What Lakewood has accomplished has never been done before.
The City’s is an historic, Homeric, Guinness-World-Record-worthy entry of monumental proportions unequaled in the annals of celebrated accomplishments.
Except for that maybe of one Dimitri Panciera, an Italian who placed not one, not one-hundred, but a “staggering” one-hundred-and-twenty-one (121) scoops of ice-cream (“mini mounds of gelato”) on a single standard regular cone measuring – according to official Guinness rules – the required maximum diameter of 3.74 inches.
For anyone who has ever attempted plopping even a single scoop into a cone receptacle without the thing crumbling to the carpet (who has carpet in their kitchen?), Panciera’s is a truly “Mamma Mia!” Broadway performance.
Except that it took place not on Broadway but in Forno di Zolda, Italy, the site of the Gelatimo Ice-Cream Festival as reported this December 9, 2016 by Fox News.
Sticking with a few favorite flavors – as opposed to all Baskin Robbins 31 (but of course that’s on this side of the pond) – Panciera had to additionally demonstrate he could keep everything together for 10 seconds or more – “which wasn’t a problem for Panciera’s stack as he carried his cone outside and casually licked the confection after piling on the scoops.”
Here’s Lakewood’s ‘wahoo-worthy’ creative concoction sure-to-stand-the-test-of-time (unless the whole thing collapses via a pending referendum):
“After speaking with other jurisdictions including the cities of Tukwila and Bellingham, Lakewood staff realized that creating an easy to use and robust database would be one of the keys to the new Rental Housing Program’s success. In September, staff used county data in order to build a data set of all identified properties within Lakewood.
“By comparing the taxpayer name with the physical address of each property in the city, Staff identified 15,233 (plus or minus) rental units owned by 4,802 (plus or minus) different taxpayers.”
And here it is, wait for it:
“This was an unprecedented approach; no other city has identified both multi-family and single family rental units prior to beginning the program” (p.3 of 83).
Lakewood has a scoop, plus or minus.
John Arbeeny says
Lakewood’s RIP kind of sounds like a surgeon removing your appendix through your ear. Yeah it’s perhaps possible to do it that way but I’d suggest you get a different surgeon. Yeah it’s perhaps possible to do RIP that way but I’d suggest you get a different City Council.
Joseph Boyle says
Mr. Anderson,
1. While I believe I understand what you are saying, I need some help understanding the point you are trying to make.
2. You reference “pending referendum”. I had not heard anyone was successful in launching a referendum to void the City of Lakewood’s RIP folly. Where do I sign?
3. I agree with Mr. Arbeeny and in fact know there are better ways to accomplish safe housing without victimizing property owners and tenants through the abuse of government power.
4. Thanks for keeping the spotlight on our city council’s threat of unethical treatment directed towards punishing, by the city’s count, 20,035 American citizens who’s only crime was to have the misfortune to reside or own property in the City of Lakewood.
Joseph Boyle
David Anderson says
My point was simply to satirically reference the latest RIP development.
‘Pending referendum’ is a possible action to follow receipt and review of Public Disclosure Requests – said requests made on Oct.24; promised by the City by Dec.2; delayed by the City until Jan.6. So nothing to sign yet. The referendum petition has, however, long-since been drafted and awaits attorney review once, again, the documents from the City have been received.
David Wilson says
Thank you City of Lakewood for your caring and thoughtfulness and bringing such an outstanding Rental SAFETY Program for us renters. And thank you for all of the research you are doing to bring this successful program to light!
Down with these obnoxious slumlords!
Let it never RIP but bring hope to the renters of this Great City of Lakewood!
Thank you City Council for all of your hard work; I will do my best to keep you in office!
David Wilson says
Maybe the Lakewood City Council will work on this next please! News from Seattle Council!
Taken with credit to KIRO 7 News. The best news station.
http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/council-caps-move-in-costs-for-seattle-renters/475877764
With vocal support from housing activists and over the objections of landlords, the Seattle City Council on Monday unanimously approved strict measures to limit the move-in costs for prospective renters.
Under the new ordinance: A renter’s initial move-in costs will be capped at the first full month’s rent along with a partial payment of any additional fees; security deposits would be limited to a maximum equal to one month’s rent; and landlords will be required to offer a six-month plan that allows renters to pay installments on additional move-in fees, the security deposit, and last month’s rent. The change in regulation, council members said, is an attempt to reduce the initial cost barrier for lower-income residents seeking rental units while still giving landlords financial security in an increasingly expensive city. “I view this legislation as fair to all parties and we’re justified in supporting it — even if we didn’t have a housing crisis,” council member Tim Burgess said.
Awesome news!