New data finds that Seattle voters are concerned that the cost of doing business is too high and that companies may choose to grow elsewhere.
SEATTLE — New polling data suggests a majority of Seattle voters believe the city needs to make it easier to do business.
The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce released a survey Wednesday examining Seattle voters’ views on quality of life and the economy.
Analysis of several key data points found voters are concerned the cost of doing business in Seattle is too high and that companies may choose to grow elsewhere.
“It’s getting harder to get things done in Seattle. Voters feel it, and it’s coming through in the data,” said Joe Nguyen, president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber.
The survey found 73% of voters agreed large businesses are essential, while 64% said the city is not doing enough to support a strong business climate.
Seattle’s overall quality-of-life rating dropped from 4.81 to 4.54, its lowest point in two years following a period of steady improvement.
At the same time, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has faced criticism over her perceived attitude toward large corporations.
Earlier this week, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz criticized Wilson in an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal.
“Seattle’s mayor, Katie Wilson, has chosen to cast business as a foil rather than a partner,” Schultz wrote. “Her socialist rhetoric vilifies employers, even while she continues to rely on them for revenue. She has encouraged residents who disagree with her policies to leave.”
In November 2025, Wilson told a crowd of picketing baristas and workers, “I am not buying Starbucks, and you should not either.”
In April, Wilson appeared on a Seattle University panel about the state of local progressive politics. When asked about Washington’s recently passed income tax on top earners, she said “the claims that millionaires are going to leave our state are like super overblown, and … the ones that leave, like, ‘bye.’”
On Wednesday, Wilson struck a more conciliatory tone, telling KING 5, “Starbucks is part of Seattle’s culture and identity, and I want the company and other large employers to continue succeeding here.”
“My team and I are in regular communication with the executive team at Starbucks on shared priorities like addressing homelessness, public safety, and affordability,” Wilson continued. “Starbucks and other business leaders have been great partners in our efforts to expand shelter. Seattle is a special place because of our history, our culture, our workforce, and a shared understanding that companies and workers can succeed together. There is plenty of room for us all to find common ground and work together on our city’s biggest challenges.”
Nguyen said during a Tuesday briefing on the chamber’s latest voter index survey that voters want measurable results from city leaders.
“People increasingly care less about whether something sounds good and more about whether it is actually producing visible results,” Nguyen said. “We still have progressive values, but we want to have measurable outcomes.”
Nguyen also addressed Schultz’s criticism directly.
“I really empathize and understand the frustration,” Nguyen said. “I do think that this is a conversation that Seattle should have and needs to have.”
Despite the criticism and economic anxiety, the survey also found roughly 80% of voters said they are proud to call themselves Seattleites.
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