Sneak Peek: Tacoma City Business - Week of January 16, 2012

Many of you are probably home, enjoying a day off from work, whether because of the snow or the MLK holiday.  If you’re among the lucky, warm and cozy in your Snuggie next to the fire with a cup of cocoa/coffee/tea, enjoy it.  If you’re among the hardy few who have braved the streets or plan to, whether by choice or necessity, we wish you safe and relatively stress free travels.

This week’s City Council agenda is relatively light (more than can be said for the week’s weather forecast), and the meeting promises at this point to be short and sweet.  That said, there are a few items worth a mention coming up this week.

Study Session

This week’s study session updates are guaranteed to be a lot more fun than last week’s budget and lay-off updates.  Topics will include Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Non-Attainment Taskforce Recommendations, Mobility Stakeholders Funding Task Force Recommendations, and an update on the impacts of recent budget cuts on Tacoma’s senior centers. 

City Council Meeting

Unless we hear otherwise in the next few hours, this week’s City Council meeting is likely to be a quick one, with the reading of half a dozen resolutions being the only action listed on the agenda. 

Potentially the most noteworthy items are Resolutions 38406 and 38407, relating to the execution of Multi-Family Housing Eight-Year Limited Property Tax Exemption Agreements with Mark Lawson, for the development of 17 new market-rate townhome rental housing units at 2131 South G St., and with 252 Metropolitan LLC, for the development of 112 new market‑rate rental housing units at 252 Broadway.  New development generally sounds like good news, and we’re curious to learn more.

Layoffs

The real action this week will be taking place outside of Council chambers, as police and fire unions consider the contents of a proposed agreement with the City.  The unions will vote on whether to take concessions to save jobs within their ranks.  Details of the proposed agreement haven’t been released yet, but it’s possible the police union could vote as early as today.