Retail Industry Coalition of Seattle
Giving Seattle Retailers A Stronger Voice
Expanding Our Outreach
New Challenges, New Opportunities
Since its creation 8 years ago, the Retail Industry Coalition of Seattle (“RICS”) has represented the interests of small Seattle retailers on a wide range of issues – from minimum wage and Paid Sick & Safe Time to public safety concerns and homelessness. On all of these issues, we’ve sought to advocate for real solutions.
One example was advocating for city funding for the JustCare program, which provided housing with services for unhoused people in Seattle. Small business owners know that we cannot solve the problems of homelessness without meeting the needs of the unhoused.
In 2025, our city continued its two-decade trend of one-term mayors. As progressive Katie Wilson takes office on January 1, 2026, RICS will seek opportunities to inform her administration about the challenges confronting small retailers – and find issues on which we can work collaboratively with her. No doubt, we will also have issues on which we disagree with the Mayor and Council in the coming year.
RICS was established to keep small retailers – who don’t have a lot of time to follow developments in City Hall – well informed on police discussions that could impact their businesses. We also provide guidance on how small retailers can best make their voices heard in the halls of government.
Most important, we look forward to hearing from you. How can our city government improve conditions for your business? Let us be your megaphone!
Director, Retail Industry Coalition of Seattle
Critical Policy Battles Affecting Your Business
Top Issues in Seattle
Washington Retail has formed a Seattle business coalition to help City Council members understand the costs of a series of workplace regulations and requirements. Seattle small businesses now have a clear voice in City Council debates and decisions.
Seattle charter amendment campaign announced to combat homelessness
An alliance of business, civic and community leaders known as Compassion Seattle has announced an initiative signature campaign with the aim of identifying housing and services for the city’s homeless population.
The campaign first must collect 33,600 signatures of registered voters in support to qualify a city charter amendment on the November 2021 election ballot. If approved by voters, it would require the city to identify an additional 2,000 units of emergency or permanent housing within a year as well as related services for the homeless.
The goal of the campaign, in part, is to remove encampments of unhoused people from city parks and in vehicles throughout the city. Retailers are urged to support the initiative to address the ill effects of homelessness on their businesses and the quality of life in Seattle and the region.
Head Tax
The Retail Industry Coalition of Seattle joined other business groups to fight the City Council’s proposed Head Tax in 2018. After passing the tax by a 9-0 vote, the Council saw an enormous public backlash, including a signature-gathering campaign to put a repeal initiative on the ballot. After over 42,000 Seattle residents signed the repeal petitions, the Council reversed course, voting 7-2 to repeal the Head Tax. RICS will continue to advocate for city government to prioritize needs and spend effectively to address those needs.
Paid Sick Leave
WR opposes government-imposed leave mandates that rob businesses of their flexibility to address specific circumstances among employees. Such mandates threaten productivity and impose burdensome costs that hit small businesses especially hard and create a great disadvantage for them. Last year, the Washington Research Council published a brief warning that imposing paid sick leave threatens many businesses by making them less competitive with others not facing the same regulation.