Liberal stronghold set to adopt eye-popping minimum wage amid business exodus

Seattle is slated to increase its minimum wage to $22.14 an hour in 2027 as the broader metro area contends with a sharp drop in job openings and Seattle businesses face mounting cost pressures.

Beginning in 2025, all Seattle employers, including small businesses, were required to pay the same minimum wage, which is adjusted annually for inflation. Several Seattle restaurant owners who have since closed their businesses have cited rising labor costs among the financial pressures that contributed to their decisions.

During the first half of 2025, shortly after the wage hikes went into effect for all businesses, 450 Seattle restaurants...