Deputy Mayor John Hines - District 1 - October 3, 2024
City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 10/03/2024 12:54 PM PDT
Happy Fall Tacoma!
Football is back, kids are in school, the leaves are turning to fall colors, and I am firmly in my favorite season. The Hines Family has been busy with Garyn starting 6th grade at Hunt Middle School and Lauryn continuing to 2nd grade at Grant Elementary School. With soccer in full swing and many neighborhood events happening, it has been a great start to the season.
I am excited to be speaking on an upcoming Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Alumni Panel at the University of Puget Sound. The event will take place on Thursday, October 17, from 5 - 6:30 PM in the Wheelock Student Center Rotunda on campus, and it will focus on the essential role educators play in our democracy.
Together with local educational and political leaders who are also graduates of the University’s MAT program, we will explore how teaching contributes to the public good and the importance of restoring, supporting, and sustaining a vibrant teaching profession. The panel will also dive into questions about how educators cultivate character and community understanding, particularly in times of political division, and how we can revive interest in teaching as a profession.
This is a public event, open to all who are passionate about supporting educators and sustaining the work of teachers in our democratic society. I hope you'll join me for this important discussion and help spread the word!
Scenes from the City of Destiny
Home in Tacoma: Public Hearing and Next Steps
On September 24, the City Council held a public hearing for the Home in Tacoma Zoning and Standards package (which you can view here). I want to thank all the residents who took the time to share their thoughts on the proposed changes to our city’s zoning code. Your input is invaluable as we continue to shape Tacoma’s future.
While the public hearing has concluded, the City Council will continue discussing the Home in Tacoma package and potential updates throughout the fall. If you have additional thoughts or were unable to provide comments during the hearing, I encourage you to reach out via email to your Council Members. Your feedback remains essential as the City Council considers any additional changes.
For more information on the Home in Tacoma project, including what has happened so far and what to expect in the coming months, I encourage you to visit the Home in Tacoma webpage. This is an important conversation about how we plan for Tacoma's growth, and we want to ensure that everyone is part of this dialogue.
2025-2026 Biennial Budget Development: Your Input Matters
We are kicking off the development process for Tacoma's 2025-2026 Biennial Budget in October. The City operates on a two-year budget cycle, and now is the time to plan for the next two years. Throughout October, the City Council will receive presentations during Study Session on different aspects of the City's budget from the City Manager.
Like many cities around us, we are facing challenging decisions as we manage the growing expenses of operating a city alongside some revenue shortfalls, including the end of our COVID relief funds. Our focus continues to be on establishing long-term, sustainable solutions to ensure we can continue providing the services our community relies on and that are aligned with our values.
I encourage all community members to stay informed by tuning into the Study Sessions or visiting the City’s website for more details. If you have specific suggestions or priorities you would like to see reflected in the upcoming budget, I am happy to hear your input. This is an important conversation that we need the entire community to join.
One of my core values as a Council Member is ensuring that Tacoma serves all residents—from the youngest to the most experienced among us. With that in mind, I have been revisiting Tacoma’s Age-Friendly Action Plan, which was adopted in 2021 through collaboration with multiple stakeholders and led by former Council Member Lillian Hunter. At the time, I promised to continue the important work she had started, and I am proud to bring this plan back to the forefront.
In August, I met with stakeholders from the original Age Friendly Action Plan to discuss potential updates. While the plan has made great strides in addressing the needs of our aging population, it is clear that additional work is needed to ensure that seniors in our community feel fully supported and connected.
To continue this work, I will be hosting a series of meetings with community members, culminating in a Senior Summit later this year. This will allow us to gather broader public input on new ideas and strategies to meet the growing needs of Tacoma’s aging population.
A large part of my passion for promoting Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and the ADU Accelerator Program is rooted in the belief that these options allow for more aging in place and foster intergenerational households. By providing flexible housing solutions, we can ensure that more people are able to live their entire lives here in Tacoma, surrounded by family and community.
I look forward to sharing more updates on this important work. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to build a city that is welcoming and livable for residents of all ages.
Historic Cushman Street Fair
This past month, I joined the North End Neighborhood Council and many of our neighbors at the Historic Cushman Street Fair. This was part of the Proctor Neighborhood Plan’s Boost Your Block grants and the Cushman and Adams Substations Future Use Study. It was a great event this year with family activities, music, fabulous balloon animals, and free ice cream. The weather was better than last year, the crowd was bigger, and I was very happy with how much of the community came out for the event.
I would also encourage you to join us for the scenarios workshops as we review the feedback from the community about the future of the Cushman and Adams substations. You can learn more about the workshops on Facebook.Thank you to everyone that shared their thoughts online, at one of the visioning workshops, or at the Historic Cushman Street Fair.
