A juvenile defendant was charged with Arson in the First Degree in Washington State Superior Court for burning down Gault Middle School in Tacoma’s McKinley Hill Neighborhood, according to court records obtained by the Tacoma Sun.

Although three 15 year-olds were initially arrested by Gig Harbor police for the crime, only two faced charges in January 2024 – a male and his girlfriend. The male was placed on house detention with electronic home monitoring until the court hearing. The girlfriend was released to her parents.

Responding to a guilty plea offered in October 2024, a deal was struck in December 2024. It was decided that due to the fire not having any victims and the lack of criminal history of the defendant, a standard sentence of 129 weeks in a juvenile rehabilitation center be rejected in favor of a 20 day sentence with 180 days of electronic home monitoring (with credit of 113 days), plus 12 months probation.

Built in 1926, Gault Middle School was shuttered in 2009 by the the Tacoma School District citing low enrollment. Already suffering from years of deferred maintenance, the property became a magnet for break-ins and criminal behavior. Sounding an alarm to raise awareness about the situation, local non-profit organization Historic Tacoma placed the building on their Watch List in 2023. During the 15 years the school had been closed, the Tacoma Fire Department responded to multiple fires and emergencies on the property before the total loss 2024 fire.

* The Tacoma Sun makes it a practice to not name juveniles in court cases unless charged as an adult.

The iconic waterfront location of Johnny’s Dock is set to reopen as Johnny’s Dock Seafood and Grill. The original Johnny’s served classic American and had been open for decades before closing permanently during pandemic. The new owners, Gurinderjit Singh Purewal and Poojadeep Purewal, are reopening Johnny’s and doing an East Indian take with a seafood and grill menu. They also run Tasty India in Oak Harbor and Clay Pot in Seattle. In addition to the regular menu, they will have a pizza menu featuring their homemade dough. The restaurant will retain a full bar which is separate from the main restaurant seating area. The owners commented that their grease traps are installed and serviced and that they are waiting on final inspections from the Health Department which could come as early as June. Address: 1900 East D Street

The highest paid 24 Tacoma School District employees had a combined base salary of $6.5 million dollars for the school year 2023-2024, the most recent year data is available. This amount does not include other benefits and compensation.

As of April 16, 2025, the highest paid city employees make a combined total of nearly $7 million. When combined with benefits and other compensation, the amount is well over $7 million.

Once a working class neighborhood named the Hawthorne District, the area was razed to make room for the Tacoma Dome.

source: https://matterhornwab.co.pierce.wa.us/publicgis/

Tacoma Times story from June 4, 1915:

Tacoma is facing one of the most serious municipal crises in its history.

During the last two weeks Uncle Sam has demanded a rearrangement of the local sewage system, to cost at least $500,000, and is sending one of the heads of the U.S. health bureau to Tacoma next week to make its demands explicit, it was learned today.

The city has not one cent for the work – will have no money until next year. But the threat of Uncle Sam means that this port will be put on the United States health department’s “black list” as an unclean harbor.

If the government wishes to press its demand, ocean traffic can be prevented from coming here.

The trouble arises over the fact that a sewer on 15^th street empties close to the city docks, and sewage floats about the entire city channel continuously.

To rearrange the sewage system, a new trunk sewer must be built from 15^th street under the city to the site of the old gravity coal bunkers, where tide currents could sweep it out to sea.

The council was informed today that Assistant Surgeon General W. C. Ruther of Washington D.C., was coming to Tacoma next Thursday to demand a change in the system.

Commissioner Woods told the council the necessary sewer tunnel would cost half a million.

The only apparent solution is a bond election, and immediate construction work.

The city council, though excited over the situation, will wait to hear the verbal message of Dr. Ruther before deciding what action top take.

Woods Wrathy.

Although worried over the outcome of the government’s action, Commissioner Woods, who has charge of the city’s sewage system, was highly incensed over the federal threats today.

“Is Tacoma going to let the federal health department come in here and run out port for us, or are we going to run it ourselves?” he demanded of the city council.

“The government is butting into the affairs of every city in the country, and now it wants to put us so the expense of half a million dollars on a mere health technicality. We can get along temporarily with our present sewage system. Why should the government come in and dictate to us like this? It’s an injustice, but we simply can’t help ourselves. We have to do what the United States tells us to.”

At Inopportune Time.

This action comes just as Tacoma is taking the lead among all American ports in export trade to its handling of war orders for Vladivostok. Already nearly $4,000,000 in exports have been sent out this month. Unless the interference of the U.S. officialdom is successful, June should be a $10,000,000 month.

According to information from the City of Tacoma, the city council has approved over $135,000,000 so far this year. While a bulk was spent on payroll ($67 million), other expenditures included: $3.5 million to the Rescue Mission, $1 million to Stronghold Armored for armored transport services, $2.5 million to Government Portfolio Advisors for investment advisory services, and $19.5 million to Staff Pro for parking, security, and guest services at the Tacoma Dome and Greater Tacoma Convention Center.

source: https://cityoftacoma.legistar.com/Legislation.aspx

In their March 25^th meeting, the Tacoma City Council approved $270,000.00 to be paid to city water employee, Anthony White. The case stems from a complaint filed in 2020 accusing Tacoma Public Utilities of discrimination in its hiring practices. The case, filed in 2022 was settled out of court in February.

On this day in 1977, David Levage who was hired by a local crime syndicate dumped a dozen cans of paint thinner onto premier Tacoma waterfront restaurant, Top of The Ocean. Built in the 1940s, the structure was instantly engulfed in flames once ignited. This arson was connected to a number of other suspicious nightclub fires which resulted in a Federal grand jury racketeering case that brought down local crime bosses and Pierce County Sheriff, George Janovich.

Learn more about the history of the Top of The Ocean: https://www.historylink.org/File/9818#:~:text=Top%20of%20the%20Ocean%20Restaurant,%2D%20HistoryLink.org

Learn more about David Levage here: https://tacomahistory.live/2018/03/11/top-of-the-ocean-part-two/

Learn about the Federal racketeering case: https://www.historylink.org/File/9728

Lechon Loco, a Filipino-Latin Restaurant, is coming soon to 3511 McKinley Ave. The owner, Gerold Castro, says they are waiting on licensing and then will be doing a refresh on the interior. Castro currently operates West Hill Deli in Auburn (https://www.westhilldeli.com). Ruca Fusion Restaurant operated at the McKinley Ave location until recently.

It’s official, according to a recent State Liquor Control Board filing, a comedy club backed by former Seahawk Marcus Trufant is opening in downtown Tacoma at 1530 Pacific Ave. The space is located in the Marriot Hotel and was formerly used as an events center. The club, Nate Jackson’s Super Funny Comedy Club was formerly located in the Holiday Inn located at 8402 S. Hosmer St. An opening date has not been announced.

One way that a city council can be judged is on the output of its work. A major function of a city council’s work is creating policies that both guide the city manager and provide a vision for the city. And while it is difficult to quantify “vision”, we can quantify the number of ordinances (city laws) passed that originated from a city council member. 

