries.
Seattle has become a “soviet city” proudly on the Agenda 21 fast track.
The other unintended consequence is decreased landlord spending on upkeep. Rent-controlled properties are much more likely to be rundown.
Rent control.
Gun control.
Population control.
Salt control.
Flush control.
Light bulb wattage control.
Energy control.
Pork control.
Gee, there’s a commonality here among the socialist’s designs, but I just can’t put my finger on it …
Seattle is a shithole, it really is as simple as that. I was in a meeting in Seattle the other day and the meeting room smelled like it smells when you are stuck behind a garbage truck on a hot day. The smell was sickening, and it was as a result of there being food compost bins in the room. The filthy disgusting Seattle natives did not notice it, they are used to smelling rotting garbage and piss, but it was making everyone else in the room sick to their stomach.
Tim, don’t forget:
Garbage control
Travel control (HOV lanes)
but most important,
Thought control. You don’t dare disagree with those jerks.
(Seattle native, praying for a 9.0)
Exactly right. The last time the Missus and I were up in Seattle we stood at the end of the Pike Street Marketplace in time to watch some guy take a good long piss against the side of the recently installed public toilet. Nobody else noticed the scene or the smell and treated it like the every-day happening that it was. And this was years before Occupy Seattle came along.
At some point Mt. Ranier is going to erupt again and pretty much flush the entire Puget Sound like the enormous toilet bowl, and that’s about the only way to wipe this kind of scourge out once and for all.
Its that, or we nuke the site from orbit…
And let’s not forget about that big ‘ol tunnel boring machine working away day by day, foot by foot, yard by yard, furlong by furlong……….oh…..wait…….never mind!
I opened a new business. Signed a lease 5 months ago. Realized after I moved in had an electrical issue that needed fixed. The landlord was kind enough to come and take care of it (was not legally obligated to). If rent control????….don’t think they would have even returned my phone call.
I’m proposing a little bit of control control.
Get with it. They’re onto Agenda 2030 already! For realz.
Seattle and San fran are the only reason SmartCar dealerships still exist today.