City of Tacoma

Former Gig Harbor city council member Tim Payne is also running for the Port of Tacoma, representing District 1. Payne was on the council for 12 years, according to his Twitter account.

Payne's campaign is prioritizing the expansion of job opportunities, supporting businesses, modernizing the port, and regional collaboration. Unfortunately, he does not suggest any specific strategies or policies he would advocate for if elected. Additionally, Payne's previous association with the conservative group, Opportunity for Washington, indicates a rightward lean in his priorities.

Former Republican state lawmaker JT Wilcox is running for the Port of Tacoma from District 4. Wilcox stepped down from his Legislative District 2 seat earlier this year, where he had served since 2010 as a ranking conservative. Professionally, he’s worked for a lumber company, in self-employed consulting, and as the director of operations for Wilcox Farms.

Wilcox is a staunch conservative who previously organized a ballot measure to eliminate Washington’s sexual health education, opposed legislation that keeps our community safe by instituting commonsense gun safety measures and environmental protections, and has been a consistent obstacle to rebalancing our tax code. In his bid for the port commission, Wilcox is demonstrating a similar set of values, including suggesting that Tacoma voters put him in power because his family’s farm business is a local employer. He brings a business lens to port leadership, but we know that our community thrives when leaders view this commission as an opportunity to strengthen workers’ rights, environmental protections, and community investment. Wilcox is not a progressive choice for the Port of Tacoma.

Deputy Mayor and Tacoma City Councilmember John Hines is also running for mayor. Hines ran and lost in 2015, but ultimately persevered in 2019 and has served on the city council since. He has worked as an instructional facilitator for Tacoma Public Schools. Hines has also served in other community leadership roles, including on the Tacoma Public Library Board of Trustees, the Pierce Transit Commission, and the YWCA Board.

Hines speaks of his accomplishments in helping hundreds of people connect with services and housing, supporting emergency shelters, and improving streets and sidewalks. If re-elected, Hines would focus on public-private partnerships to revitalize downtown, expand affordable and permanent supportive housing through the city's Housing Trust Fund, and invest in core services, such as trash collection and road repair. While Hines has some positive accomplishments on the council, he's running a moderate campaign with substantial backing from corporate interests in Tacoma.

Since John Hines is running a more moderate campaign, we recommend electing Anders Ibsen for Tacoma Mayor as he is the more progressive candidate.

Jessica Johnston is running to bring "practical, compassionate leadership" to the council. Johnston currently serves as the vice president of Downtown Tacoma Partnership, chair of Tacoma's Events and Recognition Committee, the city-appointed leader of the Hilltop Business Improvement Area, and chamber ambassador for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

Her site details a long list of priorities to address, with the top three being public safety, equitable economic development, and mental health and addiction services. Johnston says that she is "proudly pro-business" and would try and reduce red tape for businesses if elected, though she isn't specific about what this would entail. She supports investment in non-violent crisis response teams for calls pertaining to substance abuse or mental crises. She would also invest in mobile crisis units and treatment-first programs to help those struggling on the streets. Other policy points include expanding affordable housing through mixed-income developments, advocating for more reliable public transit, and supporting living wages.

While Johnston has some laudable policy proposals, we recommend Latasha Palmer as the clear progressive choice for Tacoma City Council, Position 6.

Data scientist Ben Lackey is challenging Sarah Rumbaugh for Tacoma City Council in District 2.

He's running on a conservative-leaning platform motivated by his frustration with visible homeless camps and crime. Echoing Republican talking points, he criticizes the city's budget growth during a time of rapid population and economic expansion. He directed particular frustration at the incumbent Rumbaugh for what he perceives to be her lack of responsiveness to his concerns, specifically around homelessness.

Lackey also strongly opposes the Workers' Bill of Rights ballot measure, calling it a "poor idea" and claiming it will reduce employment, ignoring the safety measures and worker protections that the Workers' Bill of Rights would introduce in addition to raising the minimum wage. He insinuated that efforts spent on the ballot measure are wasted time that should instead be spent on balancing the city budget.

While we appreciate his dedication to the local community, we are concerned about his right-leaning proposals and heavily critical statements about people experiencing homelessness. We recommend Rumbaugh for re-election from District 2.

Pastor Caleb Fahey has struggled with addiction, housing insecurity, and incarceration in his life, but credits his faith with helping him achieve a more stable and safe life. Now, he works within his church to provide mentoring and community support. Unfortunately, in this low-information race, it appears that one of Fahey’s top priorities is the conservative dog-whistle issue of parental control, which is code for right-wing backlash against multicultural, scientific, and sexual health curriculum programming. Members of the Tacoma school district community deserve an elected leader with a deeper understanding of the issues that actually affect our students, such as equity gaps, aging infrastructure, and community safety concerns.