Seattle business leaders call on mayor to tackle public safety crisis

Seattle’s business elite is taking aim at Mayor Katie Wilson, demanding she get tough on public safety as the city grapples with deadly violence, open-air drug markets and concerns over police response times.

In a blistering letter Thursday, the CEOs and leaders of some of the region’s biggest companies — Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, Zillow, Nordstrom, Alaska Airlines, T-Mobile and the Seattle Mariners — called on the City Council to deliver a “credible public-safety plan” with measurable results.

“A credible public-safety plan and a budget that protects the investments behind it are inseparable. Seattle voters have made clear that they expect both. We are ready to be partners,” the letter signed by 38 leaders reads.

The unprecedented broadside comes as Seattle reels from a string of violent incidents, including a recent Belltown shooting that left three young people dead and three others seriously injured.

Wilson herself called the violence “tragic and unacceptable.”

The business leaders’ letter was signed by C-suite executives and civic leaders, including Microsoft President Brad Smith, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, Costco CEO Ron Vachris, Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman, Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom, Mariners CEO John Stanton and T-Mobile Vice Chairman Mike Sievert.

In addition to Wilson, the letter was addressed to City Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Public Safety Committee Chair Robert Kettle and members of the Seattle City Council.

In the letter, the coalition expressed that its members are ready to meet with the mayor, council leadership and city staff to discuss moving these public safety priorities from planning into action.

The California Post has reached out to the Mayor’s Office for comment on the proposal.

Just 34% of registered voters surveyed in an Aug. 17 poll commissioned by the business coalition said they were confident the city had an effective plan for public safety, according to the letter.

“Voters are asking for action, on a timeline, with results they can measure,” the executives wrote.”This is not a narrow or partisan agenda, it is a shared baseline that Seattle residents and the business community are asking their elected leaders to deliver both now and as a sustained priority.”

They said every public-safety proposal tested in the poll won at least 75% support, with 90% backing regular foot and bicycle patrols in neighborhoods plagued by persistent crime.

The coalition also demanded Seattle recommit to a seven-minute priority 911 response standard, saying data from Nordstrom’s downtown flagship showed only 29% of its 911 calls resulted in an officer responding to the store.

By comparison, the letter said, Nordstrom locations in Southcenter and Bellevue received police responses to 100% of their 911 calls.

The executives also want the city to activate CCTV cameras in Pioneer Square, the Stadium District and other high-event areas, shut down open-air drug markets and produce a public safety action plan within 100 days, complete with monthly progress reports.

More than 80% of voters surveyed backed policies directing city diversion specialists to offer drug users treatment and shelter first — while arresting and prosecuting repeat offenders who refuse help, according to the letter.

Another proposal, supported by 79%, would prohibit camping within 250 feet of schools, playgrounds and parks and require encampments in those areas to be cleared within 72 hours.

The letter comes at a particularly difficult moment for Wilson, a self-described democratic socialist who narrowly defeated incumbent Bruce Harrell in 2025. Her campaign drew comparisons to Zohran Mamdani’s progressive New York mayoral campaign, particularly over affordability, housing and transportation.

Wilson has also faced scrutiny over her handling of the Seattle Police Department.

In July, Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned after the mayor pressed him to step down following criticism of the city’s handling of communications surrounding the fatal Bite of Seattle shooting. Wilson subsequently appointed Andre Sayles as interim chief. 

The mayor has since announced a national search for a permanent police chief, saying Seattle needs a leader focused on “operational excellence” and accountability. 

But the business leaders say promises aren’t enough.

“A credible public-safety plan and a budget that protects the investments behind it are inseparable,” they wrote. “Seattle voters have made clear that they expect both.”

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