Pierce County Council Votes To Adopt $2.97B Biennial Budget

TACOMA, WA — After more than two months of planning and deliberation, the Pierce County Council has approved a nearly $3 billion 2022-2023 budget proposal.

At the council's final budget meeting Tuesday, councilmembers voted 6-1 in favor of a $2.97 billion biennial budget, one which supporters say will put the county on the right foot as it tries to build back from the pandemic.

“Over the last two years we responded quickly to the changing environment presented by the pandemic, promoting and supporting businesses through innovative programs like the Pierce County Restaurant Rally, a business accelerator focused on minority-owned businesses, and quickly passing through federal rent and mortgage assistance to keep residents housed,” said Pierce County Council Chair Derek Young in a statement. “As we look to the next two years, we are focused on strategic investments in infrastructure, including $15 million for broadband expansion to underserved communities, while making sure we have supports in place to help people continue to navigate the uncertainty caused by the public health crisis.”

Councilmember Amy Cruver (R-District 3) cast the sole vote against the budget, citing concerns about affordable land leasing programs. Affordable housing and issues surrounding homelessness were one of the biggest priorities for this year's budget: in a news release, the council said the approved budget "commits significant funding to improve access to affordable housing and tackle the growing homeless crisis," including setting aside more than $200 million for housing programs and proposals. The county says that's the most it has ever spent on increasing affordable housing options and homelessness support services, and will more than double the current number of shelter beds in Pierce County, among other investments.

Other spending highlighted by the council includes:

• $27 million for the Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts fund. Addressing Pierce County's growing behavioral health needs has been one of the county's biggest priorities this budget season. The $27 million will be raised by the 0.1 percent sales tax that went into effect earlier this year.
• $15 million to expand broadband infrastructure. The county council in July voted to set aside $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to address broadband access gaps in rural parts of the county.
• $10 million for sewer infrastructure expansion. The Pierce County Sewer Connection Program serves a 117-square-mile basin across Pierce County, but only provides wastewater collection to 40 percent of homes. The extra funding aims to help to connect more of the remaining homes to the regional sewer system.

The council also voted to increase funding to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department as it continues its pandemic response efforts, and set aside $2.5 million to start a future endowment fund for Pierce County children.

Expenditures like those keep the budget in line with the council's previously-stated budget priorities, which included a focus on COVID-19 response and recover, housing affordability, homelessness and stable housing, social justice and equity, and economic recover, among other concerns.

The county's budget season began back in late September, when Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier put forward his $3 billion budget proposal. Since then, the county council has held more than a dozen budget meetings to hammer out the final proposal, including four biennial budget planning meetings and 10 biennial budget committee meetings. The season will end if and when Executive Dammeier signs off on the budget, after which it would take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2022.

>> Read the full budget, Ordiance 2021-100s2