Seattle is paying to manage crime it refuses to stop

Seattle mayor spends $1.7 million on grocery store security instead of enforcing the law

It's easier to ignore the problem than to fix it

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is funneling $1.7 million in taxpayer money to hire security guards and patch up grocery stores battered by retail theft, a plan critics say treats the symptom while ignoring the disease of rampant crime.

Wilson announced the city-funded grocery-support initiative earlier this week as part of Seattle's 2026 budget. The plan targets 10 independent grocery stores, offering one-time funding for security upgrades and repairs along with a full year of business support. The city will also partner with the Independent Grocers Alliance to study eight neighborhoods as potential sites for new grocery stores.

The mayor framed the spending as a lifeline for neighborhoods losing access to affordable food. In a social media post, Wilson said that "keeping our neighborhood grocery stores safe and supported is essential to making sure every Seattleite has a reliable, affordable grocery store near them."

But the announcement landed in a city where larceny-theft is the most commonly reported crime in every police precinct, and where the police force has been gutted over the past five years. Wilson announced that she had hired 66 new police officers.

Critics say the city is paying to manage crime it refuses to stop.

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