FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT
Maria Lee, Media & Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054
City of Tacoma Continues to Invite Community Engagement and Input During the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget Development Process
TACOMA, Wash. – Community members are encouraged to continue engaging in the City of Tacoma’s efforts to develop a 2025-2026 Biennial Budget that reflects a shared vision for a thriving Tacoma where everyone feels safe and has an opportunity to succeed.
"Our community's high level of engagement over the years has been vital to building belief and trust, and ensuring that our resources are deployed responsibly," said Mayor Victoria Woodards. "This budget development process is an opportunity for us to come together to discuss how to best meet community needs while establishing long-term, sustainable solutions."
During this budget cycle, the City projects expenses will outpace revenues, particularly in the General Fund. To address a projected $26 million budget gap in the City’s General Fund, the City is working with departments to develop budget scenarios that outline options to reduce, maintain, or enhance service levels.
"We remain committed to building public trust through transparency and accountability in the development of the City’s budget," said City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. "As we have in years past, we will engage in frank and thoughtful conversations about service levels to achieve a balanced budget that reflects our community's priorities."
To address the projected budget gap, reduction targets are set at 2.5 percent for public safety departments and 6 percent for all other departments. The City emphasizes 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.
Continued community engagement is key to this process. The City has already begun community outreach through the One Tacoma Community Visioning Workshops and Council's work to identify specific goals and objectives to measure progress on key priority areas.
Details on the budget development process, including engagement opportunities, will be available at cityoftacoma.org/budget. Community members can also provide input through the Balancing Act tool on this page, 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.
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