Tacomans Celebrate the raising of the Pride Flag

Thursday afternoon dozens gathered outside the City of Tacoma's Municipal Building to witness the raising of the LGBT Pride Flag in honor of Pride Week in Tacoma. The flag can be seen as far away as three blocks. As it was hoisted to the top of the poll the crowd cheered and pumped its fists, animated in support of Tacoma's strong statement of equality and inclusion.

Mayor Marilyn Strickland and City Council Member Ryan Mello were instrumental in the planning of the event and both were on hand to address the crowd. Strickland and Mello are known for their positive attitudes and love of local ceremony, but the two leaders seemed even more jovial than usual as they celebrated the City's progressive statement with the gathered townsfolk. Strickland told the crowd she believes Tacoma is the first city in the nation to raise the Pride Flag at its city hall.

The flag will fly from now until July 16. The raising kicks off a Pride Celebration in Tacoma that will last an epic ten days. The Volcano's Brett Cihon previewed the celebration and described its planning earlier this week.

GOP Blows a Late Whistle

Also on Thursday the Washington State Republican Party declared that Steven Garrett, the man who drew Pierce County's redistricting map, should be fired because he also works for the State House and Senate Democrats on redistricting.

GOP leadership claims they didn't previously know of his employment with the Dems, despite the fact Garrett was interviewed by a five-member redistricting committee of which two members are Republicans.

To this blogger it looks more like Republican leadership doesn't like the submitted map and has decided this is their best bet to taint it. They've been largely silent on the process until now and didn't protest when Garrett was initially hired. I'm calling BS, but that's just me.

City Council Districts Next?

As soon as Pierce County can manage to agree on its new districts it may be the city's turn to redesign. The Tacoma Weekly's John Larson observed in a feature this week that although there has not been a dramatic change in Tacoma's population since 2000 some changes will likely need to be made to current districts. He unpacks those changes in his feature here.

Cannabis Measure to be Included on November Ballot-

The people of Tacoma will make a statement this November as to whether or not they want to see minimized enforcement of marijuana-related crimes committed in the city. Tacoma Initiative No. 1 has reached the required number of signatures and will be included on Tacoma ballots in the fall. The News Tribune reports that supporters hope the City of Tacoma may enact the measure before the vote, but are excited either way to have qualified the imitative.