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Greetings District 5 residents,
It is my sincere honor to join the Tacoma City Council and represent your concerns and interests! I was newly elected on November 2021 to become the representative for District 5, which includes parts of South Tacoma, the South End and East Tacoma.
I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and briefly share some of the concerns I’ve heard from many of you. I was born at St. Joe’s downtown and raised in Tacoma. I’ve lived in many parts of the city growing up, but I’m proud to call South Tacoma home. I am also a Stadium High School alum, GO Tigers! Throughout my life, my focus has always been on service to the community. As a young boy I would often volunteer with different groups to pick up litter, make food for those in need and organize donation drives. My father's side of the family has deep roots in Tacoma, my great, great, great grandfather used to blow old tree stumps up with dynamite! My mother on the other hand came to the United States in the 80’s as a refugee fleeing from the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia. The strengths of both my mother and father have inspired me to give back to our community, and have led me to this point! I am very proud to represent the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community as the first Cambodian-American to serve on the Tacoma City Council.
Not long after graduating from Stadium, I started my career in the United States Marine Corps, where I wore many hats but mainly worked in ammunition logistics. After over a decade of service, I hung up my uniform as a Staff Sergeant. More recently, I’ve worked on behalf of many of our local businesses in support of economic development through my work with the Washington Hospitality Association in Pierce County and have served on many different boards including Travel Tacoma, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Food Advisory Board, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council and the Tacoma Public Utility Board.
My priority is to elevate the voices of District 5 to ensure our needs are addressed in a thoughtful and sustainable way by the City of Tacoma. I have heard from many of you about the increased rates of crime, the lack of support for our houseless neighbors, the ever-increasing prices of homes, the need for better jobs and so much more. These are all issues that I alone cannot tackle, but together, we as a community can create tangible and lasting solutions that will help our side of town to thrive, and I am ready to help lead the charge with your support!
Please reach out to me with your ideas, concerns, and the great things happening in your neighborhood at jbushnell2@cityoftacoma.org or call my office at (253) 591-5113.
Thank you,
Council Member Joe Bushnell
City of Tacoma, District 5
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