$15/hr in Seattle (and Tacoma/Bellevue) is $1.61/hr above a living wage for the average single person with no kids. [1]

I thought the goal of the living wage was to ensure that, in general, people can cover their necessities without having to resort to welfare.

Once the first couple levels of maslow's hierarchy are taken care of, doesn't the usual advice of "start climbing" apply to the rest of it?

[1]: http://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660