By circumnavigating the city on foot, Tacoma’s Deputy Mayor seeks to reshape public perceptions and inspire civic pride—one block at a time.

By Jennifer Krazit

Tacoma Deputy Mayor John Hines has been battling negative stereotypes about his hometown his whole life.

From juvenile jibes about the “aroma of Tacoma” to naysayers who refer to Washington’s third most populous city as “Seattle’s dirty backyard,” he’s heard it all. But having been born and raised in Tacoma, and having attended the local high school and college before becoming a football coach and public-school teacher, Hines knows his city well—arguably better than almost anyone—and when it comes to talking about his hometown, he speaks only in superlatives.

“We live in a gorgeous part of the country, and when people come here, they realize it’s amazing,” says Hines. “So part of my goal is just getting people to see Tacoma for what it actually is.”

Since joining the city council in 2019, Hines has championed a rebranding campaign to change perceptions about the city and build a community that is welcoming and comfortable to people of all ages. In July, he’s literally putting rubber to the road, with a walkabout that will take him through every neighborhood and business district in the city. During the trip, which he expects will take about six days and span roughly 50 miles of walking, Hines will stop at libraries, a community center, regional parks, and coffee shops. He’ll end one of his daily sojourns by taking in a Tacoma Rainiers minor league baseball game. Along the way, he’ll meet with constituents over coffee. And he’ll be inviting colleagues, other elected officials, and community members to join him as well. Hines hopes the walk will help Tacoma residents regain some of the community engagement, involvement, and connection that got lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well alleviate misconceptions about public safety.

“Part of this is getting out and walking around and showing that you trust the neighborhood,” says Hines.

It also ties into his broader vision for the city and some of the initiatives he’s actively involved in. One is Tidy-Up Tacoma, which he and Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards started in 2021. On its face, it’s a city-wide campaign to clean up litter and graffiti. But Hines believes this kind of beautification work has a deeper impact—helping overcome negative stereotypes about Tacoma and building confidence with the public. Tidy-Up Tacoma was initially kicked off with federal ARPA funding, and in 2023, the city instituted an excise tax on solid waste to support it going forward as well as to help organize the robust network of volunteers who do cleanup around the city.

Another initiative, Home in Tacoma, is a major rezoning effort designed to help the city prepare for a growing population by building new—and different types of—housing. As part of that process, the city council has convened outreach meetings with residents at community centers to better understand what they find special about their neighborhoods,

so those things don’t get lost as the city grows and changes. Increasing housing density while maintaining a city’s unique charms is a challenge that many growing cities face. But for Hines, it comes back to the idea that he wants Tacoma to be a city that is a beautiful, comfortable place where residents can live—and flourish—from childhood through their senior years. That means more housing options, more public spaces, safe streets for walking and biking, and easy access to community centers, libraries, and childcare and senior centers.

“Everyone understands that children are our future, but no one likes to think about the fact we’ll all get old,” says Hines, who hopes his walkabout will encourage residents to follow his lead, think about their vision for the future of the city, and take small steps toward making it a reality.

For more information: cityoftacoma.org.