Seattle is the Emerald of the Evergreen State. It is our largest city, our most important economic hub, and one of Washington’s most prominent representatives on the national and international stage. We all have a stake in a Seattle that is safe, clean, and economically thriving.
But in just nine months under Mayor Katie Wilson, the shine on that Emerald has significantly diminished. Wilson has called for boycotts of iconic Seattle brands as companies move jobs elsewhere. The homelessness and drug crisis has not abated, visible every day at places like 12th and Jackson and in growing encampments. Gun violence and human trafficking continue to plague Aurora Avenue. And the mismanagement on display after the horrific Bite of Seattle shootings left residents and visitors without the leadership and information they deserved.
Seattle is too important to Washington to accept more of the same.