Month: September 2023

My family heritage is from Germany.  While I don’t speak much German (Ein bisschen - “a little bit”), I especially appreciate Germany’s printing history (I have a model of the Gutenberg Press in my office). Each of us has a family lineage and history of which we can be proud. The United States and her residents are a beautiful collage of ethnicities, races, and ancestries. It’s wonderful to celebrate and honor what makes us who we are, including where we trace our roots to. Right now, we’re in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month.  It starts on September 16 to align with the Mexican Independence Day celebrations (no, not Cinco de Mayo!). It is Mexico’s most important national holiday. At Pierce County we have a wonderful example of treasuring your…

This week I presented my (final) biennial budget to the Council. Months of data gathering, analysis, presentations, debate, and decisions ended for me and the Finance team, and the process now moves to the members of our legislative branch. For the first time, the priorities for how we allocated funds were guided by the results of a comprehensive survey filled out by our residents. We used a variety of channels to reach broadly into our community - from newsletters to Tik Tok!  2,577 people took the time to complete the survey, representing views from Tacoma to Eatonville and from Buckley to the Key Peninsula! We asked residents how they would spend the money they provide us. We also asked them to prioritize their concerns - and three stood out far…

It was in September 2021 - almost exactly two years ago - that I helped host a Blue Zones kick off along with our partners from Multicare and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. We were in the throes of the pandemic, so our in-person event became a virtual broadcast from our television studio.  But it began the detailed planning and preparation for the Parkland Spanaway Blue Zone Project. I’ve been familiar with Blue Zones for years, first learning about it from Tarrant County Texas County Judge (equivalent to County Executive) Glen Whitley in Fort Worth.  I initially thought it was all about living longer and would focus on diet and exercise.  After diving in, while those are key elements, it is also about living better - emphasizing the importance of community…

There is a reason the Pledge of Allegiance ends with “and justice for all.”  It represents one of the most foundational principles of our nation.  Our courts are designed to ensure we live up to those words. Every case that comes before a judge in one of the County-City Building (CCB) courtrooms is important. Life altering decisions are made every day as juries sit in judgment and render a verdict. This fall, another important case will be heard in a CCB courtroom – the trial of the three Tacoma Police Department (TPD) officers charged in the death of Manuel Ellis in March 2020. You’ve likely heard about this trial as it has garnered quite a bit of attention over the last three years.  It’s what we refer to as a…

This Monday is not only a day off work for most of us, but also an opportunity to celebrate our workforce and all you do for our community.  Of course, it also remembers all the workers throughout our country! As a nation, we’ve been celebrating Labor Day for over a century. The national holiday was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Grover Cleveland in 1894.  It followed a period of significant labor strife and came after the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago.  (Notably, the “riot” was the result of workers rallying in support of an 8-hour workday.) In addition to celebrating all workers, the holiday provides us the opportunity to thank all our labor partners and our Labor Relations team! At Pierce County, nearly 2/3…