Seattle business leaders — including the CEOs of major corporations such as Starbucks and Microsoft — are urging socialist Mayor Katie Wilson and other city officials to take swift action on public safety, pointing to widespread voter dissatisfaction over crime and homelessness.
In a letter dated Thursday, executives called on Wilson, City Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Public Safety Committee Chair Robert Kettle and other council members to adopt a 100-day public safety plan.
The proposed measures include expanding police patrols, installing additional CCTV cameras, recommitting to a seven-minute response standard for priority 911 calls, transparently reporting when that standard is missed, and requiring the city to clear homeless encampments in designated areas within 72 hours.
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Signers of the letter include top executives from T-Mobile, Alaska Air Group, Starbucks, the Seattle Mariners, Microsoft, BECU, the SODO Business Improvement Area, the Ballard Alliance and the Washington Hospitality Association.
The business coalition is demanding measurable results, citing an Aug. 17 poll showing that only 34% of local voters are confident the city has an effective strategy to address public safety. Each proposal in their plan drew support from at least three-quarters of respondents across every geographic area and demographic group in the city, according to the letter.
Central to the letter’s demands is a push to rebuild the Seattle Police Department. As of mid-2026, Seattle had approximately 1.31 sworn officers per 1,000 residents — “about 40% fewer than Denver, 43% fewer than San Francisco, and 58% fewer than Boston,” the letter noted.
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The business leaders also pushed for increased foot and bicycle patrols in high-crime areas. The request comes shortly after the city ended hiring incentives for police recruits, eliminating bonuses that had offered up to $50,000 for lateral transfers from other law enforcement agencies.
Seattle has struggled for years with persistent property crime, open-air drug use, and homelessness, despite significant funding. In 2024, the city allocated over $150 million toward homeless services.
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“You can just see the foil is, like, blowing down the sidewalks like autumn leaves,” Andrea Suarez, founder and executive director of We Heart Seattle, previously told Fox News Digital. “[It’s] very common to see property damage in our parks and shared spaces. Narcan is used to reverse an overdose, so you’ll see cartridges. But at least we’re remodeling the bathroom to be gender-neutral. I’m not [kidding] you, that’s where our priorities are.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
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