Comments on: Skillet and their friends at the Health Department http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/ Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: jason http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5646 jason Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:46:03 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5646 i can't speak for all taco trucks, but the rancho bravo one in wallinford has their health dept license posted right inside the window. i can’t speak for all taco trucks, but the rancho bravo one in wallinford has their health dept license posted right inside the window.

]]> By: Gomez http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5645 Gomez Mon, 24 Sep 2007 03:19:28 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5645 Also, the Merc, as a business operating under the 'members-only club' tag, is directly relevant to my original point, which addressed the usage of the 'members-only club' tag to exempt themselves from civic business laws. Also, the Merc, as a business operating under the ‘members-only club’ tag, is directly relevant to my original point, which addressed the usage of the ‘members-only club’ tag to exempt themselves from civic business laws.

]]> By: Gomez http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5644 Gomez Mon, 24 Sep 2007 03:16:25 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5644 As usual, Wesa takes a shot at Gomez whenever she gets the chance, and then as usual, a Mercury apologist gives the usual irrelevant spiel to defend the little club that's so totally not using their status to sidestep the law. As usual, Wesa takes a shot at Gomez whenever she gets the chance, and then as usual, a Mercury apologist gives the usual irrelevant spiel to defend the little club that’s so totally not using their status to sidestep the law.

]]> By: Wesa http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5643 Wesa Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:38:33 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5643 As usual, Gomez spins irrelevant information into his comments. Summary: the Mercury operates as a members-only club which is how they can avoid some of the Draconian Washington state liquor laws. The people working there are only volunteers who are paid through tips. The Mercury donates all profits to charity, keeping only enough to purchase alcohol, maintain the club, and pay rent. Coincidently, this is how they "sidestepped" the smoking ban. The Mercury does not serve food, only beverages. Bringing The Merc into this conversation is pointless, as they are not a restaurant. Let's keep it on topic. As usual, Gomez spins irrelevant information into his comments. Summary: the Mercury operates as a members-only club which is how they can avoid some of the Draconian Washington state liquor laws. The people working there are only volunteers who are paid through tips. The Mercury donates all profits to charity, keeping only enough to purchase alcohol, maintain the club, and pay rent. Coincidently, this is how they “sidestepped” the smoking ban. The Mercury does not serve food, only beverages. Bringing The Merc into this conversation is pointless, as they are not a restaurant. Let’s keep it on topic.

]]> By: kerrizor http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5642 kerrizor Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:27:53 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5642 ...so how does the crazy/scary/fly-by-night taco truck manage to evade permitting? :) I guess I've got membership to more than one club! …so how does the crazy/scary/fly-by-night taco truck manage to evade permitting? :)

I guess I’ve got membership to more than one club!

]]> By: Patricia Jane http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5641 Patricia Jane Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:21:53 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5641 I admit, this is an area I don't know a lot about. When first investigating Skillet, I heard a little about the private club aspect, but really didn't understand why they were operating that way. I'm not a big fan of skirting along the fringes of the law. Though I'm also not a big fan of regulations just for regulations sake. So while I respect the fact that Skillet is trying to get themselves established, and that there are a lot of hoops to jump through in that process, I hope that they will make a concerted effort to get themselves legal. I admit, this is an area I don’t know a lot about. When first investigating Skillet, I heard a little about the private club aspect, but really didn’t understand why they were operating that way.

I’m not a big fan of skirting along the fringes of the law. Though I’m also not a big fan of regulations just for regulations sake. So while I respect the fact that Skillet is trying to get themselves established, and that there are a lot of hoops to jump through in that process, I hope that they will make a concerted effort to get themselves legal.

]]> By: Gomez http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-5640 Gomez Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:09:31 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2007/09/23/skillet-and-their-friends-at-the-health-department/#comment-5640 The Mercury operates as a members-only business as well. This is an accepted gray area that I am not a fan of. If you're a business, you should be subject to the same general regulations as any other business in your field. You should not be allowed to sidestep regulations simply because you serve 'members-only' or your personnel works without pay to maintain the club status. Skillet may be okay here, but what happens if, say, such a restaurant elsewhere makes a bunch of people sick, and when the health department et al tries to enforce the codes, said business pulls the 'we are members only so your laws don't apply' card? This members-only business loophole needs to be closed. The law needs to be refined. You should be allowed to operate outside of codes just because you claim to operate as a private club. I dunno, maybe it's because I deal with IRS records with businesses at work and we call bullshit on any business that, say, claims they're exempt from reporting income because they checked the Corporation box when they're clearly licensed as an LLC. If such laws are designed to protect integrity in commerce, and the law can be danced around, then how is that good for society? The Mercury operates as a members-only business as well.

This is an accepted gray area that I am not a fan of. If you’re a business, you should be subject to the same general regulations as any other business in your field. You should not be allowed to sidestep regulations simply because you serve ‘members-only’ or your personnel works without pay to maintain the club status.

Skillet may be okay here, but what happens if, say, such a restaurant elsewhere makes a bunch of people sick, and when the health department et al tries to enforce the codes, said business pulls the ‘we are members only so your laws don’t apply’ card?

This members-only business loophole needs to be closed. The law needs to be refined. You should be allowed to operate outside of codes just because you claim to operate as a private club.

I dunno, maybe it’s because I deal with IRS records with businesses at work and we call bullshit on any business that, say, claims they’re exempt from reporting income because they checked the Corporation box when they’re clearly licensed as an LLC. If such laws are designed to protect integrity in commerce, and the law can be danced around, then how is that good for society?

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