Pierce County Council put a bow on fiscal uncertainty with a move to bolster its budget. After taking public input and sewing on a few amendments, the Council gave the green light to Proposed Ordinance No. O2025-523s. The focus? Shoring up the 2024-2025 biennial budget against possible federal funding cuts. A $25 million safety net, dubbed a contingency fund, stands at the heart of the plan, earmarked to catch the county if federal aid falls short next year.
Council Chair Jani Hitchen, representing District 6, underscored the dedication to transparency. "The Council included a five-day reporting requirement to the Council before funding is used from the contingency fund, and it has to be listed on our Council agenda for full transparency," Hitchen stated, as per a recent release on the Pierce County website. Although necessary, the steps taken reflect responses to unsettling shake-ups in federal budgeting that have destabilized local service funding.
Redirecting cash flows within the community, the supplemental ordinance also reroutes $800,000 from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department to tackle issues of food insecurity – a conscious decision made after it was clear that the initially intended American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars would not be spent in time.
While some council members penned their apprehension with dipping into general funds, the need for clear visibility on spending smoothed over concerns. "I’m not excited about such a large appropriation from the general fund, but with the reporting requirements added in, it addresses my concerns about public transparency," Councilmember Dave Morell of District 1 expressed, according to the same Pierce County update. Morell also voiced his chagrin over the failure of an amendment aimed at allotting funds to the Northwest Regional Resilience Hub project. But his forward gaze is set on close scrutiny of the subsequent budget proposals.
With this decision, the ordinance is propelled back to County Executive Ryan Mello, whose signature is the last step in this stage of budgetary defense.
