Tacoma Public Utilities director’s salary approaches half million mark
Jackie Flowers, the director of Tacoma Public Utilities, will earn an annual salary of $498,243.20 starting this spring.
Flowers has served in the role since 2018 and has consistently been among the highest-paid local officials in Tacoma and the surrounding region. Flowers’ nearly $500,000 salary comes after the Public Utility Board, the agency that oversees the management and direction for Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water and Tacoma Rail, approved a $24,003.20 raise.
Per Flowers’ offer letter, she also receives a free parking space at the TPU building and is eligible for 21 PTO days every year. The Public Utility Board’s approval of her raise included an approval of an additional four “incentive” days and 16 “administrative leave” days. If Flowers is terminated involuntarily, asked to resign or if the council decides not to reconfirm her appointment, she would be eligible for severance pay for one year.
The Tacoma City Council’s unanimous decision to reconfirm Flowers’ appointment at its April 21 meeting means she’ll remain in the same position for at least another two years, starting May 3, according to city documents. She’s responsible for overseeing Tacoma Rail, Tacoma Water and Tacoma Power, the three organizations under Tacoma Public Utilities.
The reconfirmation and raise comes after Flowers underwent an annual performance review in 2025, in which board members found her performance to be “nothing short of heroic” after she underwent a “personal tragedy” that year. The News Tribune reported in February 2025 that Flowers’ son had been charged with stabbing and killing her husband, his stepfather.
“Tacoma Public Utilities is fortunate to have Director Flowers and will benefit immensely from her continuing leadership,” the review reads.
Flowers’ salary ranks above those of other top officials in the region. Tacoma Public Schools’ superintendent Josh Garcia earned $403,217 in the 2024-2025 school year and newly appointed Tacoma city manager Hyun Kim earns $358,363.20. Gov. Bob Ferguson earns $218,744 and will receive a raise to $234,275 in July, according to the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials.
Tacoma City Council members lauded Flowers for her leadership of Tacoma Public Utilities and said they were looking forward to her continued leadership of the agency.
“Over the years, the community, city employees, everyone involved with the utility have had nothing but glowing things to say about the culture that director Flowers has helped build at TPU,” Mayor Anders Ibsen said at the council meeting.
