City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 03/30/2021 10:07 AM PDT
Introduction
Good Morning,
This past month I have been following the American Rescue Plan Act as it made its way through Congress. As many of you know, the City faced a budget deficit of $67 million for the 2021-2022 biennium due to reduced revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Council, we made some difficult decisions regarding the budget. This included furloughing employees, delaying projects, and removing a fire engine from service beginning in April of this year. This support from the federal government will go a long way to restoring and preserving some of the core services that I talked to many of you about last fall during budget development.
Last week, at the Committee of the Whole, City Council discussed the potential amounts coming to the City of Tacoma, and potential options for spending. While we discussed many priorities for this funding, one item that was highlighted was to restore the eliminated fire engine. This is one of my priorities, as I voted to maintain all fire engines back in November. The City will be able to maintain Fire Services at pre-pandemic levels thanks to this funding. Along with restoring the fire engine, I would like the City to prioritize ending Tacoma Public Libraries closures and further invest in our roads and other infrastructure. Over the next few months, I encourage you to follow the work of the City Council as we discuss how to prioritize the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The Mailbag!
Click the link below to view the March edition of The Mailbag! - a video segment where I read a constituent letter and provide an answer. This month's topic is on the "Home in Tacoma" project. You can view the video here: The Mailbag! March
Catching Up With Council Member Hines
Certificate of Municipal Leadership
This month I was proud to earn my Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Certificate of Municipal Leadership. Over the past year, I have enjoyed learning more about a range of issues from homelessness to public utilities and municipal budgeting. As an educator, I love to learn. I believe Tacoma needs leaders that are committed to growing in order to best respond to the challenges and opportunities facing our community.
Congressional City Summit with the National League of Cities
This past month, I virtually attended the National League of Cities Congressional City Summit. In 2020, I was lucky enough to visit Washington, DC for this conference and to talk directly to our Congressional delegation. This year, while we did not fly back to the capital, my Council colleagues and I met with Congressmen Derek Kilmer and Adam Smith and newly elected (and former Tacoma Mayor) Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. We discussed the American Rescue Plan Act, important issues facing Tacoma due to the COVID-19 pandemic and how we can work together to support the recovery of our community.
I joined the first meeting of the NLC Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee. Earlier this year, I was appointed to this committee and we met to discuss the 2021 agenda. As the City Council examines public safety and crime prevention in the years ahead, I look forward to learning from the work of the committee and advocating for our community at the national level.
Scenes From the City of Destiny
Exhibitions of Speed
Last week, City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance to address exhibitions of speed. The City of Tacoma has been participating in meetings with Pierce County jurisdictions to discuss policy options and taking a regional approach related to an increase in street racing and speed exhibitions. Many of Tacoma’s neighboring cities have adopted ordinances specific to street racing.
Over the past few weeks, I have heard from many of you about concerns regarding street racing, speeding cars and risk to pedestrians. While this addresses a specific concern, I look forward to working with you as we look at other ways to make sure our streets are safe for everyone.
Home in Tacoma
This past month I talked with a few of you about the “Home in Tacoma” project. As part of the Affordable Housing Action Strategy (AHAS), the City is revisiting the zoning governing housing development to allow more diverse housing types, often called Missing Middle Housing. The intent is to increase housing supply, create affordable housing options, and increase the choice of housing types throughout our neighborhoods.
The challenges we are facing in Tacoma with COVID-19 are unprecedented, but I want to let you know that we are taking important steps to address it in our community. We are working hard to support residents, families and businesses as we continue to address this public health crisis.
*NEW* Rental and Utility Assistance: Pierce County and City of Tacoma residents struggling to pay rent or utilities due to impacts of COVID-19, can apply for assistance PierceCountyWA.gov/housinghelp
Washington State/Governor Jay Inslee COVID-19 Response: coronavirus.wa.gov
Please be sure to check out cityoftacoma.org for updates and further resources and, as always, please email me at john.hines@cityoftacoma.org or call me at (253) 312-5620 if you have questions.
