As Mayor, I will lead a series of truth and reconciliation meetings for our community and police department. Together, we will re-build trust with our law enforcement officers and we will invest in all of our community’s safety. Simply, we cannot move forward without solving this problem.
I will lead a series of meetings that follow an internationally recognized framework for reconciliation to bring all parties, police and civilians, together at a shared table, to talk through the truths of our lived experiences. Through this work, we can acknowledge the pain in our past and start healing our divides. Collectively, we will build a vision of effective community safety. After these meetings, I will present all Tacomans with a community safety plan based on our findings and ask for everyone to fund this vision for a safer city.
Community Safety
Families are struggling with the burden of childcare. My family certainly is. Currently, according to the Economic Policy Institute, childcare expenses for a single child can exceed the cost of college tuition. Access to high quality childcare enhances academic outcomes not only for the children who receive it, but for their classmates as well. Having this childcare reduces youth criminal behavior. And it allows parents to work, producing tremendous economic gains. What is good for families is good for everyone.
This problem is incredibly hard to solve, but we can make significant progress. Currently, 70% of Tacoma school kids qualify for free and reduced cost school lunch. When school is out, these same families struggle to provide food, let alone additional childcare. As Mayor, I’m committed to making summers more fun and less stressful for families. I will bring stakeholders together, including agencies, non-profits, and young people — to build creative, no nonsense solutions. We can create safe, inclusive spaces with moderate investments. I will create a central hub for families, a one-stop shop, to find resources, services, and summer care.
Summer Childcare
Our city needs a fresh focus on revenue generation to address areas of systemic need. Much of this can be done by growing areas of our economy where we haven’t fully realized our potential to do great things. My favorite example of this is our outdoor recreation economy, where Tacoma has all the elements of becoming a leading national destination. This is potentially a very powerful way we can build employment and prosperity.
Outdoor recreation supports more jobs than computer technology. 57% of Americans age 6 and older participate in some form of outdoor recreation. We have mountain bike trails in Swan Creek, water access in the Thea Foss and Salish Sea, and the second largest municipal park in the nation. There aren’t many places in America that have 500 acres of old-growth coastal forest with hiking trails within city limits. Tacoma can be a world class destination for outdoor recreation tourism.
We should nurture our homegrown companies in this field — such as the community-created “Live like the mountain is out” brand — develop partnerships with local outdoor recreation companies, and fund a fresh outreach campaign. If we help our local businesses grow, this economic sector can increase revenues for Tacoma’s city government to provide essential world class services for all residents.
