More than 30 large companies in Seattle jointly sent a letter to Mayor Katie Wilson and the City Council, demanding quantifiable actions regarding deteriorating public safety, with Microsoft, Costco, and Starbucks among them.

The letter was led by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Challenge Seattle, and the Washington Roundtable, signed by about 35 to 38 individuals, including Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, Costco CEO Ron Vachris, Nordstrom Co-President Erik Nordstrom, Mariners CEO John Stanton, Alaska Airlines Group CEO Ben Minicucci, T-Mobile Vice Chairman Mike Sievert, Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman, and F5 CEO François Locoh-Donou. The recipients also included City Council President Joy Hollingsworth and Public Safety Committee Chair Bob Kettle. The letter cited a Chamber survey from August of 500 registered voters: only 34% believe the city has an effective public safety strategy, over 86% support an action plan, about 75% support expanding surveillance cameras, and around 90% support increasing foot and bike patrols in persistently problematic neighborhoods.

Specific demands include publishing a public safety action plan with measurable goals and monthly progress within 100 days; reactivating surveillance in Pioneer Square, the stadium district, and large event areas; reaffirming a priority for a seven-minute response to emergency calls and publicly reporting any failures to meet this standard; establishing fixed patrols in areas like Little Saigon; arresting openly drug-using individuals who repeatedly refuse treatment and shelter; providing a policy path to close open drug markets; and prohibiting camping within 250 feet of parks, playgrounds, or schools, with a 72-hour clearance period. Data from Nordstrom's downtown flagship store shows that only 29% of alarm calls resulted in police response. Washington state has the lowest per capita police presence in the nation, with Seattle having about 1.2 to 1.31 sworn officers per 1,000 people, which is approximately 40% lower than Denver, 43% lower than San Francisco, and 58% lower than Boston.

Wilson responded by thanking the business community for their letter and stated that several of the demands are being addressed, including increasing police presence in Rainier Beach, the International District, Little Saigon, the northern section of Aurora, and Belltown. This is the second public pressure letter in two days; Councilmember Kettle had previously asked her to explain why former Police Chief Shon Barnes was asked to resign. Surveillance in the stadium district was turned off after the World Cup, and Smith previously stated that every day the cameras are off, residents are less safe than they should be. Elon Musk commented on the situation, stating that it must be very bad.

The buyers are employers and chambers of commerce wanting public safety to be a hard budget constraint, while the sellers are municipal authorities wanting to keep resources focused on treatment diversion and existing progress narratives. The funding battle will fall on the next city budget: plans and appropriations are described in the letter as inseparable. Beneficiaries include foot traffic and attendance in downtown retail, stadiums, aviation, and tech parks, while the pressures are on police shortages, turned-off cameras, and open drug use and camping sites—voter turnout shows that voters want timelines and numbers, not principle statements.

Source: Public Information