Update - October 3, 2024
English: The Balancing Act tool is currently available in English with a version that reflects the 2025-2026 Proposed General Fund Budget until November 12, 2024.
BALANCING ACT
The City’s budget is one of the most basic and important ways that the City demonstrates our commitment to the community. The 2025-2026 Baseline General Fund Budget sets the structure for Anti-Racist Transformation and honors resolution No. 40622 passed by the City Council.
Every two years, the City of Tacoma develops its biennial budget. The current two-year budget (adopted for the years 2023 and 2024) is $4.35 billion. This includes funds for services, such as Water, Electricity, and Solid Waste. It also includes the General Fund, which supports departments like Police, Fire, Public Works, the Library, and many others.
The General Fund makes up only 14%, or $614.3 million, of the City’s total adopted budget and supports most services. It is primarily supported by sales tax, property tax, business and occupations tax, and utilities tax.
The Balancing Act tool breaks the current budget down into two sections: Revenue and Spending.
In the Spending section, the budget's General Fund is broken down into categories that mirror the City Council's priority areas: Access, Affordable Housing and Homelessness, Belief & Trust, Community Safety, Health, Livable Wage Jobs, Organizational Effectiveness and Culture, and Non-Discretionary Funds.
To participate in the activity, you may choose to increase or decrease spending in different categories and subcategories. For example, you may choose to increase the Homeless Affordable Housing Services budget in the Affordable Housing section by clicking on the plus sign icon next to its title. If you would like to decrease a budget, you may click on the minus sign icon located below the plus sign.
The City will use your feedback and priorities to guide the development of the 2025-2026 Baseline General Fund Budget. Your participation is greatly valued and appreciated!