Seattle and Spokane, Washington, are two cities with vastly different tech industries but still have a lot to learn from each other. At a Technology Alliance event, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown discussed the city’s efforts to maintain affordability and quality of life in the face of a recent population growth due to remote work. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell reflected on Seattle’s growth over the past 15 years, acknowledging that he would have focused more on the impact of the tech boom on housing and affordability if he could go back to 2007, the year he was first elected to the Seattle City Council.
Looking ahead, Harrell urged the audience of tech and business leaders in Seattle to use the rise of artificial intelligence as an opportunity to address the inequities in the tech industry and broader society. Brown discussed Spokane’s work to leverage the U.S. Chips and Science Act to encourage economic expansion through the planned American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center, as well as efforts to address economic inequality and bolster early childhood education in the region.
Brown highlighted Spokane’s innovation clusters, including life sciences, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and a designated tech hub focusing on advanced manufacturing aerospace materials. She discussed the collaboration between companies and higher education institutions in the region to drive economic growth. Brown also mentioned Spokane’s designation as an NSF economic engine in smart grid technology, showcasing the city’s diverse and forward-thinking policies in various industry sectors.
Harrell addressed Seattle’s growth as a tech hub and the impact it has had on housing affordability. He also raised concerns about the impact of the gaming industry on youth and the need for open discussions about the effects of violent content on behavior. Harrell emphasized the importance of addressing social issues alongside economic growth and called for a more transparent dialogue about the impacts of technology on society.
Brown shared her aspiration for Spokane to launch a collective impact initiative for early learning to address economic challenges and lack of affordable childcare in the city. Harrell emphasized the need to address inequity in the tech industry and encouraged the audience to think about causes they care about, such as climate change, income equality, racism, and gender fairness. He called for increased diversity and inclusion in the industry as a means to achieve equity.
Overall, the mayors of Seattle and Spokane highlighted the challenges and opportunities facing their cities in the tech industry. They emphasized the importance of addressing social issues, such as housing affordability, economic inequality, and early childhood education, alongside technological advancements. The conversation underscored the need for a more inclusive and equitable tech industry that considers the impacts of innovation on society as a whole.
