Seattle Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson Calls for Public Grocery Stores and Worker Protections
Democratic Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson declared in a resurfaced September video that she will not allow private grocery stores to close without consequence, and she voiced support for government-run grocery stores as a “public option.”
During her mayoral campaign, Wilson criticized corporate grocery chains for only serving those who can afford it, saying, “Access to affordable, healthy food is a basic right. We cannot allow giant grocery chains to stomp all over our communities, close stores that will leave behind food deserts. Together, we can build a Seattle where fresh food is for everyone, not just for those who can afford it. Food deserts are not natural—corporations create them when they abandon our communities.”
Wilson also called for stronger protections for grocery workers, including a 90-day notice before mass layoffs and fair severance packages. “When grocery corporations lay off hundreds of people overnight, the whole community suffers. Seattle families deserve fresh, affordable food and workers deserve dignity and stability,” she said.
Her proposal follows a similar plan by Democratic New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has promised government-run grocery stores in New York City. The plan has faced opposition from some officials, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who expressed support for free enterprise, and supermarket owner John Catsimatidis, who cited the closure of a government-run store in Kansas City, Missouri, as a warning.
Wilson has also pledged to prioritize diversity and equity in her administration, promising to appoint cabinet members from Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latinx, LGBTQ, and Asian communities. Additionally, she has committed to protecting Seattle’s sanctuary city status and resisting federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.
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