City Council Meeting of October 12, 2026

At its October 12, 2026 meeting, the Lakewood City Council received a presentation on Tacoma Public Utilities’ proposed 2027–28 rate adjustments. Proposed residential increases were 6.3% for power and 5.6% for water; they were still under public review, with a Tacoma utility board hearing scheduled for October 14 and final approval by Tacoma City Council expected in November. TPU cited infrastructure replacement and maintenance, sharply higher equipment and supply costs—including a reported 300–450% increase in transformer costs since the pandemic—labor, health care, and regulatory requirements as cost drivers. The presentation also described a proposal to expand income eligibility for utility assistance from 60% to 80% of area median income. No rate or contract approval by Lakewood was recorded; council members discussed affordability, infrastructure reliability, street-lighting rates, and assistance-program outreach.

The council also heard the Community Services Advisory Board’s 2027–28 human-services funding recommendations. The board reviewed 41 proposals from 33 agencies seeking just over $1 million, but the transcript does not provide the recommended award amounts or record a funding vote. Separately, staff sought council direction to continue studying a phased economic-development framework for the Lakewood Station District, including market and financing analysis and potential assembly of a roughly 25-acre catalyst site. Approximately $150,000 had been spent to date, and staff said further work could use existing economic-development budget allocations. The council indicated support for preparing a resolution and returning with findings; no property acquisition, financing, or additional spending authorization was recorded. Discussion also covered the downtown tax-increment area, a potential allocation of up to $15 million for a park, and possible future financing alternatives.