As part of its ongoing commitment to fiscal discipline and the responsible stewardship of public funds, the City of Tacoma today announced a proactive, temporary freeze on General Government hiring and promotions. This strategic cost-containment measure is designed to safeguard the City’s long-term financial health as preparations begin for the development of the City’s 2027–2028 Biennial Budget.
Building on the success of a similar measure initiated in late 2024—which generated an estimated $4.8 million in savings for the City in 2025—the current action aims to achieve similar savings for 2026.
“This temporary freeze on hiring and promotions provides the City with the opportunity to carefully evaluate its organizational needs and align its staffing with community priorities, long-term strategic goals, and current financial realities,” said City Manager Hyun Kim. “The City remains deeply committed to its workforce and to serving the Tacoma community efficiently during this period of deliberate fiscal evaluation.”
To support the uninterrupted delivery of essential public services, the City has established a Critical Hire Review Committee. Rather than implementing broad, categorical exemptions, this committee will evaluate each vacancy on a case-by-case basis to see to it that critical operations remain fully resourced, community service levels are maintained, and all operational savings are accurately tracked.
The strategic freeze on hiring and promotions is effective immediately and is anticipated to remain in place through the end of the year.