Puget Sound leaders launch business push after job losses and weaker rankings
Business and civic leaders in the Puget Sound region have launched a new effort to reverse economic slippage after the region lost nearly 7,000 jobs in 2025, the first annual decline in decades, according to former Gov. Chris Gregoire and Challenge Seattle.
The group, called the Partnership for a Competitive Puget Sound, is backed by more than $1 million and is aimed at simplifying taxes, reducing regulatory hurdles and supporting job growth. Organizers also introduced a mayoral playbook meant to improve coordination between local government and private employers.
The push comes as Washington has fallen in business rankings over the past decade. The state dropped from first to 11th overall in one report cited by organizers, while its cost-of-doing-business ranking fell from 32nd to 47th between 2017 and 2026 and its overall business-friendliness ranking slipped from 31st to 40th. Downtown Seattle office vacancy rates are also above 35%.
Mayor Katie Wilson, appearing with business leaders on the Seattle waterfront, acknowledged financial pressure facing the city as officials prepare the next budget.
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