ABOUT THE FIFTH COUNCIL DISTRICT

    The Fifth District includes all of Tacoma located south of 56th Street and west of McKinley Avenue.  Historically, parts of the district such as Fern Hill and South Tacoma Way were not always part of Tacoma, but were separate communities later annexed to the City.  The Northern Pacific Railroad shops, a major nearby employer, were lost decades ago and never really replaced.  

    Today the Fifth District is home to 40,000 people.  The district's average income is lower than the City as a whole, and its crime rate is higher.  Much progress has been made in recent years to improve the district, but more remains to be done.  The Community Based Services program, which has reduced many nuisances in the Edison Neighborhood, needs to be expanded to the whole South End.

    Our new Mount Tahoma High School and Gray Middle School are valuable assets, and we also need a new youth activity center.  The recent addition of a new Police Substations 3 and 4 together with Fire Station #15 have improved public safety in the Fifth District. Now, strong leadership is needed to continue this progress, until people feel safe in all of our neighborhoods.