Scenario Workshop Sessions:
Session 1:
When: Monday, October 21, 4:30 PM to 6 PM OR6:30 PM to 8 PM
Where: University of Washington Tacoma, 1900 Commerce Street, Milgard Room 110
Session 2:
When: Saturday, October 26, 1:30 PM to 3 PM OR 3:30 PM to 5 PM
Where: Wheelock Library, 3722 North 26 Street
Celebrate Tacoma Arts and Culture in October
One thing I have always loved about Tacoma is how integral arts and artists are to our community fabric. From our museums and cultural spaces to our amazing public art and our community arts organizations, Tacoma has always been a place that supports and fosters creativity. For that reason, I looking forward to another Tacoma Arts Month.
October 2024 marks the 23rd anniversary of Tacoma Arts Month – a community celebration of the arts that includes many community-hosted arts and culture events, exhibits, and workshops for all ages taking place throughout the month.
Programming includes music and dance performances, hands-on experiences, visual art exhibits, film screenings, literary readings, lectures, cultural events, and workshops. All events are open to the public and many activities are free.
Trash Talk
Green Day Tacoma
Green Day Tacoma is one of my favorite annual events in our community. Green Day Tacoma is day of service each year that offers great opportunities to get to know each other and our local green spaces. This year’s celebration will be on Saturday, October 12, from 9 AM to noon. Participants are encouraged to take individual actions and participate in volunteer activities to help protect and restore natural spaces in their neighborhoods.
Check out the Green Day Tacoma website and find an opportunity to get involved!
Point Defiance Park Watch Program
Along the lines of getting more involved in our city, I wanted to also share another great volunteer opportunity. Point Defiance's Park Watch program is a volunteer initiative through Metro Parks Tacoma that enhances visitor safety by patrolling the park to enforce park rules, prevent vandalism, and monitor for environmental hazards such as fallen trees.
Established by Pete Sluka in 1997, the program aims to provide comprehensive visitor safety and park protection through active engagement and vigilance.
Park Watch volunteers, easily identifiable by their yellow safety vests and lanyards, commit to a minimum of two hours a month. The Park Watch group, which regularly numbers between 50 and 60 people, meets the second Monday of the month at 6 PM at the Point Defiance Pagoda, with additional in-depth training held twice a year.
Those interested in joining the Point Defiance Park Watch must be 18 years or older. For more information, contact Desiree Kennedy, Metro Parks Community and Special Projects Coordinator, at (253) 209-5806 or desiree.kennedy@tacomaparks.com.
Catching Up with Deputy Mayor Hines
Fire Ride-Along at Station 16
This past month, I had the privilege of joining the firefighters at Station 16 for my annual ride-along with the Tacoma Fire Department. It's always a deeply meaningful experience to see firsthand the incredible work these men and women do to keep us safe.
Spending time with the firefighters and witnessing their dedication is a powerful reminder of the vital role they play in serving our community. I am always grateful for the opportunity to see our city workers in action, and I want to thank them for their unwavering commitment to Tacoma.
Pierce Transit Bus Simulator
Since joining the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners, I’ve been eager to experience what it’s like to drive a bus. While I don’t have a commercial driver’s license, this past month I had the opportunity to test my skills on Pierce Transit’s bus simulator.
The simulator is an important part of Pierce Transit’s commitment to safety, providing interactive training for drivers to ensure they are prepared for the challenges of navigating our city streets. While I won’t be driving an actual bus anytime soon, the experience gave me a new level of respect for what our drivers do every day and how demanding their work can be.
A huge thank you to all of our Pierce Transit bus drivers for your service and dedication to keeping Tacoma moving safely!
Welcoming New Students at the University of Washington Tacoma
As an educator, I’ve always valued the opportunity to help prepare young people for the future. This past month, it was an honor to deliver the welcome speech on behalf of the City of Tacoma at the University of Washington Tacoma’s convocation.
Last year, I gave a similar welcome at my alma mater, the University of Puget Sound, so it was a pleasure to speak to a new group of students at UW Tacoma. Many of my former students have gone on to study there, and I have a deep respect for the university’s commitment to not only educating its students but also inspiring them to serve our community.
It was a privilege to share my hopes for what they can gain from their time on campus and how they can help make Tacoma a better place for all.
Please be sure to check out cityoftacoma.org for City updates and resources and, as always, please feel free to share your thoughts and concerns with me directly at john.hines@cityoftacoma.org. You can also call me at (253) 312-5620 if you have questions.
I invite you to tune in to the City Council’s Study Session or Council meetings every week on Tuesdays via TV Tacoma, Facebook Live, or Zoom. Access information is available at cityoftacoma.org/councilmeetings.
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