In 2023, there were a total of 66 ordinances passed by the Tacoma City Council. Of those, five were sponsored by city council members with the remaining ordinances coming from various city departments. The summaries of the five ordinances follow:

ORD28799 created 12/1/2021; passed 2/7/2023 – (Continued from the meeting of December 14, 2021) An ordinance amending, renaming, and renumbering Chapter 9.16 of the Municipal Code, relating to Streets and Sidewalks – Keeping Clean, by adding two new sections, to prevent obstruction and damage to sidewalks from the loading, unloading, and transport of goods; and amending the penalty provision to align with Tacoma’s Uniform Enforcement Code. [Council Member Ushka]

ORD28894 passed 7/11/2023 – An ordinance amending Chapter 1.95 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Rental Housing Code, to require landlords to comply with health and safety laws; have a City business license before increasing rent or evicting tenants; set limits on late fees for rent and on pet deposits; require 120-day notice to raise rent; add new regulations for shared housing; and standardize screening criteria for the amount of tenant income required to qualify for housing, for reviewing a tenant’s criminal history, and acceptable identification. [Mayor Woodards]

ORD28922 12/5/2023 – An ordinance amending Titles 8 and 17 of the Municipal Code, relating to Animal Control and Public Safety, by amending Section 17.02.140, entitled “Public disturbance noise and public nuisance noise made by an animal”, and Section 8.12.060, entitled “Public disturbance noises”, to revise requirements for enforcement of an unlawful action and to remove the criminal misdemeanor charge for public disturbance and public nuisance noise made by an animal. [Council Member Hines]

ORD28923 12/5/2023 – An ordinance amending Title 17 of the Municipal Code, relating to Animal Control, by adding a new Section 17.02.155, entitled “Cat Declawing”, to establish a ban on performing a procedure that results in the partial or complete declawing of a cat except when conducted by a licensed veterinarian for a therapeutic purpose, effective March 31, 2024. [Council Member Hines]

ORD28930 12/19/2023 – An ordinance amending Chapter 6A.30 of the Municipal Code, relating to Business and Occupation Tax, by adding a new Section 6A.30.067, entitled “Job Credit – Work Opportunity”, to provide a new $1,000 job tax credit for employers adding a new position and filling the position with an individual with a disability, as identified through the vocational referral in the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit. [Council Member Blocker]

By the Numbers:
Total ordinances passed: 66
Total ordinances sponsored by city council members: 5 
Council Member Blocker: 1
Council Member Hines: 2
Council Member Ushka: 1
Mayor Woodards: 1

Of note, none of the ordinances put forward by council members or city staff deal directly with the top social issues of the day: affordable housing and homelessness, public safety, increased gang activity, and economic development. A full summary of all the ordinances passed in 2023 follows at the end of this article.

So, besides examining quantifiable output, are there other ways we should judge the effectiveness of a city council? This question was posed to former local elected leaders. The responses received by the publication date follow:

Julie Anderson, Tacoma City Council, 2004-2009; Pierce County Auditor, 2009-2022

Attendance.  At council meetings as well as the standing committee meetings.

Communication.  Does the CM have a newsletter that provides regular updates on hot topics and offer ways for citizens to be engaged (upcoming hearings, please write to me, please join me for a town hall).

Representation.  If the council member is appointed to a regional council (example: PSRC) or governance board  (Sound Transit), do they report back to the council and community? Is there a feedback loop?

Engagement.  I’m not talking about ribbon cuttings and “glamour shot” events.  Rather, does the council member go to neighborhood council meetings, community summits, civic discussions?  These are crucial to listening, learning, and making oneself accessible.

Policy.  Does the CM sponsor meaningful, substantive ordinances (as opposed to symbolic Does the CM appear to have read their materials and understand the content?  This is evidenced by the questions that they ask (are the questions pertinent, designed to illuminate, or are they asking questions that are clearly answered in the bill). This is also evidenced by amendments that they offer.   

Good relations. Although local government positions are supposed to be nonpartisan, it is well-known who affiliates with R’s and D’s. Does the CM’s initiatives and ordinances have support from a mixture of political perspectives? Is there negotiation? Likewise, does the CM refrain from partisan rhetoric and grandstanding and sponsoring “wedge issue” ordinances?

Connie Ladenburg, Tacoma City Council, 2002-2010; Washington State House of Representatives 2011-2013; Pierce County Council, 2013-2021 

They are doing a good job if they are addressing the needs of the community. Keep in mind that not everyone in a community agrees on how the needs should be met or what the priority of needs are. And that is a challenge for a council and its members. The same kind of disagreement can happen within the body of the Council. First, Council members need to just look around. Council members are also residents. They see graffiti, crime, homelessness, empty storefronts, and a degrading environment. Then get out and listen to their constituents and stakeholders. Not only will they hear their concerns but often they have solutions. Next, do research. Find out what other communities are doing. The next step is what is often missing. Go back to the residents and stakeholders and share what has been learned before a final decision has been made.

Once priorities are set and strategies are developed the Council must get the work out. This is more difficult today than when I was on the City Council when we had a robust newspaper. As you know, our means of communication have changed but I don’t think our government officials have. Our elected officials should be utilizing all means of communication – oral, written, visual, electronic. This is where failure happens.

The Council has done some good things, but the message is not getting to the community. Here is an example… I live in Southend, near the now famous Hosmer Business district. A year or two ago it was reported that this is the highest crime district in the City with car break-ins, drug dealing and use, prostitution, even some murders. Much of the activity was happening in and around the area Motels. This area had its share of homeless tents along the Hosmer corridor, even slightly encroaching into the neighborhood. Not good news. When crime stats are gathered it is by a larger geographic area than a street i.e census track, neighborhood council, or Council district. I live about a mile from this part of Hosmer and yet the reputation of my neighborhood was affected by the crime in the 8 blocks or so of Hosmer. In the last few years, many of the motels have been turned into permanent supportive housing and affordable housing. There is no evidence of home tents and crime numbers are improving. And yet there is still a perception that Hosmer is unsafe with people saying there is no way they would go to that part of the city. Why lack of communication!

It is difficult for a citizen to know if a council is doing the job they are elected to do. It is up to the Council to let them know what has been done. Only then, will a person be able to judge whether the job meets the needs of the community.

John W. Ladenburg Sr., Tacoma City Council, 1982-1986; Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney, 1986-2000; Pierce County Executive, 2001-2009

I judge an elected official on what they actually get done.  Many will campaign on issues they or the public feel important.  Some will actually make legislative proposals to address that issue.  Some will actually work with and persuade other elected to work with them and pass legislation.  The question for me is usually effectiveness.  Does that official make the effort to get things done or do they complain that others won’t agree with them or work with them.  The best not only lead on issues, but they actually perform on issues.  I have found that the best were the ones who ran for office to get something done and spent as much time as possible trying to get it done.  Some did get progress done by finding a way to get others onboard.  I also like those who realize that maybe you can’t get it all done right now, but part is better.  We have had too many who were so set on their agenda, they got nothing done because it was not perfect.  The old saying is correct, “Perfect is the enemy of the Good.”  So, my advice to citizens not only to ask your elected officials what issues they believe are important, but ask what they have done about it and what they intend to do.  If their answer is they tried and others defeated it, ask how they plan to change that.  If they say they don’t have the power to do anything, they probably don’t want the controversy of battle to get it done.  A good elected official is not afraid to take a stand or afraid to tell you where they stand.

City of Tacoma ordinances passed in 2023

For the better part of a century, the Tacoma Aroma has been an embarrassing stigma on our city. While sources of the infamous reek have been many, one of the worst offenders has been rendering plants. These contribute the “rotting animal carcass” element to our distinctive perfume. 

Now, Tacoma’s last remaining rendering plant, operated by large multinational corporation Darling Ingredients, Inc, wants to extend their lease with the Port so they can restart their stinky business after it caught fire in 2022.

City and Port leaders, this is your moment! The universe has handed you a career-defining opportunity of a lifetime on a silver platter: the ability to redefine Tacoma as a vibrant, first-class metropolitan center. 

Say it with us city leadership, “Tacoma residents have suffered long enough! No More Tacoma Aroma!”

To rid our city of rendering plants, here’s what needs to happen:
–  Port of Tacoma Commissioners should decline a lease extension with Darling Ingredients Inc.
– Tacoma City Council should place an immediate moratorium on rendering plants.
– The Tacoma Planning Commission should support a Land Use Code Amendment filed by the Eastside Neighborhood Advisory Council to prohibit rendering plants from operating anywhere in the city.

Time is of the essence, as lease negotiations between the Port of Tacoma and Darling are expected to wrap up in the coming months. Since leases typically span decades, our elected leaders must take action now to save future generations from having to deal with a putrid-smelling city.

Arguably, the Tacoma Aroma has negatively impacted the quality of Tacoma’s neighborhoods and commerce. Property values and employment opportunities have lagged behind other Puget Sound cities. We have been unable to retain a single large private employer. The last one, Russell Investments, left town 15 years ago.

Tacoma needs to clean up its act if we want to attract jobs that pay a livable wage.

