Greetings District 5,

I have another exciting newsletter! I’ve heard from so many of you about the uncertainty we’re all feeling lately and the need to connect with one another and find positive ways to make a difference. With that in mind I’ve shifted my normal town hall format to a civic summit where I’ll be bringing you and some of our great local organizations under one roof to learn, collaborate and see what we can do locally to make a big impact. There is power in each one of us to make a difference. I’m hoping you’ll come away from this experience energized and equipped with the knowledge on who to connect with to find your place in making a difference right here in Tacoma.

We also recognized the 50^th anniversary of the Cambodian Genocide. This remembrance and proclamation are deeply personal to me, as my mother is a survivor of this atrocity. I’ve done my best to educate everyone about that terrible time and uplift the large Cambodian community we have living in and around our city.

I’m also happy to share about some of the other work around the district and outside the district down below and the roll out of our brand-new website! (It’s about time!)

Joe Bushnell
District 5 Council Member
City of Tacoma

Topics in this newsletter include: 

• District 5 Civic Summit
• Advocating for Tacoma in Washington DC with the National League of Cities
• 🚧 Road Safety Audit: S. 72nd Street 🚶‍♀️🚲🚌🚗
• Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week
• City Services Spotlight: Long-range Planning and One Tacoma
• Unified Regional Approach to Homelessness
• CityLine interview: Catching Up with Tacoma City Council Member Joe Bushnell
• City Website Modernization Expected to Launch on April 30,
• City Council Seeks to Partner with Tacoma Public Schools and the Lemay Car Museum to support SOTAbots

District 5 Civic Summit

What can we do together? Let us find collaborative solutions to our shared challenges. Join the Tacoma City Council District 5 Civic Summit and work with your neighbors to create a community plan of action on how Tacoma residents can make Tacoma a better place to live, work and play.

Join me for the District 5 Civic Summit, Saturday, May 10, from 12 – 2:00 PM at Baker Middle School (8001 South J Street, Tacoma).

This event is family friendly, with a child’s activity table and refreshments provided.

Community is encouraged to register in advance and let us know if you need specific accommodations. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about this event, please contact Lynda Foster at lynda.foster@cityoftacoma.org

Advocating for Tacoma in Washington DC with the National League of Cities

I wanted to send out a special update on the recent trip I took to the other Washington. As you can imagine, it is more important than ever to stay engaged in what is going on over there, as federal policies affect our city and residents in significant ways. Throughout the National League of Cities Congressional conference, there was no shortage of concern from many of my mayoral and council colleagues across the country. I am heartened, in a way, to know that we are not alone in navigating these challenges. I’ll keep my update at a high level here, but if there are specifics you would like to know more about, please feel free to reach out to me.

I had the opportunity to attend various seminars and workshops. Topics included public safety practices, economic development and workforce programs and opportunities and environmental concerns around lead, copper and PFAS regulations and so much more. I was also honored to chair the Military Communities Council in which we discussed local issues on a national scale around veteran and spousal employment, housing both on and off base, local base agreements with municipalities and environmental concerns around PFAS and other base activity.

Lastly, fellow city council members and I sat down with each member of our congressional delegation that represents Tacoma including Senators Murray and Cantwell, and Congresswomen Randall and Strickland. We discussed various pressing issues facing Tacoma considering the federal uncertainty around funding, regulations, immigration, and a whole host of other issues.

Overall, I felt this was a very worthwhile trip. I had spoken to many of you about voicing your concerns and issues to our congressional delegation and I had the opportunity to do just that. I was able to help lead other municipalities to find solutions for their challenges and I also got to learn so much from others facing similar problems we are facing right here at home and seeing how they have tackled them. Thank you, for allowing me to represent our community in this way.

🚧 Road Safety Audit: S. 72nd Street 🚶‍♀️🚲🚌🚗

The City of Tacoma is taking a closer look at S. 72nd Street between S. Sheridan Ave and A Street — a corridor identified on Tacoma’s Vision Zero High-Risk Network due to its crash history and traffic safety challenges.

As part of a Road Safety Audit, Public Works, along with a multidisciplinary team, are working to better understand this complex corridor so we can identify opportunities for safety improvements.

💬 Your input is needed.

Share your experiences walking, biking, accessing transit, or driving this stretch online by Friday, April 25. 

