Planning commission chair will run for South Tacoma council seat

Tacoma Planning Commission chairman Chris Beale is running for City Council in District 5, the seat that will be vacated by Councilman Joe Lonergan after completion of his second term at the end of the year.

“I am running for City Council because I care deeply about South Tacoma,” Beale said in a statement. “As a first generation college graduate, I have dedicated my personal and professional life to public and community service. ... I am confident that my experience in the community and local government will allow me to ‘hit the ground running’ in serving South Tacoma.”

Beale, a senior planner for the city of Puyallup, is the former vice chairman of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council. He grew up in Boise, Idaho, and moved to Tacoma 15 years ago. He attended Tacoma Community College and transferred to University of Washington Tacoma, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies.

In a statement, Beale said he wants to help Tacoma move to a “more sustainable and equitable future as the city continues to grow.”

Beale, 32, lives in South Tacoma with his wife and two dogs.

Beale is endorsed by Councilmen Ryan Mello, Anders Ibsen, Keith Blocker and Marty Campbell, as well as the local firefighters and police unions, according to his website.

For information, see electchrisbeale.com.

This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Planning commission chair will run for South Tacoma council seat."