People want to live and work in a place that is visually attractive and doesn’t stink.

The fate of Tacoma historic 1920s Gault Middle School will be decided Wednesday November 8th by the Tacoma City Council’s Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability Committee. The briefing was only recently added. Public comment is due by Tuesday November 7th, the day after tomorrow.

There are presently very few significant City Landmarks within the McKinley/East Tacoma area, including:

• McKinley Elementary School, 3702 McKinley Avenue
• Fire Station #11, 3802 McKinley Avenue

McKinley Elementary and several other historic school buildings were added to the City’s Historic Register about 10 years ago. Gault was not added at the time due to objections by the Tacoma School District. (https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/survey-could-help-preserve-tacomas-oldest-public-schools/1403527/)

There are three possible outcomes of Wednesday’s committee meeting:
1) Support the recommendation of the City’s Landmarks Commission and place Gault Middle School on the City’s Historic Register.
2) Pass the vote along for a vote by the full City Council.
1) Do nothing and demolition can proceed.

There are some complications though in that the current City Council likes to vote as a unified voice with no dissention and little public discussion. City Council Member Catherine Ushka represents the district which Gault is located in. Ushka has already stated she is for demolition of the historic school. This is most likely in response to a vocal minority that place blame on Gault for the ills of the neighborhood (crime, prostitution, etc). Meanwhile, other City Council Members have stated they will defer to Ushka and vote as she does. This has set in motion a tense situation in which Tacoma Public Schools is hoping plays out to their advantage in allowing them permission to tear down the historic Gault Middle School. At-Large Tacoma City Council Members which also represent the Eastside, Olgy Diaz and Kristina Walker, have not indicated whether they support saving the historic Gault Middle School or not.

But there are other issues at work. Demolition will be extremely costly. There will be much remediation needed as the property is extensive and nearly 100 years old. There are very few contractors available and their rates are at a premium. And what after demolition takes place then what? There are no concrete plans – and no budget in place – but the school district claims it intends to act as a developer and redevelop the site itself. This is something new as the school district has no experience doing this sort of work – and claims that its primary mission is educating youth. So, where does creating school owned neighborhood centers come in? We will have to wait and see.

City of Tacoma Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability Committee Agenda for November 8, 2023:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f0EozFTxsLBvjbZ2HXoQ8PC21I_iDxHH/view?usp=drive_link

Standing Committee Memorandum Full Background Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fXnnO7M3_fTXmmQtLO6rEiiPqp_2m-wP/view?usp=drive_link

Members of the “Save Eastside Tacoma’s Historic Gault School” group (https://www.facebook.com/SaveGault) are holding a community meeting open to the public on Saturday, Oct 14 at 1PM at the Moore Library (215 S 56th St). The goal of the meeting is to organize, advocate, and plan for the preservation and repurposing of the historic school as a community center. The meeting was prompted in response to the announcement made by Tacoma Public Schools declaring its intention to demolish the historic school. Located in Tacoma’s McKinley Neighborhood, Gault Middle School is part of a larger group of schools including Stewart and Hilltop Heritage (Jason Lee) that were built in the 1920s. Many of the schools in the group are on the city’s historic register. Gault, however, is not.

Where: Moore Library (215 S 56th St)
When:  Saturday, Oct 14 at 1PM
Why: To organize, advocate, and plan for the preservation and repurposing of Gault Middle School
Who: Open to the public

In light of the recent talk of the Tacoma City Council getting pay raises, the Tacoma Sun thought it would be interesting to see exactly what the council has accomplished so far this year. The results will shock you!

At the time of this writing, 17 resolutions have been passed this year. All of the resolutions originated out of the Community and Economic Development department with most of the resolutions involving granting Multi-Family Housing Property Tax Exemptions.

Not one resolution originated from a council member.

The City Council has done a little better on creating ordinances. So far this year, two ordinances out of 42 were sponsored by city council members… although one of those ordinances was created in 2021.

What were the two ordinances?

ORD28799 (created 12-1-2021, passed 2-7-2023): “(Continued from the meeting of December 14, 2021) An ordinance amending, renaming, and renumbering Chapter 9.16 of the Municipal Code, relating to Streets and Sidewalks – Keeping Clean, by adding two new sections, to prevent obstruction and damage to sidewalks from the loading, unloading, and transport of goods; and amending the penalty provision to align with Tacoma’s Uniform Enforcement Code.” Sponsored by Council Member Ushka.

ORD28894 (passed 7-11-2023): “An ordinance amending Chapter 1.95 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Rental Housing Code, to require landlords to comply with health and safety laws; have a City business license before increasing rent or evicting tenants; set limits on late fees for rent and on pet deposits; require 120-day notice to raise rent; add new regulations for shared housing; and standardize screening criteria for the amount of tenant income required to qualify for housing, for reviewing a tenant’s criminal history, and acceptable identification.” Sponsored by Mayor Woodards.

Should we expect more results out of the council after this year’s 12% raise? What about after next year’s 20% raise?

Tacoma still has serious crime and safety issues – and possibly gang issues. Our neighborhoods are still under constant threat of encroachment from incompatible land use codes that haven’t been revised in decades. A proposed 2.4 million square foot warehouse off South Tacoma Way is one example. It is also still perfectly legal for any number of rendering plants and pulp mills to open up within the city limits. Tacoma still lags behind other large Northwest cities in terms of tree canopy. Tree canopies are critical in reducing pollution in the air and ground while also helping to reduce urban heat islands.

Clearly, there is much work still to do.

Data source: https://cityoftacoma.legistar.com/Legislation.aspx

Recently, the Tacoma Sun sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates that filed to run in the 2023 City Council elections. The first round of questions focuses on Tacoma’s biggest issues. Here, we present the responses received so far. We’ll do updates as responses come in.

UPDATE: added John Hines’ responses 7/25/2023

Todd Briske, Tacoma City Council candidate for At-Large Position 8:
Tacoma Sun: What will you do to reduce the impact of encampments on residents and small businesses?
I agreed with the decision of the council to create a 10-block camping ban around existing homeless shelters.  To be in accordance with the 9th Circuit Martin v. Boise decision, I want to make sure that we have enough emergency shelter beds to place everybody currently living on the street.  As long as these shelters are distributed around the city, that should give us the ability to ensure that nobody is left to live on the street.

Tacoma Sun: The Pierce County Jail currently releases nearly all of the people who have been arrested in Pierce County into downtown Tacoma – even if they are arrested in remote areas of the county or in some cases from outside of the county. This has resulted in a highly disproportionate number of felons being released in downtown Tacoma. What specific steps would you take to reduce the number of felons being released in Tacoma? Would you support a plan which transports jail releases to the places where they live?
That does seem problematic.  It is not an issue I have looked into, so I would have to see a few possible solutions and their possible impacts, but the current situation does not seem fair. I would be willing to consider a transport solution.

Tacoma Sun: What do you propose be done to repair the small business community which was devastated during and after the Covid response?
It did aggravate me to see small businesses crushed and big businesses flourish because of the covid protocols.  Not being a business owner myself, I would have to learn from each of them what the biggest impediments are for each business.  I will always prioritize small local businesses.

Tacoma Sun: Do you support increasing Tacoma Police funding to add more officers to improve public safety?
My participation in the City of Tacoma Citizens’ Academy, seeing the understaffing and how thin the department is stretched, made me decide to run for this council position. I would use 911 call response time as a metric to decide how many patrol officers are required.  Our current average of 10 minutes for a priority 1 call is unacceptable.  Much in the same way I would use detective caseload as a metric to decide how many detectives we require.  If a homicide detective has to work 3+ cases at a time, those cases can’t get as much time as they might have otherwise.  We need to get back to making sure all stolen vehicle reports are taken in person, and not over the phone.  I will do everything in my power to make sure we fill our open positions and create new ones until we attain these goals.

