FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACTS
Jeff Lueders, Media and Communications, jlueders@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152

Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054

-- Legislative Agenda Outlines Priorities for Washington State Legislature and U.S. Congress --

TACOMA, Wash. – Tonight, the Tacoma City Council adopted its 2023 Legislative Agenda as amended, outlining the City of Tacoma’s priorities for the Washington State Legislature and U.S. Congress. Developed with input from a diverse range of stakeholder groups, state legislators and agencies, and Tacoma community members, the Legislative Agenda will determine how the City of Tacoma focuses its advocacy resources in the coming year.

“Our 2023 Legislative Agenda is ambitious, it addresses a broad range of important issues, and it provides our government relations team with the policy direction they need to engage at the state and federal policy levels and achieve the City’s objectives,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards. “Much like our Council priorities and our recently adopted 2023-2024 Biennial Budget, our state and federal legislative priorities represent our commitment to our community members today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.”

Equity

The City’s state and federal priorities were developed in support of anti-racist systems transformation as directed in Resolution 40622. There are numerous Equity-focused priorities in the City’s 2023 Legislative Agenda, from better transportation and transit access, to police reform, to requests for aid to help the most vulnerable in the community.

Economy and Workforce

In the areas of Economy and Workforce, the City seeks to address the issue of housing affordability while also increasing the number of infrastructure projects and improvements that support business development.

Education

In the area of Education, the City seeks to increase the availability and accessibility of early childhood education programs.

Livability

In the area of Livability, the City seeks to improve access across Tacoma to community facilities, services, infrastructure, and employment while also decreasing the percentage of individuals who spend more than 45 percent of their income on housing and transportation costs.

Performance on state and federal advocacy is evaluated based on progress made achieving the City’s state and federal priority goals. This may include passage of policy bills, modification of federal rules as needed to help the City achieve its objectives, and funding requests fulfilled.

The legislative session is scheduled to begin on January 9, 2023.

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