City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 09/29/2022 11:35 AM PDT
Introduction
Good morning and happy fall!
As many of you know, fall is my favorite season. Back-to-school, the return of football, and the coming of autumnal colors are just a few of the things I love about this time of year (not to mention a long-awaited Mariners playoff run). Looking ahead, my family is excited about the return of Proctor Treats and some of our favorite fall fun activities that have been on hiatus for two years.
This past month, I have been busy and will not be slowing down in the months ahead. The City Council is discussing issues that I have heard from many of you about – homelessness, public safety, and the budget – and it is a great time to get engaged.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me to share your thoughts and concerns. I also invite you to tune in to the City Council’s noon Study Sessions or 5 PM Council Meetings on Tuesdays via TV Tacoma, Facebook LIVE, or ZOOM. Access details are available at cityoftacoma.org/councilmeetings.
Scenes From the City of Destiny
Addressing Encampments
Homelessness continues to be the issue I hear most about from residents of Tacoma. While the issue is not isolated to Tacoma, I know you expect your elected leaders to step up and address it in our community. For that reason, this past month I brought forward an ordinance that would address encampments in parts of our city.
Since I joined the City Council in 2020, the City has put tremendous resources into addressing homelessness. We have opened seven new temporary shelters, six of which are currently in operation, (including the one by my house on 6th and Orchard), with two more soon to open. We have passed a sales tax to fund more affordable housing and put the largest share of our American Rescue Plan Act funding toward building housing for the most vulnerable in our community. We continue to fund services for substance abuse and mental health, and partner with community organizations to meet the needs of residents.
In talking with many of you and others in our community, I have heard many opinions on this ordinance, but one thing has been consistent: no one is happy with the status quo. My hope is this will address some of the issues we have with encampments while, longer-term, encourage potential partners to assist us in our efforts to move people off of the streets, into shelter, and on with their lives.
The ordinance will be back at Council for final reading on October 11. I would encourage you to listen in, and if you are interested, to provide your comments both in writing and at the meeting.
Budget Discussion
Over the past few weeks, I have heard from many of you about your thoughts on the upcoming 2023 – 2024 Biennial Budget. The City is facing a deficit in the General Fund that is currently projected to be $24 million and it is important that our budget matches community priorities. The City Manager is preparing to propose a budget that addresses the gap by adjusting both revenues and expenses. Based on the priorities and feedback of the City Council, no reductions are anticipated to be proposed to the priority areas of community safety, housing, and affordable housing services. In fact, the proposed budget is anticipated to maintain our momentum through increased investment in these areas. Supporting public safety, addressing housing and homelessness, taking care of our infrastructure, and getting Tacoma back on its feet as we work to recover from pandemic impacts are all high priorities I have heard from the residents of District 1, and that I share, as we begin our conversation.
The City Manager will propose the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget to the City Council on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. Throughout the month of October, the City Council will receive budget briefings from departments, and City staff will conduct public outreach to gather community feedback on the proposed budget. Right now our 2023-2024 Biennial Budget will be considered for adoption on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 (first reading) and Tuesday, November 22, 2022 (final reading).
Once the proposed budget is made public, I would encourage all of you to share your thoughts with the Council. There is so much to do in our city and there will most likely be some difficult choices this fall. It is important that we are hearing from all our residents and their budget priorities.
Tonight, I am very excited for the kick-off of the long awaited Proctor Neighborhood Planning Project. It all begins this evening, Thursday, September 29, with a Plan-A-Thon from 5:30 PM to 7 PM on ZOOM.
During the Plan-A-Thon, attendees will have a chance to break into teams and spend 30 minutes coming up with ideas to enhance the Proctor Neighborhood, followed by 30 minutes of presenting those ideas to the whole group.
The program will work with community members to identify and implement short-term neighborhood goals to address issues such as growth and traffic management, displacement, community identity and history, local economic development, sustainability, and public amenities.
The Proctor Neighborhood Planning Project will be guided by a steering group that will include residents, local businesses, and other key stakeholders. The City is asking anyone who is interested in being part of that group to fill out the interest form now on the website.
The Neighborhood Planning Program will also host an in-person walking tour of the Proctor District at 10 AM on October 8. The event is led by Pretty Gritty Tours. Participants can meet in front of the Allen C. Mason statue outside of the Tacoma Public Library Wheelock Branch (3722 N. 26th St), and the one-hour walking tour will end at the Proctor Farmers’ Market.
I hope I will see some of you at one of these great opportunities to shape the future of Proctor!
Council Redistricting
Every ten years, the City Council is required to examine our Council districts to ensure they are balanced by population in accordance with the US Census. The Government Performance and Finance Committee heard a presentation at our July 19 meeting and I invite you listen to the meeting and view the presentation. To learn more about the redistricting process and to learn how you can provide your comments, visit the City’s redistricting page.
Catching Up With Council Member Hines
With the nicer weather and summer break, I have been taking advantage of getting out and seeing more of the city.
Where Our Water Comes From
This past month, I traveled with At-Large Council Member Olgy Diaz to the Green River Municipal Watershed, Tacoma Water’s primary water supply since 1913. Up to 150 million gallons per day comes to Tacoma Water customers from the Green River.
Tacoma Water provides some of the cleanest drinking water in the country and it was a great opportunity to hear from the people responsible for making that possible for our community. If you are interested in learning about the Green River Municipal Watershed, visit this page.
Where Our Water Goes
I recently took the time to visit two projects to see where our separate wastewater and stormwater systems go. First up was a tour of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Puyallup River. It was great to see how we take what we flush down our toilets and our drains and make it into so many things. From the TAGRO we use in our gardens to renewable natural gas that can power our garbage trucks, it was impressive to watch how we both use our waste and also ensure that it does not harm the waters of Commencement Bay.
Second, I was able to visit the large stormwater project near the University of Puget Sound. This project, when completed, will help treat the stormwater over close to 500 acres in our city. A huge engineering and construction project, it is a reminder of all that the City is responsible for that happens under our feet.
Climbing School
This summer, I also visited the Tacoma Public Utilities Climbing School. I enjoyed spending the day meeting some of our newest employees and learning all that it takes to keep the power coming into our homes every day. I was amazed at the skill and teamwork I saw and even got to do some pole climbing myself.
This was definitely one of the highlights of my summer!
Washington Wear Pink
Finally, I am excited to be participating in Washington Wears Pink this October to raise money for the American Cancer Society. This is a deeply personal cause for me as I lost both of my parents to battles with cancer in the same year. Growing up, I spent many years in and out of hospitals supporting my parents through their illnesses and it left a deep impression on me. For that reason, I have always been a supporter of causes to help fight cancer and I am happy to support the American Cancer Society and Washington Wear Pink this year.
Throughout the month, I will be wearing pink and raising money to support the American Cancer Society. Please check out Washington Wear Pink and consider making a donation to a great cause this month!
Please be sure to check out cityoftacoma.org for City updates and resources and, as always, please email me directly at john.hines@cityoftacoma.org and do not reply to this email. You can also call me at (253) 312-5620 if you have questions.