Chris Van Vechten, Tacoma City Council candidate for District 3, Position 3
Tacoma Sun: What will you do to reduce the impact of encampments on residents and small businesses?
As a public defender and small business owner, I believe the best way to reduce the impact of encampments on Tacoma is to get people out of tents and into stable housing and into hope through public-private partnerships that blend innovation with pragmatism.  We require systems that provide opportunity for all and accountability from all for this to succeed.  The past hands-off policy of expecting people in this situation to get housed when they want, where they want, under whatever conditions they want, has not worked and has had a devastating impact on our community as well as the people living in those camps.  This is despite unprecedented investment in the issue.  Everyone I meet at the door says the same thing “I want the City to do something about this that is humane and effective.”  And I just respond: “if it’s not effective, it can’t be called humane.”  So doing what works is our first priority and then fully funding the solution.

The City Council not only has the legal authority but also a civic responsibility to regulate the public’s conduct in public spaces to ensure the public health and safety of everyone who calls Tacoma home.  Boise v Martin is a criminal law case, and as a criminal defense attorney I assure you it does not declare that people have a right to claim and adversely possess public property if they are unhoused.  Furthermore, telling someone they can’t camp somewhere is not “criminalizing homelessness.”  In more than 13 years practicing criminal law, I have never prosecuted nor defended anyone just for pitching a tent on public property.  It is certainly true that homeless populations are disproportionately targeted by police, often unfairly, but that is a separate issue.

Funding an empathetic response to homelessness cannot be achieved without the support of tax systems which are compromised by unregulated encampments.  Too many people no longer feel safe shopping local, and hat is a major problem.

As to what to do to reduce homelessness, I’m entirely non-partisan. 

1. I support both sober and barrier free housing. 
2. I support the social housing model, and also creating incentives to encourage private landlords to take risks on tenants who are difficult to place – like those people I represent in court who may have a home but aren’t allowed to go home because home is where the crime occurred.
3. I support big projects like Pierce County Village, and I also support subsidies to keep low-income Tacomans housed.  I even like Tacoma’s GRIT program (originally called the UBI pilot program…though of course it isn’t really UBI). 
4. I believe we need to work regionally to get people housed, to improve and share data on our unhoused populations, and we need to audit the claims of those living in tents to determine what is really going on in their lives rather than relying on self-reported narratives that may not really address the underlying issue.  My job as a criminal defense attorney is to challenge the established narrative, and doing so requires I vet both the State’s case and sometimes also my client’s claims.  It’s only then that I can serve them. 
5. We need better and more accessible treatment programs, and we need to expect treatment providers to do this work in person and not on Zoom like some have over the past few years.  My clients are people, not pixels.  Helping them out of this is extremely difficult under any circumstances, and I believe impossible from behind a screen, if my clients can maintain cellphone stability to begin with.

Tacoma Sun: The Pierce County Jail currently releases nearly all of the people who have been arrested in Pierce County into downtown Tacoma – even if they are arrested in remote areas of the county or in some cases from outside of the county. This has resulted in a highly disproportionate number of felons being released in downtown Tacoma. What specific steps would you take to reduce the number of felons being released in Tacoma? Would you support a plan which transports jail releases to the places where they live?
For various reasons, this is actually less of an issue than it used to be. 

But imagine you are arrested. The police search your pockets incident to arrest and take your keys, wallet, cellphone and everything and anything else before transporting you to jail where they finally take your clothes and put you in a jail uniform. You subsequently are charged with a crime and sometimes bail is imposed depending on a myriad of factors.

But in most cases you’ll be released at arraignment these days.  The police may be holding your cellphone in evidence but allow you the opportunity to make a call for a ride using one of their phones.  The problem with this is that, in 2023, most people don’t have many phone numbers memorized.  

Now some police officers will allow you prior to transporting you into custody to search your cellphone and write down some numbers on your arms in sharpie to make calls when you get to jail. Some do this because they are nice officers, others do it because they want to search your phone history with you for evidence of additional crimes, which makes this a dangerous gambit.

Once in custody, however, getting a phone number off your cell is damn near impossible.  For starters, they may not have a charger for it at the jail, which means it may be dead by the time you get there. Second, officers can’t open a phone without your permission or a warrant because that constitutes an unconstitutional search. Third, officers are in the habit of holding cellphones indefinitely on the pretext of preserving it as evidence and if you access the phone after it was taken in evidence, there is the potential for contamination and other miscellaneous evidentiary concerns. And although theoretically officers would likely find substantial evidence on cellphones – particularly in the domestic violence or drug context – in practice, they very rarely actually take the time to investigate by procuring search warrants. Instead, they merely hold the phone indefinitely and I suspect eventually sell them to someone. Sometimes after a case resolves, my client’s get the phone back, but often times not. In one case the police held my client’s phone for 7 months before the prosecutor even bothered to file charges.

So I think so long as this is an issue – and it remains one, though again, less than it use to be, it does make sense to contract with Uber or other ride share organizations to ensure people get home if they’re not able to call in a ride.  But it would take the County Council rather than the City to lead the charge on that.

Tacoma Sun: What do you propose be done to repair the small business community which was devastated during and after the Covid response?
So I’ve been a Tacoma business owner for 9 years now.  I’m not sure how I survived the last 3, but I did.

I think it makes sense to look at our B&O tax and ask ourselves if it makes sense to raise the threshold on gross revenue.  We’ve been at $250k for the past 11 or 13 years and our business community has had to weather incredible challenges since then – including record inflation.  I also think it makes sense to have different thresholds for collection for different businesses districts. 

For example, back in April, an employee of Ice Cream Social told me the Proctor location is making $4 for every $1 the Hilltop location is because of prolonged delays tied to Link extension and issues of safety in the neighborhood.  It’s probably a lot easier to gross $250k in Proctor than it is in Hilltop, but the B&O tax doesn’t seem to consider that nor to recognize the incredible risk business owners take when they invest in neighborhoods like mine.  It also fails to consider the racial dynamics of who is a business owner on MLK vs Proctor and I want to support BIPOC businesses owners whilst still abiding by SCOTUS’ interpretation of the 14^th amendment.

I want to encourage businesses to take a chance on Tacoma so in neighborhoods that score low on equity index the threshold for paying into B&O should maybe be higher than in places like Proctor.  For example, if your business in Proctor grosses $250k or more you’re subject to B&O taxation, but if your business is in Hilltop it would be say $300k and say $350K in Madrona, etc.  With rising costs and inflation, this isn’t a horrible idea, and there’s precedent in the 21^st century for Tacoma doing this.

We have a lot of vacant commercial real estate across Tacoma while the cost of rent inexplicably goes up.  My office building on 9^th and Yakima was full before 2020, now it’s 2/3rds empty.  I consider that a serious problem and I have experience via my 2014 service with the TCRA working with various organizations to provide incentives and assistance with businesses that want to work in Tacoma

I think Tacoma has a livability problem – always has but is now more extreme than we are used to – and I believe by making Tacoma more livable businesses owners will thrive.

Finally, government needs to tell people to get outside their houses again.  After years of telling people to “stay home and stay safe” too many people in my district do all their shopping now online out of fear of leaving their home.  They don’t go to parks for fear of the homeless, they don’t go to an office, and they don’t even go to grocery stores anymore. 

I don’t know how to rebuild real community from behind a computer screen.  It’s not healthy for the individual or our community to be so isolated.  The more the public accesses public spaces and businesses, the more you’re going to see a reduction in things like crime. 

The government helped create this isolationist mentality, it has to play a role in ending it by encouraging people to get out of their house, go for walks, and patronize out local businesses. 

One thing that always amazed me is that during the first years of Obama’s presidency, childhood obesity went into decline.  This was despite funding cuts to PE and recess during the Great Recession.  The credit belongs to Michele Obama, who made childhood fitness and eating right her platform while first lady.  She helped spur an explosion of community gardens among other things by simply being a voice for changing our behavior.  Sometimes its something as simple as encouraging simple alterations in our behavior that can make a measurable impacts in our community.

