Week in Review: gas prices, Starbucks, and an activation plan

Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with Seattle Times Isabella Breda, Puget Sound Business Journal’s Alex Halverson, and KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg.

Washington state now has America’s most expensive gasoline. Experts say the increase in gas prices, which has been rising steadily since January, is due to the state’s new carbon-pricing program launched this year that charges businesses for the greenhouse gases they emit. Washington’s latest average gas price was $4.91 per gallon, passing California for the highest. Is the carbon-pricing program the only reason for this?

The union organizing Starbucks workers say a union strike closed 21 stores over the weekend, including the Reserve Roastery on Seattle's Capitol Hill. The strike will continue through this week and is expected to close or disrupt operations at more than 150 stores. Starbucks Workers United claims management didn't let some employees put up Pride decorations this month. Starbucks called it a “public relations stunt.” What's the truth?

This week, Value Village went to the New York Stock Exchange. The thrift store's parent company is called Savers, headquartered in Bellevue. There are about a dozen Value Villages in Western Washington, and there are many more in Canada and Australia. Shares of Savers Value Village climbed nearly 40%. Does Value Village going publicly traded say anything about consumer behavior?

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell laid out his downtown activation plan, which includes "improving street and sidewalk lighting in areas of downtown where crime and disorder are concentrated,” zoning changes that would encourage more housing and a school downtown. There was also an AI presentation of what a revitalized downtown might look like, and protesters at times causing a distraction with “stop the sweeps” chants. What is the price tag for his vision?

TW, KC required all businesses in the unincorporated County to accept cash payments. In King County there are 67,000 residents without a bank account and 380,000 have a bank account but they don't use credit cards. Businesses who oppose this change list security issues, being robbed among others as reasons to be cashless. Some establishments that provide services like barber shops are exempt from the cash payment requirement. Businesses would only be required to accept cash for purchases up to $200 and would not have to accept denominations higher than $20. Who wins and who loses?