Starbucks founder says Mayor Wilson is “defaming his employer.” Do Seattle voters agree?

SEATTLE — A majority of Seattle voters believe the city needs to make it easier to do business, new polling data shows.

The Metropolitan Seattle Chamber of Commerce released a survey Wednesday examining Seattle voters’ views on quality of life and the economy.

An analysis of several key data points found that voters are concerned that the cost of doing business in Seattle is too high and businesses may choose to grow elsewhere.

Related: Lawsuit filed against Washington’s recently passed ‘millionaire tax’

“It’s getting harder and harder to get work done in Seattle. Voters feel it, and it shows in the data,” said Joe Nguyen, president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce.

The survey found that 73% of voters believe large businesses are critical, while 64% said the city is not doing enough to support a strong business environment.

Seattle’s overall quality of life score dropped from 4.81 to 4.54, its lowest point in two years after a period of steady improvement.

Meanwhile, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson faces criticism for her stance on big companies.

Earlier this week, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz criticized Wilson in an opinion piece Published in The Wall Street Journal.

“Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has chosen to treat businesses as foils rather than partners,” Schultz wrote. “Her socialist rhetoric denigrated her employers, even though she continued to rely on them for income. She encouraged residents who disagreed with her policies to leave.”

In November 2025, Wilson told a group of picketing baristas and workers: “I’m not buying Starbucks, and you shouldn’t be buying either.”

In April, Wilson appeared on a Seattle University panel about the state of local progressive politics. Asked about Washington’s recently passed income tax on high earners, she said, “The idea that millionaires are going to leave our state is just so exaggerated, and … the ones that are leaving, it’s like, ‘Goodbye.'”

On Wednesday, Wilson struck a softer tone, telling KING 5, “Starbucks is part of Seattle’s culture and identity, and I want the company and other large employers to continue to be successful here.”

“My team and I communicate regularly with Starbucks’ executive team on shared priorities such as addressing homelessness, public safety and affordability,” Wilson continued. “Starbucks and other business leaders have been critical partners in our efforts to expand shelter. Seattle is a special place because of our history, culture, workforce and shared understanding that companies and workers can succeed together. There is ample room for all of us to find common ground and work together to address the biggest challenges facing our city.”

Voters want measurable results from city leaders, Nguyen said during a Tuesday briefing on the chamber’s latest Voter Index Survey.

“People are less concerned about whether something sounds good than whether it actually produces visible results,” Nguyen said. “We still have progressive values, but we want to achieve measurable results.”

Nguyen also responded directly to Schultz’s criticism.

“I really sympathize and understand the frustration,” Nguyen said. “I do think this is a conversation that Seattle should and needs to have.”

Despite the criticism and economic anxiety, the survey also found about 80% of voters said they were proud to call themselves Seattleites.

Related: Starbucks founder Howard Schultz retires and moves to Florida