Although Lacey is now the most populous city in Thurston County, it has far less tax revenue than our closest neighbor. This means we have limited resources to solve some of the problems that come with growth, like the homelessness crisis and increasing crime rates.
However, the answer is NOT increasing taxes—it’s growing our business tax base.
I aim to build a business-friendly environment to attract and encourage businesses to move here and thrive.
While on the city council and with the business community’s involvement, I championed rewriting our city’s sign ordinance, which was behind the times. Our city now allows businesses to use various signage to inform potential customers of their products, services, and location. This small but necessary change has allowed more flexibility for businesses while maintaining Lacey’s character. It also resulted in more fairness between government entities and businesses.
We were able to add 1,000 more family-wage jobs in Lacey through zoning reform. We did this by implementing industrial zone changes that first increased the limit to building size from 200k sq ft to 500k sq ft, then – eventually – removed the limit altogether. Since then, we’ve seen very positive results with more family-wage jobs and additional business tax revenue.
We built a state-of-the-art “maker space.” This space has proved to be an excellent resource for community members, businesses, and students. It has launched several new products and businesses and produced protective equipment for our medical professionals during the height of the pandemic. It was made possible through partnerships with organizations like Saint Martin’s University, the Lacey Chamber, EDC, and SPSCC.
As a member of the Finance & Economic Development Committee and the General Government & Public Safety Committee, I ensure our city has the tax revenue to maintain responsible growth and keep our communities safe. Having the resources to solve pressing challenges associated with homelessness and public safety requires encouraging businesses to move into our city, create jobs, and – ultimately – bring revenue into our city. It is not about burdening working families and businesses with new taxes; it is about creating new revenue streams for our city and living within our means.
I’m proud of my work so far – and I am dedicated to continuing my work for another term on the city council.
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