Question: Do you support increasing Tacoma Police funding to add more officers to improve public safety?
When I moved to Tacoma, there were 400 officers on TPD’s staff.  There were 190,000 people in this town at the time.  Last time I checked, there are only 340 officers now despite more than 220,000 people.  We need more officers for our growing city, but the shortages have less to do with funding issues than other things.  My wife is in healthcare and they have severe shortages of staff too post pandemic even though nurses and doctors were called heroes during the pandemic (even though they weren’t always treated like it.)  Many other essential fields are struggling for staff too.  These are tough jobs that many people are avoiding right now out of a desire to pursue a greater work life balance, etc. 

It’s no secret that I have been calling for justice reforms for years and working with area leaders to make that happen, but what happened in 2020 was beyond anything I ever suggested.  The Tacoma of 2019 was over policed and under accountable.  I don’t want to go back to that world.  But I also don’t want to be stuck in 2020 forever.  There has been an overcorrection and a more centrist position is required.  We need more police and corrections officer staff to bring us to the center and we also require more jail and prison reforms to move us away from punishment toward restoration and rehabilitation.  But it’s unclear to me that a lack of funding is what is driving these shortages right now. 

Kristen Wynne, Tacoma City Council At-Large Position 7:
Question: What will you do to reduce the impact of encampments on residents and small businesses?
There are an unacceptable number of people experiencing homelessness in Tacoma. Sadly, too many of them are living in unsanctioned encampments which are dangerous, unsanitary and unhealthy for both those living in them and for the community nearby. Tacoma must prioritize getting folks off the street and into shelter with access to services.

Last year, the city enacted a 10-block buffer ordinance that, according to the city, is leading to larger numbers of people accepting shelter and services. That is movement in the right direction. However, there are issues with the ordinance as written.

First, it must be amended to include RVs and cars which are often found in unsanctioned encampments and pose all the same issues that tents do. Additionally, the ordinance must include our K-12 schools and related bus stops as places protected by the buffer area.
Second, the city must also address the fact that after they’ve cleared an area, the encampment often returns within a short period of time. The city must take steps to prevent this from happening such as site hardening, posting no parking signs, and other similar measures.
Third, unsanctioned encampments must not be allowed to be the site of illegal activity. The city must enforce and prosecute all laws on our books, including those related to the possession and use of illegal drugs in public.

Finally, we cannot allow trash to accumulate for basic health reasons. If we as a city allow people to live on the streets, then we are responsible for cleaning up all waste generated from those sites promptly. We must better manage the trash and feces associated with people living on the street.

Question: The Pierce County Jail currently releases nearly all of the people who have been arrested in Pierce County into downtown Tacoma – even if they are arrested in remote areas of the county or in some cases from outside of the county. This has resulted in a highly disproportionate number of felons being released in downtown Tacoma. What specific steps would you take to reduce the number of felons being released in Tacoma? Would you support a plan which transports jail releases to the places where they live?
Like so many in Tacoma, I am concerned about the high level of crime we are experiencing. I am running for Tacoma City Council to help improve public safety. I am aware that too often inmates are released without a way to arrange transportation home. I have also been told that the area is a hot spot for car theft. If elected I would investigate the details of this situation to fully understand the issues and, at a minimum, would support providing inmates with a free pass for public transportation so that they can return home. This would be good for both the inmates and the community.

Question: What do you propose be done to repair the small business community which was devastated during and after the Covid response?
COVID-19 was a very difficult time for so many in Tacoma. If elected, I will find out if any federal covid funds remain available for businesses who haven’t recovered from the impact of the pandemic.

I also believe Tacoma must be more business-friendly to help all businesses here. To accomplish that, city leadership must solicit input from businesses on issues that impact them and must be responsive when businesses reach out with concerns, including the impact of property crime. Further, the city must make decisions in a measured and predictable manner so that businesses can plan for city-imposed changes. The dramatic increase in business license fees imposed last year without significant input from the business community and with very little advance notice was not acceptable. It left many feeling that Tacoma does not value its business community or understand the challenges of running a small business.

Question: Do you support increasing Tacoma Police funding to add more officers to improve public safety?
Without question, we must find a way to increase the number of officers on our police force. I support additional funding to ensure that we have the staffing levels and resources needed to keep our city safe. At the present time, the city has budgeted for 36 officers at the Police Department but has not yet filled those spots. We must make filling those empty positions a top priority. I also support further analysis to determine whether, when those positions are filled, we have the correct number of officers for a city of our size and character. I am committed to public safety and am proud to be the candidate for Position 7 who is endorsed by the Police Union, Local 6.

John Hines, Tacoma City Council candidate for District 1, Position 1

Question: The Pierce County Jail currently releases nearly all of the people who have been arrested in Pierce County into downtown Tacoma – even if they are arrested in remote areas of the county or in some cases from outside of the county. This has resulted in a highly disproportionate number of felons being released in downtown Tacoma. What specific steps would you take to reduce the number of felons being released in Tacoma? Would you support a plan which transports jail releases to the places where they live? 

Releasing people not from Tacoma into the downtown, away from their potential connections and family members, can cut them off from the support needed to ensure that they can transition back into life. There may be some situations where for safety reasons they may not be able to return to their previous residence, but in that case, we can help them find services and resources, and ensure they are connected back in their community.  

I would begin by working with our partners at Pierce County to identify ways to coordinate the release of people from Pierce County Jail. This should include resources, medical and mental health resources, housing, and transportation back to their previous community, or as close as possible. We can take the step to move beyond simply releasing people and towards getting them closer to home, and serve both the individual and our city better.  

Question: What do you propose be done to repair the small business community which was devastated during and after the Covid response? 

I have always been proud of our small businesses and their contribution to making our city the unique and interesting place that it is. The COVID pandemic led to the loss of too many of our small businesses, so it is critical to find ways to make sure those that survived can grow and thrive.  

First, the city can support small businesses would be to continue to streamline bureaucratic processes and reduce regulatory burdens to make it easier for small businesses to navigate licensing, permits, and other administrative tasks. This is a time to be innovative and embrace new ideas as businesses are working to bounce back.  

Second, the primary responsibility of our city government is making our community safe. We can continue to invest in community safety and making our business districts more welcoming and inviting. I think this will take many forms, from adding police officers, to adding Community Liaison Officers and Community Services Officers to work with businesses, and by removing graffiti and trash. We need to make sure we have a safe environment for businesses to operate and for their employees and customers to visit.    

Third, the city has provided funding for broken windows and security in our business districts, and I would like to see those programs continue as needed. At the same time, as we invest in community safety and hopefully see fewer broken windows, I would like to expand and look more closely at providing further financial assistance and grants to small businesses. Of particular interest to me is helping small businesses find street level retail space, both helping businesses find customers and reactivating some of our vacant storefronts.  

Finally, we need to focus on bringing people back downtown and back into our business districts. Working to activate our streets with streateries, supporting local events that bring in customers to businesses, working with business districts to attract more foot traffic to small businesses are areas where the city and businesses can work together.  

I think if we work on these four areas, and in other areas in collaboration with businesses, we can make Tacoma a place for businesses to grow and thrive post pandemic. 

Question: Do you support increasing Tacoma Police funding to add more officers to improve public safety? 

The primary responsibility of our city government is making our community safe. Healthy neighborhoods, active business districts, and welcoming public spaces require safety and security. 

To achieve this, a critical component is a fully staffed and supported police department.  Since I have been on the council, we have continued to try and find ways to invest to improve safety and staff our police department. This has included hiring and retention bonuses to bring in new officers and to keep the ones that we already have. We have slowly reduced the number of open positions, but I am committed to continuing to do the work to fill them all. 

While the police department is not the only part of the safety puzzle in our city, they are a very large piece and one that needs adequate people in resources to meet the demands of our community.  

Disclosure: Candidate responses are posted as received. Candidate Chris Van Vechten has been personal friends of two Tacoma Sun editorial board members for over 10 years.

