This is not the time to play with city workers lacking in proactivity and/or competence. This is lawyer and/or representative time. Escalate the issue (ok, he's doing this with the video)
If the payment was done, that shows intent on renewing the license. Might be worth nothing, might be worth something.
Do you think if the city sits on a permit renewal by Chase or Starbucks that they'll diligently sit and wait? Yeah, right...
In other videos (especially for the prior license issue about resell of used goods vs. the repair license) he does seem to talk to lawyers who are familiar with the city rules but has reported not having great avenues to success. The problem seems genuinely tied to some parts of the city government still assessing fees/fines/so forth, but the COVID rules are preventing escalation/remedy in person in a meaningful way and the only way to get traction is to do so. The general vibe he's been putting out across the last couple months is just that he's feeling like he's getting shook down since in his perspective he's holding his end of the bargain with paying for licenses yet can't get the city to hold theirs.
In fact that is what we did. Just 50-100 pissed off residents mail and phone bombed the city until we got a response. The inspector made the excuse that he issued the permit months ago. But the filing portal had it on the day after our campaign.
We ended up burning through the contingency because this project started right at the beginning of COVID. Parts and labor suddenly became scarce.
Frigging permits. What an absolute joke. Goto city hall, pay money, wait weeks for a response - all to do something that should take minutes. Why doesn't our government pay someone to create an app to expedite the process. Also stop doing it at the city level and handle it at the state level.
I find the negative responses quite interesting. From watching The Wire, I assume there typical way of getting this done would be simply Facebook contributing to members of the City Council.
Of the two, I might like the open proposal for direct funding of the position more than an envelop of cash passed under the table at Alexander's.
While Facebook is free to donate funds for this to the city, or not, I doubt that accepting the contribution creates any kind of enforceable contract, rather a mutual expectation which if the city renegs they simply won't be seeing any more deals like this in the future. I think from the city's perspective it's free money for a cop who is going to be at the new substation anyway.
Long long term resident with a connection to local government
They don't have a choice. Seattle IT is so underfunded that hands are tied because there isn't any resourcing.
On one hand, you have to respond to all of these requests (and rightfully so, as it's the law.) On the other, you have no money for your department because it has no funding because the citizens didn't want to spend the money.
The person who did this isn't malicious. Just very overworked and did a data pull wrong. They probably didn't give a shit to check because their job kinda sucks and they have too much to do already.
I can go to my local Rep's office or write a letter and will get a response that can get the ball rolling. Attitudes like yours creates cynicism and dwindles trust in local governments. Try going to your city council meeting, for once.
If the payment was done, that shows intent on renewing the license. Might be worth nothing, might be worth something.
Do you think if the city sits on a permit renewal by Chase or Starbucks that they'll diligently sit and wait? Yeah, right...
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