City of Tacoma

Silong Chhun is challenging incumbent council member Sandesh Sadalge for the Tacoma City Council from District 4. He currently works as a digital media manager in the Office of Governor Jay Inslee, and has volunteered in many community leadership roles, such as board member for the Parks Tacoma Arts and Heritage Advisory Council, the Tacoma Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and as a committee member for the city's Charter Review Committee.

As a Cambodian refugee who arrived in the district as a child and has lived there since, Chhun feels that his strong community roots undergird his campaign's driving belief that "we are only as strong as our most vulnerable neighbors." Chhun seeks to utilize the council position to invest in small, minority-owned businesses, make homeownership accessible to working families, and increase green spaces in underserved areas. He believes that supporting renewable energy will help create good jobs for local workers and emphasizes the importance of preventing gentrification and curbing predatory landlord practices.

In our interview, Chhun did not demonstrate a thorough understanding of policy details, even after being prompted to expand further. While his passion for immigrant justice and representation was apparent, we would have liked to hear a more detailed plan for tackling his district's most pressing issues.

Chhun has the sole endorsement of the 27th Legislative District Democrats, former governor Jay Inslee, Tacoma Education Association, and other progressive organizations. Voters interested in seeing the council take more proactive measures on immigration and more may find their candidate of choice in Silong Chhun.

Incumbent Joe Bushnell is running for re-election to Tacoma City Council District 5. A Marine Corps veteran and former member of the Tacoma Public Utilities Board, Bushnell is serving his first term on the council since his election to the seat in 2021. He has also served as chair of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council, chair of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Board of Health, among several other leadership roles in the community.

Bushnell is proud of the gains he feels the council has made in improving housing, public safety, and more during his first term. He points to the Home in Tacoma 2 and the Tenants' Rights Package as two landmark pieces of legislation that will prevent sudden, high rent increases and provide more flexible zoning opportunities to spur more home construction. Bushnell also states that the drop in response time for 911 calls and the expansion of the Community Service Officers and HOPE Team responder teams provide law enforcement with more options for responding to non-violent crime. During our interview, he cited improvements to Hosmer Street as a positive example of what can happen when leaders take a holistic view of public safety and bring together different agencies and community leaders around a shared goal.

Bushnell has earned wide support from community leaders and progressive elected officials for his re-election campaign. Bushnell is more moderate than his main opponent, Zev Cook, and took a few votes with which we disagree. Overall, he demonstrated thoughtful and responsive leadership during his first term that reflects his deep commitment to serving the local community.

Community organizer Zev Rose Cook is running for the Tacoma City Council, Position 5, as an outspoken progressive who wants to challenge the status quo on the council. Cook has extensive experience in the community as a shelter manager, case worker, and co-founder of the tenants' rights group Tacoma for All. She was also the co-chair of the Tacoma chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America in 2024.

Cook's priorities aim to improve the lives of everyday residents, including a policy to raise the minimum wage to at least $20.29 per hour. Considering the fact that 40 percent of Tacoma renters are struggling to make rent, Cook supports a public social housing developer that would create mixed-income homes in transit-centered, walkable neighborhoods.

During our interview, she cited the city council's unanimous opposition to the successful Tenant Rights Initiative in 2023 as evidence that the current council is out of touch. She was also critical of the council's reduction of fire, senior, and art services. She would pay for bringing more of these services back with an excessive income tax on big businesses, as well as other forms of progressive revenue. In addition, Cook said she would work to overturn the city's camping ban and redirect the funding spent on sweeps to create more shelter beds.

Cook would be a good choice for voters seeking a strong progressive voice on the Tacoma City Council who would push for sweeping changes to city policies.