The Tacoma City Council will hold a Study Session on June 13 at 5:00PM.
Webinar Link: http://www.zoom.us/j/84834233126 Passcode: 349099

CONSENT AGENDA

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS:

RES41209 – A resolution authorizing the execution of an Interlocal Agreement with the State of Washington and various Pierce County towns and cities, for the creation of a regional Opioid Abatement Council, as required by Opioid Settlements.
[Jacques Colon, Chief Strategy Officer, Office of Strategy; Elizabeth Pauli, City Manager]

PURCHASE RESOLUTIONS:

RES41210 – A resolution awarding a contract to PumpTech, LLC, in the amount of $587,110,
plus applicable taxes, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, for the procurement of Vaughan Chopper Pumps at the South Tacoma Pump Station – Sole Source.
[Lance Bunch, P.E., Project Manager; Michael P. Slevin III, P.E., Director, Environmental Services]

RES41211 – A resolution awarding a contract to Scarsella Bros. Inc., in the amount of $469,630, plus applicable taxes, plus a 20 percent contingency, budgeted from the Surface Water Fund, to repair erosion of two shoreline areas adjacent to the St. Paul Confined Disposal Facility, for a projected contract total of $563,556 – Specification No. ES22-0371F.
[Jody Bratton, Project Manager; Michael P. Slevin III, Director, Environmental Services]

RES41212 – A resolution authorizing an increase and extending the contract with Republic Parking Northwest, LLC d.b.a. Reef Parking, in the amount of $200,000, plus applicable taxes, for a cumulative total of $1,407,360, budgeted from the Tacoma Dome Fund, for professional parking services for the Tacoma Dome, through June 30, 2024 – Specification No. PF16-0327F. [John McClees, Assistant Director; Adam Cook, Director, Tacoma Venues and Events]

REGULAR AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS:

RES41214 – A resolution authorizing the execution of a Letter of Agreement with the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 483, Tacoma Power Unit, regarding the classification of Fire Maintenance Electrician. [Dylan Carlson, Labor Relations Division Manager; Bill Fosbre, City Attorney]

RES41215 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $7,000, to sponsor the Summer Coding Workshop Series.
[Council Member Daniels]

RES41216 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $20,000, to support efforts to mitigate the impact of the City’s light rail investment for the Hilltop Street Fair and Stadium Business District events.
[Council Member Blocker]

RES41217 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $2,500, to sponsor the 2023 Juneteenth Celebration.
[Mayor Woodards]

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES:

ORD28886 – An ordinance declaring the public necessity for, and providing for the acquisition
by eminent domain of certain properties located between McKinley Avenue and
Portland Avenue, to construct the pedestrian, signal safety, and road improvements
in connection with the East 64th Street, Phase 2 Improvement Project.
[Troy Stevens, Senior Real Estate Specialist; Josh Diekmann, P.E. PTOE,
Interim Director, Public Works]

ORD28887 – An ordinance amending Title 8 of the Municipal Code, relating to Public Safety, by adding a new Chapter 8.190, entitled “Drug Crimes”, and repealing in its entirety Chapter 8.29, entitled “Drug Paraphernalia”, to comply with state law.
[Keith Echterling, Deputy City Attorney; Bill Fosbre, City Attorney]

ORD28889 – An ordinance amending Chapter 1.12 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Compensation Plan, to implement compensation for employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 483, Tacoma Power Unit.
[Dylan Carlson, Labor Relations Division Manager; Bill Fosbre, City Attorney]

ORD28890 – An ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of one or more series of limited tax general obligation refunding bonds, in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $32,000,000, to defease and refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds of the City and to pay costs of issuing the bonds; providing the form of the bonds; and delegating the authority to approve the final terms of the bonds.
[Michael San Soucie, City Treasurer; Andy Cherullo, Director, Finance]

ORD28891 – An ordinance amending Amended Ordinance No. 26749, which granted the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority d.b.a. Sound Transit, a non-exclusive Right of Use Agreement, by adding Exhibits “E” and “F” to establish rights, duties, and responsibilities related to maintenance, repair, or replacement of a portion of a 24-inch stormwater main located under
the Link Light Rail Expansion Project Overhead Contact System within Stadium Way.
[Corey Newton, P.E., Division Manager, Planning and Development Services;
Josh Diekmann, P.E. PTOE, Interim Director, Public Works]

Link to City Council agendas: https://cityoftacoma.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=22566&GUID=F23EE68E-8E57-4BEC-8601-B969C461E3B3&R=5c7ecd45-e032-4b58-8f7a-b3609989a2d2

A Tacoma resident refusing to get treated for tuberculosis (TB) for since late last year has been booked into the Pierce County jail. People can die from TB if they don’t get treatment. And they can expose other people to unnecessary risk of getting TB. TB is deadly and contagious but curable with medication.

Earlier this year, after promising to take her medication or voluntarily isolate herself, she was seen hopping aboard a public bus which she took to the casino. On Friday, Feb. 24, the Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department went to court for the 16th time to get her to comply. This is the third time in 20 years the Health Department has had to seek a court order to detain a potentially contagious patient who refused treatment for TB.

On June 1, law enforcement transported the patient to the Pierce County Jail where she will be housed in a room specially equipped for isolation, testing and treatment. The Health Department gave thanks to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and the deputies who supported public health with this necessary intervention.

The 2023 election campaign season kicked off with last week’s filing deadline. This is an “off” year but it looks to be an interesting one for a few races! Here are the official filings for the primary election to be held August 1st.

City of Tacoma, Council at Large Pos. 7:
– Olgy Diaz
– Kristen Wynne

City of Tacoma, Council at Large Pos. 8:
– Kristina Walker
– Todd Briske
– Hunter Henderson

City of Tacoma, Council Dist. 1:
– John Hines

City of Tacoma, Council Dist. 3:
– Malando Redeemer
– Jamika Scott
– Chris Van Vechten
– Sheldon Greyell
– John Frazier

Port of Tacoma, Commissioner Pos. 3:
– Deanna Keller
– Jeannette Twitty

Port of Tacoma, Commissioner Pos. 5:
– Kristin Ang
– Dave Bryant

Tacoma School District No. 10, Director Pos. 3:
– Korey Strozier

Tacoma School District No. 10, Director Pos. 5:
– Elizabeth Bonbright
– Brian’na Wolk

Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, Commissioner Pos. 4:
– Andrea Smith

Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, Commissioner Pos. 5:
– Tony Anderson
– Matt Mauer

(Tacoma, WA) By a vote of 9-0, the Tacoma City Council voted on Tuesday to convert its Art Deco Municipal Building into apartments. Finished in 1931, the 17 story building was originally known as the Rhodes Medical Arts Tower but has been used by the City of Tacoma for government administration since the 1970s. The office to apartment conversion will yield 177 units with 50% set aside for affordable housing. “With a majority of our staff now working remotely, it makes the most sense for the city to turn over the building to a higher and better purpose,” stated Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. At 233 feet, the Municipal Building is among the tallest in Tacoma and is visible throughout downtown. Although the building has been through many renovations over the decades, the interior still retains many original fixtures including a showpiece Art Deco chandelier, a giant spiral brass entry stairwell, and a passenger elevator. “I won’t miss riding in that thing!” said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. The property is set to be transferred to the Tacoma Housing Authority which will oversee the conversion process. Permitting is expected to be complete by 2031 with move-in by 2035.

By: Morgan Alexander

Leavenworth-based non-profit winery, Water From Wine, is opening a tasting room at 1704 Pacific Ave in the UWT neighborhood of downtown Tacoma. https://www.waterfromwine.org/

Tim’s Kitchen is also coming to the UWT neighborhood. They will be taking over the old Harmon Brewery space at 1938 Pacific Ave. https://www.tims-kitchen.com/

At the other end of downtown, West 122 is opening a restaurant described as a “chef driven concept, focusing on classical and modern European dishes utilizing the finest Ingredients the PNW has to offer” at 728 Pacific Ave which formerly housed the world famous Tacoma Cabana tiki bar (RIP). https://west122.com/

Another Pacific Ave opening (are you seeing a theme?) is Amor Wine and Tapas at 750 Pacific Ave. They will be featuring a Mediterranean menu of small plates with a wine shop and bar. 

