Seattle businesses demand public safety action plan

More than 30 major companies operating in Seattle, including Microsoft, Costco, Starbucks, Nordstrom, T-Mobile, and the Seattle Mariners, have signed an open letter demanding a “100-day public safety action plan.” The businesses are calling for increased police hiring, the reinstatement of city CCTV cameras, an end to open-air drug markets, and bans on homeless encampments near public parks.

Mayor Katie Wilson has responded to the city's challenges by signing an executive order aimed at improving government effectiveness. Critics of the administration have pointed to rising crime and issues with public spaces, noting that recent police investigations were hindered by the deactivation of certain surveillance cameras. The business leaders also requested a recommitment to maintaining seven-minute 911 response times.