A coalition of 38 regional business leaders delivered a letter Thursday urging Mayor Katie Wilson and Seattle City Council president and District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth to adopt an immediate “100-day public safety action plan” with “concrete” performance metrics, arriving just ahead of fall city budget negotiations.
Organized by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, “CEO-level civic alliance” Challenge Seattle, and the statewide lobbyist Washington Roundtable, the letter is signed by executives including Microsoft’s Brad Smith, Starbucks’ Brian Niccol, Costco’s Ron Vachris, and Alaska Airlines’ Ben Minicucci. The signatories asserted that “voters are asking for action, on a timeline, with results they can measure,” citing an August Chamber survey where only 34% of 500 registered voters expressed confidence in Seattle’s public safety approach, while they say 86% backed a 100-day framework.
“The clearest message from our August 17 joint public-opinion poll of registered Seattle voters is this: residents expect the City to act with urgency, fund the actions needed to improve safety, and provide a clear plan for measuring progress,” the letter (PDF) reads.
The demands establish benchmarks including requiring a 7-minute 911 response target and reporting missed calls, noting police responded to only 29% of calls at Nordstrom’s downtown flagship compared to 100% at its Bellevue and Southcenter stores. Reactivating CCTV networks in Pioneer Square and the Stadium District (75% voter support), deploying walking and bike beats (90% support), and clearing encampments within 250 feet of parks and schools within 72 hours (79% support) are also part of the call. Continue reading →