FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT
Maria Lee, Media & Communications,
maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054
Update on 2025–2026 Biennial Budget Development Process
to be Presented at September 10 Study Session
TACOMA, Wash. – The City of Tacoma’s Office of Management and Budget will present an update on the 2025–2026 Biennial Budget Development Process at the Tuesday, September 10, study session at noon. Staff will present an update on revenues and offer an overview of the budget's progress.
The City continues to project expenses will outpace revenues, particularly in the General Fund. To address a forecasted $26 million budget gap in the City’s General Fund, the City has been working with departments to develop budget scenarios that outline options to reduce, maintain, or enhance service levels.
To address the forecasted budget gap, reduction targets were set at 2.5 percent for public safety departments and 6 percent for all other departments. The City continues to emphasize that budget reductions are not made as across-the-board cuts and will be made with careful consideration of community input, service levels, and Council priorities as it works to take a holistic look at Tacoma’s needs while preparing for an uncertain economy.
Details on the budget development process are available at cityoftacoma.org/budgetdevelopment. Community members can also provide input through the Balancing Act tool on this page at cityoftacoma.org/balancingact, which will allow them to "play" with budget scenarios and provide quantitative input.
Community members with questions about the 2025–2026 Biennial Budget development process and engagement opportunities can contact the Office of Management and Budget at budget@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 594-7925.
City Council Study Sessions are held on Tuesdays at noon. They can be viewed live in person at the Tacoma Municipal Building (747 Market Street, 1st Floor, Council Chambers) or on TV Tacoma or tvtacoma.com, on the City of Tacoma’s Facebook page, and on Zoom.
Full agendas – as well as Zoom access details – for City Council Study Sessions are available at cityoftacoma.legistar.com.
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