Following Mayor Bruce Harrell’s budget address on Sept. 26, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Rachel Smith issued the following statement:
“We applaud that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s budget proposal makes the right adjustments delivering on voter priorities with investments in public safety, homelessness and generating more economic activity – especially in our region’s economic engine, downtown Seattle,” said Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. “We hope the city council will do the same, using taxpayer dollars in a way that reflects voter priorities and is focused on delivering results. And after these budget adjustments are passed, we all need to focus on managing the city’s impending deficit by getting spending under control, prioritizing existing revenues to meet the city’s highest priorities – including public safety and drug use – and increasing the city’s tax base by making it easier to do business here.”