RUCA opened at 3511 E McKinley recently. Proctor residents may recognize some of the faces – and food – as they formerly ran the much loved La Fondita. https://www.facebook.com/Ruca3511

“Van Vechten” is a Dutch name which literally means “ready to fight,” “to struggle,” or “to zealously advocate.”  As a criminal defense attorney, Tacoma City Council Candidate Chris Van Vechten has been a zealous advocate for more than 1100 clients who came from every cross-section of our community.  During what was often the worst point in their lives, Chris was there for everyone from professional athletes and politicians, to kids in foster care and people living in tents.  

Now Van Vechten is ready to fight for the people of District 3.  District 3 needs someone with the right blend of compassion and front line common sense to move the needle on perennial issues like crime, homelessness, access to affordable quality housing, and businesses development/survival in Tacoma. 

Chris Van Vechten moved to Tacoma from Portland in 2004 to attend the University of Puget Sound.  He majored in American history, volunteered in the community, and worked as a legislative staff member for Tacoma’s own State Representative Dennis Flannigan.

Chris subsequently purchased a home in Hilltop and went on to earn a law degree from Seattle University School of Law.  He owns and maintains his own law office on Hilltop as well. Prior to launching his practice, Chris worked as a Rule 9 prosecuting attorney with the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office and later with the Lakewood City Attorney’s Office.  Early in his legal career, Chris did pro bono work for tenants facing eviction via the Pierce County Neighborhood Legal Clinic, and briefly volunteered with the Northwest Justice Project’s Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation program.  

Today Chris is a member of the Pierce County Superior Court’s Criminal Procedure Committee – which has spent the past several years trying to preserve the Sixth Amendment Rights of the accused and incarcerated in the midst of a global pandemic.  Previously he served on the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority; Mayor Marilyn Strickland’s Public Education Task Force; the Pierce County Arts Commission, and was co-chair of the 27^th District Democrats Endorsement committee in 2017.   In 2009, The News Tribune credited Chris with leading a successful campaign to get Tacoma School Board meetings televised.

Chris is the father of a fierce first grader named Czarina who was born and raised on Hilltop; and the husband of the far more impressive Jen Van Vechten, who works in healthcare development and served on the front line during the first wave of the Covid 19 pandemic.

“I believe in solutions, not slogans.  And that is what I’ll provide the voters with as a candidate in this race.” 

By: Morgan Alexander

The Number One topic for 2022 in Tacoma easily was CRIME. From a sky-rocketing homicide rate to a record number of vehicles stolen to retail businesses being broken into and robbed at gunpoint to illegal street racing, it felt like criminals were taking over the City.

It is with this in mind that we look at how the City Council responded. One way to analyze the activity of the City Council is to look at what it accomplished. In 2022, there were a total of 66 ordinances passed in the City of Tacoma with five of those brought forward by four Council Members and none by the Mayor. That works out to only 8% of the total ordinances passed. There were also 183 resolutions passed with only 31 being brought up by Council Members. For the purpose of this article, we are looking only at items brought forward by the City Council and Mayor.

What’s the difference between an ordinance and a resolution? An ordinance is a law. It can be either a new one or a modification of an existing one. A resolution covers actions by the City Council and Mayor that falls outside of creating or modifying a law, such as directing funds to special projects, declarations, and house cleaning minutiae.

In taking a look at the five ordinances passed, only one directly addressed a major concern residents had in 2022: illegal street racing (ordinance #28811; Rumbaugh). One other ordinance related to crime reduction was ordinance #28831 (Hines) which established “a ten-block buffer prohibiting camping and the storage of personal belongings on public property around temporary shelters.”

Total Resolutions sponsored by Council Members showed twice the activity when viewed as a percentage of total passed compared with ordinances. There were a total of 183 resolutions passed with 31 (17%) of them sponsored by Council Members. It’s not hard to figure out why though – it’s through resolutions that individual Council Members get to direct funding for pet projects or to use for community projects in their neighborhoods. The amounts, however, are fairly small in terms of the overall city budget.

The fact that only two laws out of the 66 passed addressed the biggest concern of the year leaves this writer with more questions than answers. Realistically, how much should the Council be expected to do? Are the solutions to crime beyond anything that can be done by creating or changing laws? But also, the City of Tacoma Council is part-time and has no dedicated staff. Would the Council be more productive if it were full-time and had its own staff? 

BY THE NUMBERS

Ordinances
Total ordinances passed: 66
Total by a council member: 5 (8% of total passed)
Blocker: 1
Hines: 1
Diaz: 2
Rumbaugh: 1

Resolutions 
Total resolutions passed: 183
Total by a council member: 31 (17% of total passed)
Blocker: 4
Bushnell: 0
Daniels: 2
Diaz: 2
Hines: 1
McCarthy: 1
Rumbaugh: 2
Ushka: 2
Walker: 3
Woodards: 14

Summary of Ordinances Sponsored by Council Members:
ORD28811 – An amended ordinance amending Chapter 11.05 of the Municipal Code, relating to Model Traffic Ordinance, by adding a new Section 11.05.133, entitled “Unlawful exhibition of speed attendance prohibited”, relating to prohibiting attendance at unlawful exhibitions of speed. [Council Member Rumbaugh]

ORD28831 – An amended Substitute Ordinance amending Title 8 of the Municipal Code, relating to Public Safety, by adding a new Chapter 8.19, entitled “Use of Public Property”, to establish a ten-block buffer prohibiting camping and the storage of personal belongings on public property around temporary shelters, effective October 31, 2022. [Council Member Hines]

ORD28859 – An ordinance amending various chapters in Title 1, relating to Administration and Personnel; Title 6, relating to the Tax and License Code; and Title 16, relating to Cable Systems, Open Video Systems, Telecommunications Systems and Private Communications Systems of the Municipal Code, for protection against discrimination based on an individual’s actual, potential, perceived, or alleged pregnancy outcomes. [Council Member Diaz]

ORD28858 – An ordinance amending Title 8 of the Municipal Code, relating to Public Safety, by adding a new Chapter 8.180, entitled “Interference with Health Care Facilities or Providers”, to ensure public health and safety for persons seeking health care services. [Council Member Diaz]

ORD28866 – An ordinance amending various sections in Title 1 of the Municipal Code, relating to Administration and Personnel, to codify the Office of Equity and Human Rights as an office; and adding transformation of the City into an anti-racist institution to the official duties of the City Manager. [Council Member Blocker]

Summary of Resolutions Sponsored by Council Members:
RES40919 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $31,000, to support the full or partial costs to five or more City-based small businesses or non-profits hosting a Seed Internship. [Council Member Walker]

RES40920 – A resolution expressing support for Tacoma’s Sister City in Brovary, and all of Ukraine, and joining our brothers and sisters in Ukraine in calling for peace and an end to this conflict in their country. [Mayor Woodards]

RES40925 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $20,000, for expenses related to traffic control devices and services for the 2022 Daffodil Parade. [Mayor Woodards]

RES40934 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $10,000, for expenditures related to the 2022 Tacoma Reads Together programming and events. [Mayor Woodards]

RES40940 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $2,500, to fund litter pick-up tools for the annual volunteer-led Litter Free 253 event. [Council Member Hines]

RES40941 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $25,000, to assist the Tacoma Refugee Choir in funding the music video portion of their 2022 spring projects. [Deputy Mayor Ushka]

RES40948  – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $12,000, to fund grants that support community engagement programs sponsored through South Sound Together. [Council Member Blocker]

RES40967 – A resolution transitioning the Tacoma Permit Advisory Task Force to the Tacoma Permit Advisory Group. [Council Member McCarthy]

RES40975 – A resolution affirming the City’s commitment to ensuring all residents have a safe and affordable place to live by joining House America. [Mayor Woodards]

RES40981 – A resolution ratifying the Annual Performance Review of the City Manager, and authorizing the execution of an amendment to the employment compensation agreement with Elizabeth Pauli to serve as City Manager, retroactive to May 16, 2022. [Mayor Woodards]

RES40995 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $35,000, to fund the partial costs to develop and implement an eight-week Safe Youth Awareness Campaign beginning in July 2022. [Council Member Daniels]

RES40994 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $2,500, to fund three LGBTQIA+ Pride painting projects, including temporary rainbow crosswalks, permanent rainbow bricks, and temporary rainbow barriers. [Council Member Walker]