• City of Tacoma Vision Zero | engage pierce county

Your feedback will help the City better understand local conditions, identify infrastructure needs, and support future projects and funding efforts.

Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week

Each year I have sponsored a proclamation in remembrance of the Cambodian Genocide. This year marks the 50th anniversary of our community coming together to remember the atrocities that occurred to the Khmer community under the Khmer Rouge regime.

My family is one of many that came to Washington state as refugees and found home in Tacoma. It is an honor to partner with Khmer community leaders and elders from across Washington State. Together, we work to relentlessly rebuild the historical and cultural identity nearly exterminated by the Khmer Rouge, and to uplift our communities through advocacy, education, and cultural empowerment.

It is critical to remember the ultimate sacrifice of those whose lives were lost during the Cambodian Genocide and the resiliency of survivors. We must celebrate community members who tirelessly promote neighborhood revitalization by participating in public policy on local and national levels. Establishing local and international businesses and professionals and developing new art forms and community organizations.

City Services Spotlight: Long-range Planning and One Tacoma

I'm highlighting another city service! Check out my video at a recent community outreach event.  Everyone in Tacoma deserves a city that keeps us safe, lets us live sustainably with our land and water, and contributes to our physical, social, and economic health. Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan is an important tool that establishes the City’s future vision and policy direction, as well as guiding growth and development over the next 25 years. It helps us decide how to use our land and water, improve our city streets and transportation, build a variety of housing options that satisfy the needs of our citizens at every stage of life, and maintain public facilities and services like parks, libraries, utilities, and more. Our long-range planning staff led community outreach events across the city. The Planning Commission reviewed all the feedback received, and soon the City Council will be considering the proposal. These are historic decisions we’re making, and I’d love to hear from you! Check out the draft plan, and sign up for updates to learn when the public hearing with Council will be.

Unified Regional Approach to Homelessness

One of the most meaningful projects I am engaged in is the Unified Regional Approach to Homelessness in Pierce County. The City of Tacoma has long had a Homelessness Strategy, however we all know issues related to homelessness don’t end at Tacoma’s boarders. I am thankful to County Council Chair Hitchen for inviting me and elected leaders from across the County to convene on March 7 and discuss how everyone in the region can work collectively towards shared goals.  

The County has set aside funds to determine what it could look like if we worked together as a region to address homelessness. This is not a new level of bureaucracy, or a funder of services. Instead, it is a way to share information, create tools to help all communities respond to needs and learn together. We can work to share data, gather resources and partner on projects. Together, we will have a better understanding of how to support those in crisis, those facing barriers to housing, and those that are chronically homeless. You can learn more about the County’s work here.  

CityLine interview: Catching Up with Tacoma City Council Member Joe Bushnell

I visited TV Tacoma’s CityLine show to provide an update on my work on Council. Watch the video to learn more about how we managed the 2024 budget, my work to connect people with the work of the city, and my work to introduce the Interim Chief of Police Jackson and South Sector Commander Lt Mires to local businesses in District 5.

City Website Modernization Expected to Launch on April 30,

The cityoftacoma.org website, launched in 2013, receives an average of 5.5 million page views annually. It serves as the central hub for Tacoma residents, businesses, and visitors, facilitating communication with local government, providing essential digital services, and promoting transparency. However, the current platform requires an update to better meet user needs and technological advancements.  

In a 2023 site assessment, it was discovered that cityoftacoma.org is outdated in terms of service delivery, accessibility, mobile friendliness, and user experience.   

Starting April 30, 2025, visitors seeking information about the City of Tacoma will see a new and improved City website that is modern, attractive, engaging, information-rich, and accessible on any internet-connected device. Learn more about our website modernization here.  

City Council Seeks to Partner with Tacoma Public Schools and the Lemay Car Museum to support SOTAbots

This month the Tacoma City Council took action to clear the way for the Lemay Car Museum to partner with Tacoma Public Schools to develop a state-of-the-art robotics lab adjacent to the current museum. The lab would continue, enhance, and expand the Museum’s collaboration with the Tacoma School District with robotics classes to be held on site. This is directly adjacent to the Museum’s show field and would allow outdoor and aerial robotics experiences. The site also directly connects to East, South and Central Tacoma for convenient access for students from those communities. The lab would make Tacoma a regional hub for primary and secondary robotics education. The School District has funds available for its portion of the project and the Museum will seek the balance of funds necessary for the project from the State legislature this year.