Puyallup council removes proposed 1% property tax increase, approves mid‑biennium adjustments and LTAC allocations

The Puyallup City Council on Oct. 21 voted to remove the budgeted 1% allowable increase to the city's 2026 property tax levy, approved first readings of mid‑biennium budget ordinances and passed lodging‑tax (LTAC) and community grant funding recommendations, with several members recusing or abstaining from votes where noted.

Finance director Barbara Lopez told the council the levy calculation starts with the 2025 levy and that the state allows a 1% addition, amounting in the draft to about $112,187. "The estimated levy at this point is $11,400,000," Lopez said, and she provided assessed valuation figures and examples for taxpayers: with an assessed valuation provided by Pierce County of about $10,900,000,000, the general levy rate would be roughly $1.046 per $1,000 of assessed valuation; the city's share is about 10.4% of a typical total tax bill.

Why it matters: the 1% increase goes to the city general fund and is discretionary rather than tied to a specific new program. Councilmember Dean Johnson moved an amendment to remove the 1% increase from the levy ordinance, saying he opposed the increase on principle…