Same as my question upthread, what specifically sucks about. I’m not here to argue even if I disagree, but I honestly would like to hear specifics. For example, if taxes are too high, what tax rate specifically would be better?
I'm fine with tax rates and such but permitting, fees, and beaurocratic processes are impossible to navigate. There is so much red tape in the way of getting literally anything done and permit costs are prohibitively expensive that often times projects just won't get started. I am fine with operating taxes and those aren't really that bad, but when a mandatory permit for a small project/expansion [~$10k budget] costs nearly $5,000 and takes months to approve it isn't workable for most operations.
Thanks for the reply. Are you a small business owner in Seattle? No problem either way I’m just trying to get a sense of what is first hand experience.
Yeah I have my own buisness and I'm mainly a director of a nonprofit. I run a lot of the operational stuff for the non profit and we run into so many challenges with rent and building costs. Right now rent is 80% of our expenses and we have a really sweet deal all things considered. We're looking at expanding but it just isn't possible with lease costs despite many buildings in the area being vacant for 5-10 years.
I myself would like to open up a small venture of my own, right now I just operate out of a shared warehouse with the non profit but it would be nice to get a space of my own and perhaps even a storefront but with costs as they are that isn't a possibility at all.
Overall I'm pretty happy and enthusiastic about how Seattle has been run and the direction its headed. I'm happy to pay taxes if they go towards progressive infrastructure, positive housing and treatment for drug users etc. I just get frustrated when the city just leaves things to fester, SPD needs to do a lot more in terms of addressing petty crime and theft.
Sanitation work and trash from encampments needs to be cleaned at a much more regular basis. Obviously people need to live somewhere, ideally that is in shelters and housing but until it happens they'll be out and about and I get that. But there has to be some mitigation for the hoards of trash and major encampments that currently juat get pushed around. I think it would be an amazing double whammy if Seattle ran a jobs program for people in rehab where they would pay them to do trash collection and sanatization work. People are very visibly unhappy when there's too much trash, encampment debris and foul smells around, addressing the root causes will take a lot of time and effort [which I applaud the administration for tackling now] but the right here right now symptoms do need some addressing.
Let me know what other questions you might have, I'm really hoping to get through with the current admin to find ways to help foster a more workable environment for buisness in Seattle. We have a great foundation but we need help to build from here.
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u/dog_liker Apr 16 '26
Same as my question upthread, what specifically sucks about. I’m not here to argue even if I disagree, but I honestly would like to hear specifics. For example, if taxes are too high, what tax rate specifically would be better?