RES41000 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $6,500, to sponsor the Mayors Innovation Project summer conference in Tacoma. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41004 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $10,000, for the purpose of partially funding renovations to the Korean American Association of Tacoma building, located at 8645 Pacific Avenue. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41015 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $2,500, to support The Peace Bus and the “Every Kid Eats” summer program. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41018 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $10,000, to fund entertainment and arts programming at the 2022 Hilltop Street Fair. [Council Member Blocker]

RES41025 – A resolution consenting to delay the transfer of the Carlton Center Building to the University of Washington Tacoma. [Council Member Blocker]

RES41028 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $5,000, to sponsor the 2nd Annual University of Washington Tacoma Celebrando Communidad: Latinx Celebration and Awards. [Council Member Diaz]

RES41042 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $5,000, to support the Tacoma Urban League Empowerment Awards and ongoing efforts to create a more livable Tacoma. [Council Member Blocker]

RES41046 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $5,000, to sponsor the Mayor’s Youth Commission of Tacoma travel to the National League of Cities conference. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41044 – A resolution appointing J. Manny Santiago to the Tacoma Public Library Board of Trustees to fill an unexpired term to expire December 31, 2026. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41069 – A resolution directing the City Manager to support the Economic Development Committee in reviewing and suggesting recommendations on how to improve communications and better support local businesses. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41074 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $5,000, to sponsor the 2022 Santa Parade. [Council Member Diaz]

RES41094 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $9,019.84, to reimburse the cost of barricades that supported the Día de los Muertos procession. [Council Member Walker]

RES41106 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $10,000, to provide education and outreach for the Links to Opportunity project during the construction phase. [Council Member Daniels]

RES41105 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $35,000, for the restoration of the street clock on Broadway in Downtown Tacoma. [Council Member Rumbaugh]

RES41104 – A resolution adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of “Antisemitism” for the City of Tacoma, to serve as a tool to identify and combat antisemitism. [Council Member Rumbaugh]

RES41107 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $20,000, to support the Tacoma Community House in assisting Ukrainian refugees with direct client specific assistance for essential needs and programs. [Deputy Mayor Ushka]

RES41108 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $10,000, to support the implementation of a faith community audit. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41109 – A resolution authorizing the one-time use of Council Contingency Funds, in the amount of $20,000, to support the convening of community conversations on homelessness in partnership with the University of Washington Tacoma. [Mayor Woodards]

RES41110 – A resolution approving the cancellation of the following six regular City Council meetings in 2023: January 17, March 28, May 30, July 5, September 5, and December 26. [Mayor Woodards]

To see all the Ordinances and Resolutions passed, visit:
https://cityoftacoma.legistar.com/Legislation.aspx

Several derelict downtown buildings, affectionately known as The Graffiti Garages, are now ready to be demolished.

The buildings located in the Old City Hall Historic District near 7th on Broadway gained notoriety about 10 years ago when they were designated as a place to do legal graffiti.

The property also made news from a homicide in the basement parking garage in 2018.

A few months ago, the property owners received approvals from the city for a 131-unit apartment project: https://www.djc.com/news/re/12146641.html

Crews have been preparing the buildings for demolition by removing doors, windows and other building components that could pose safety concerns.

The property is currently fenced off awaiting the wrecking ball.

By: Morgan Alexander
Published: July, 2022; updated October, 2022

According to the City of Tacoma, “the City must plan for 127,000 additional residents and 97,000 jobs by 2040.”[1]

Development of new housing in the City of Tacoma has lagged behind that of Pierce County and other nearby cities. Tacoma’s annual growth rate from 2021 to 2022 was .78%. By comparison, the City of Puyallup (1.17%), Pierce County (1.21%), Spokane (1.21%), and Seattle (1.30%) all had higher rates of growth.[2] What was once a statistical footnote has snowballed into a full-blown housing crisis. 

However, recent analysis indicates that housing for more than 6,000 households could be built using government-owned vacant and underutilized land in downtown alone.

Using data obtained from the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Office[3], this study focused on an area between South 4th and 21st streets along Tacoma Ave South. Public agencies including the University of Washington, the Pierce County Government, the City of Tacoma, and the Tacoma Public School District hold a significant amount of vacant and underutilized properties in this area. Nearly half a million square feet of prime buildable land sits underutilized.

With an assessed value of $30 million, the government agencies that own these properties pay no taxes. This is critical funding that could be benefiting the community by funding schools, emergency services, and other programs such as Percent for the Arts. Additionally, the long term sequestering of prime real estate puts more pressure on taxpayers, who must subsidize the cost of public services to these properties.

If the City of Tacoma is to stay on track for absorbing 127,000 new residents by 2040, government agencies must get serious about their role in making more housing available by letting go of vacant and underutilized properties. 

There is one caveat that comes with the estimated potential of housing units: the City of Tacoma must update its downtown zoning code.

Currently, there is a mix of zoning that has created odd combinations where on one side of the street there could be a maximum building height of 400 feet. However, across the street there is a maximum building height of 100 feet on one corner and 90 feet on the other corner. The City of Tacoma through its outdated zoning codes could be making the housing crisis worse by maintaining arbitrary zoning codes. The difference in potential housing is dramatic – ranging from 2,000 units based on existing zoning to over 6,000 units based on revised zoning codes.

Data Analysis
For the purpose of this study, we focused our attention on properties on and near South Tacoma Avenue from South 4th Street to South 21st Street. Within this parameter, two different areas with high concentrations of publicly owned vacant and underutilized land emerged:

One area is near the Pierce County Courthouse building with a bulk of the parcels owned by Pierce County which were acquired 20 years ago for the purpose of building a new County Administration campus. The project remains unfunded. 

The second area is further south along Tacoma Avenue with a bulk of the property owned by the University of Washington and is in the footprint for an unfunded future expansion of University of Washington Tacoma. Many of these parcels have now sat vacant and unused for over 30 years. The initial vision for UWT was that it would have a campus similar to that of University of Washington Seattle and have a mix of student housing and instructional facilities. The reality of the market however has led to the UWT campus developing for commuters with prime buildable land being used for parking lots.

By the Numbers
Square feet: 480,012
Acres: 11
Assessed value: $29,971,300
Number of parcels: 52
Potential new households added: 2,000-6,000

Number of parcels owned by state and local government agencies:
Tacoma Public Schools: 2
City of Tacoma: 5
Pierce County: 14
University of Washington/UWT: 31

Sources:
[1]https://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=30055
[2] https://worldpopulationreview.com
[3] Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer data, downloaded June 2022

The Puget Sound Regional Council predicts that the City of Tacoma is expected to grow by 127,000 people in the next 30 years. Earlier this year the City proactively planned for this growth by passing the Mixed-Use Centers update, fulfilling this vision of creating vibrant mixed use centers is an exciting opportunity with many challenges.

What will Tacoma ’s Transportation system look like in 20 years? Will our streetscape be dotted with streetcars, bike lanes, and working sidewalking next to walkable mixed-use communities? How will we manage our growth in a way that creates vibrant neighborhoods and urban centers? What transportation infrastructure and policies will be needed to keep our city moving and encourage smart development? What is the role of parking policy in the discussion? How will we pay for the transportation and land-use challenges that lie ahead? How will the city integrate its economic development and climate change goals with its land-use and transportation plan?

On Thursday, October 1st, Please Join Transportation Choices Coalition, The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and an exciting group of co-hosting organizations for an evening lively debate as we pose these questions of this nature to the Tacoma City Council and Mayoral Candidates.

The forum is open to the public, and transportation related questions for the candidates can be submitted prior to the event to juliap@tacomachamber.org. For general event questions or media inquires contact Andrew Austin at Andrew@transportationchoices.org.

EVENT INFORMATION
When: Thursday, Oct 1st, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Carwein Auditorium, UWT

Event Co-Hosts: Transportation Choices Coalition, The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, University of Washington Urban Studies Program, Futurewise, Cascade Bicycle Club, Tacoma Wheelman’s Bicycle Club, Tacoma Sun, Cascade Land Conservancy, and Exit 133.