The Issues That Matter
Housing & Affordability
Ending Street Homelessness
Reform of the Tri-City Animal Shelter
It’s Your City.
Expect More.
Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales
Leo Perales is your District 3 Councilman for the great city of Pasco.
Its Your City. Expect More.
Opinions are my own and don’t represent my employer or the city of Pasco.
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📋 Pasco City Council Recap – Monday Night-July 20, 2026
Another productive night at City Hall as we tackled several important items that will help shape Pasco’s future. Here’s a quick recap of what was approved:
✅ Consent Agenda
We began the evening by appointing volunteers to several City boards and commissions and approving routine city business, including payment of city bills.
🏘️ Goodwin Annexation
Council approved a resolution accepting the Notice of Intent to Commence Annexation for the Goodwin Annexation Area. This is another step forward in preparing for future growth in our community.
🚧 R-15 & RS-12 Frontage Improvement Code Changes
One of the biggest wins of the night was approving code amendments that provide flexibility for certain residential developments by allowing qualifying projects to defer frontage improvements such as curb, gutter, and sidewalks.
This helps reduce unnecessary development costs, allowing builders to reinvest those savings into the project instead of passing those costs directly on to future homeowners. Smart regulations like this help make housing more attainable while still planning responsibly for future infrastructure.
💰 Pasco Municipal Code Now Prohibits a Local Income Tax
I’m especially proud to announce that Council approved the ordinance creating Chapter 3.31 of the Pasco Municipal Code, officially prohibiting a local income tax.
This is legislation I sponsored and have been working toward for the past couple of years. I’m grateful to my fellow councilmembers for their support in making this happen. This ordinance provides another layer of protection for hardworking families and sends a clear message that Pasco supports keeping more money in your pocket.
🏭 6-Month Data Center Moratorium Approved
Council approved a six-month moratorium on new data center permits and licenses.
Over the next six months, we’ll gather additional information, evaluate potential land-use regulations, study impacts to our community, and ensure the public has the opportunity to be involved before any future proposals move forward.
This was another issue I brought forward after hearing concerns from many residents, and I’m pleased to see Council support taking the time to do our due diligence before moving ahead.
🎥 WSU Body-Worn Camera Research Partnership
We approved an agreement allowing Washington State University researchers to study anonymized body-worn camera footage from the Pasco Police Department.
This partnership will help advance law enforcement research using real-world information while supporting improvements in policing and public safety.
💧 Butterfield Water Treatment Plant Funding
Council approved submitting an application to the Public Works Board for pre-construction funding related to the Butterfield Water Treatment Plant.
The current facility is more than 80 years old, and this funding will help move planning and design forward for a much-needed replacement.
🛣️ Convention Drive Right-of-Way Agreement
Council approved a right-of-way dedication and reimbursement agreement with Big Sky Developers for the future widening of Convention Drive.
By securing this property now, we’re being proactive and helping save taxpayers money by avoiding much higher land acquisition and construction costs in the future.
🏭 Industrial Manufacturing Tax Exemption Program
Council adopted a resolution declaring our intent to designate portions of Pasco’s industrial area as a targeted urban area eligible for an industrial and manufacturing tax exemption program.
This is another important economic development tool that will help attract new manufacturers, encourage investment, and create quality jobs here in Pasco.
🚜 Broadmoor / Harris Road Agreement
Council also approved the Harris Road realignment agreement with Visconsi as development continues in the Broadmoor area.
This is another important piece of infrastructure that will help prepare the area for future commercial, residential, and employment opportunities, and I’m excited to see continued progress.
⸻
As always, I’m committed to putting Pasco First. Always. I’m proud of the progress we’re making, but there’s still plenty of work ahead.
If you have any questions about any of these items—or anything else happening at City Hall—please don’t hesitate to reach out. I always appreciate hearing from you and value your input.
Pasco First. Always.
Thank you Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales for updating us on council meetings and all the forward progression for our community! You are much appreciated!
Nothing about fireworks or animal shelter.
Get rid of the flock cameras
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.How sweet!!!!!
Not sure why, but that does not look like 92 and sandifur parkway.
We need a bunch of school kids to come in and volunteer and clean up that area and help her out that would be community service right there coming together 🙏❤️👍
Weeds all over the city as they must have decided at some point to just give up good and proper maintenance. You don’t even get street sweepers anymore. Storm drain systems have become. Last thought for Pasco. Too busy building new houses that they can’t properly support. But hey my taxes went up, so that’s cool……
What’s the purpose of city maintenance workers? Right off rd 100 off ramp in front on sleep inn hotel is an eyesore , it looks dried and abandoned. Is it not the job description of the new city code enforcement officers to point out areas that need remedied? Or is their only priorities to point out what citizens are not doing correctly and give us fines?
