City Council Legislative Priorities

The following are the Pasco City Council's 2023 Washington State Legislative Priorities, as approved by the City Council in November 2022:

  • DOWNTOWN PASCO NORTH PLAZA: The City requests $750,000 to renovate the nearly 50-year-old outdated Downtown Pasco North Plaza. When combined with other downtown investments, the North Plaza will serve as a catalyst for Pasco’s vibrant downtown and attract visitors to support small businesses and economic growth.
  • PROCESS WATER REUSE FACILITY (PWRF): The City requests $5 million as part of a public-private partnership to upgrade its Process Water Reuse Facility to make it more efficient and environmentally friendly. The total investment to upgrade the facility is $80 million.
  • GESA STADIUM: The City joins communities throughout the state to request $24 million to improve publicly owned baseball stadiums. The City of Pasco owns Gesa Stadium, a public gathering place, and is the home of the Dust Devils. The Dust Devils attract 108,836 visitors to the Tri-Cities annually and are a fixture in the community. Of the $24 million, $3 million would be allocated to improve Gesa Stadium.
  • HOUSING: The City supports state funding to ensure housing is constructed to serve the community’s most vulnerable populations. Additionally, the City supports state policies to allow the market to increase housing supply. The City amended its zoning code to allow middle housing types in 80% of the city, and now asks the state to remove other barriers to the construction of housing, such as relaxing condominium liability regulations, reducing construction costs, and providing tax incentives.
  • PUBLIC SAFETY & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: The Pasco community has experienced a significant increase in crime. In response, the City requests the following: 
    • Allocate $925,000 annually to fund two Basic Law Enforcement Academy classes in the Tri-Cities to expedite the training of police officers once hired.
    • Increase funding for alternative response teams, treatment facilities for adults and juveniles, and funding for social workers, treatment providers, and system navigators to help direct people to treatment.
    • Allow officers to take a custodial action for the possession of controlled substances, and fund adequate treatment options.
    • Clarify that officers can engage in vehicular pursuits when appropriate.
  • TRANSPORTATION: The City requests that the state make the following investments:
    • Funding to preserve and maintain the local transportation system
    • $3 million for the Road 76 Overcrossing Project
    • $8 million for the Broadmoor Bike/Ped Crossing over I-182
    • $1.5 million for State Route 12 Safety Improvements
    • $2 million for a feasibility study to allow access to I-182 from Hwy 395 to Argent
    • Fully fund grant programs, such as the WSDOT Bike/Ped Program, that will allow the City to receive grant funds for eligible projects such as the Sylvester Street Overpass.

For more information, contact or call the City's Manager's office at (509) 545-3404.