Tacoma, WA May Leave Vacant Jobs Unfilled

The city of Tacoma, Washington may leave 96 jobs unfilled next year, as it copes with a $36 million budget shortfall.

The city hopes to avoid laying people off or reducing services. Tacoma’s sales tax revenues are down 16% since 2007, and utility revenues are 40% less than estimates.

Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city in, and the county seat of, Pierce County, Washington. The Census Bureau estimated its population at 196,520 in 2007. Tacoma is the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area, and the third largest in the state.