Talking Tacoma – Public Safety Sales Tax with City Manager Hyun Kim, August 14, 2026

This City of Tacoma meeting on August 14, 2026, featured City Manager Hyun Kim discussing the proposed use of revenues from a new 0.1% criminal justice sales and use tax dedicated to public safety. The city expects to generate approximately $8 million annually from this tax, which will fund police hiring, court operations, homeless outreach, indigent defense, and community engagement initiatives. The city manager also addressed the broader budget challenges facing Tacoma, including a projected structural deficit exceeding $100 million, necessitating difficult budget decisions involving program reductions, eliminations, and reallocations. The council is considering grant-funded expansions such as 12 additional police officers and support staff, while balancing requests like nearly $1 million for therapeutic courts. Public input and transparency were emphasized as critical in the upcoming budget adoption process planned for early October 2026.