🗣️ Question of the Day
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the future of the HAPO Center campus. One idea that’s been circulating is the possibility of the property being acquired by a Native American tribe and redeveloped into a casino and entertainment destination.
Such a proposal could completely reimagine the HAPO Center campus, including the surrounding facilities and softball fields.
For context, the City of Pasco currently contributes funding to help support HAPO Center operations, and the City also has representation on the HAPO Center Advisory Board. With discussions about the site’s future, it’s worth asking what direction the community would like to see.
What are your thoughts?
* 🎰 Would you support a casino and entertainment destination at this location near Road 68?
* 🏗️ Would you support redeveloping the site for another type of project instead?
* 🏢 Or should we leave the HAPO Center as it is and continue operating it in its current form?
* 💬 What benefits or concerns do you see with any of these options?
Comment below and let me know what you think! 👇
Please keep the discussion respectful and constructive. I’m interested in hearing perspectives from all sides.
Updated questions, options and context for City of Pasco’s role in the Hapo Center. 👆
I'm not a resident of Pasco but I think that's a terrible idea
First of all the HAPO Center needs to get out of the hands of the incompetent county commissioners. we gotta quit using it for garbage events like MMA from Idaho and stuff like that. When it was first built and called the TRAC center it was something to be proud of for our rural community. Let the commissioners touch it and it becomes garbage like it is now. No AC? Silly wrestling events? We need better. We need shows that draw people in not exclude people . And just having a bank’s name on it makes it seem cheap and disconnected
Casinos only take primarily from the poor. I cannot support that.
Hell ya down the street
No thanks. We don't need that mess right off Rd68.
No casino! How about removing the concrete floor in the building closest to Burden and restore the dirt floor so we can have the horse and truck shows like we used to. Also, how about putting up signage that alerts the community to what events are coming to the HAPO center. We see cars but have no idea what's happening there.
This a pretty grandiose post. Are you saying that the casino to be built would be like what’s pictured in your post? If so, what other visitor and tourism facilities will support something of that size if you’re getting rid of recreation to do it? If it isn’t to that scale, then what scale is it? Are you saying a Casino in place of just the Hapo Center building? That’s a different story as it would be augmented by surrounding recreational venues. Can you be more specific?
I’m a hard no on a casino. Entertainment is one thing, but we do not need gambling to create an entertainment destination. I’d much prefer to see the location continue as a hub for sports. That’s a more positive source of entertainment and has a more beneficial effect on lives.
Come on, Leo — you already know the answer to this one... I hope. If you are even remotely serious, that is concerning. More likely, you are simply seeking attention as usual. The HAPO Center is Franklin County property. Pasco doesn't even own a piece of it yet; the city's still deciding whether to buy in this spring. So a Pasco city councilman asking "should we make it a casino" is polling people about a building his council doesn't control. And the "make it a casino" part? That's not even in someone's dreams. And it's a big nasty process. The county would have to surplus and sell the land, most of which is grant-funded rec fields that can't just be flipped. Then a tribe would have to go fee-to-trust, do a full EIS, win a two-part determination from Interior, get the governor's sign-off, and amend its compact. Any one of those kills it. And you can count on that being killed. You want a preview? The Colville's real fee-to-trust casino application across town has been stuck in federal review since 2024. That's the express lane, and it's a parked car on a deserted highway. Great engagement bait though. Question of the day: who's it baiting?
Please no
A casino would ruin our neighborhood!
I’d rather not see the disappearance of the softball complex! If operated correctly, that could ultimately generate great revenue for Pasco, (or whoever owns it). I feel like it’s not utilized correctly as it is!
I thought the county and city were gonna swap that land and 13 million for the park across from the court house? That way the city of Pasco could keep the fields and not have to pay the county rent. They were reporting that as recently as last month.
Are we converting into Vegas? Lol
I think it should be left as is. I’m not sure if there’s a track there but if there isn’t, that would be nice to have for exercise! I used to enjoy walking around the track at Kamiakin High School back when I was a teen.
Put a sign detailing what’s happening inside. What events. !!!!!! I pass through there all the time and see cars but have no idea what’s going on inside 🙄
What would casino do for current traffic? I live off of road 52 and it takes a while to get through the 68 & Burden intersection.
NO - HARD NO!!!!!
No , However we could use more events at the HAPO center I thought that was being changed to a different management Group to get more Entertainment? Keep the sports complex get the casino done put at King City.
What is the need to change? What are the realities of why this is a consideration? Would our baseball field for the minor leagues go away? I have seen some fine properties manifest from tribal casinos. Traffic on 68 would be an issue you have to find other ways on and off from there. What is the transition time for such an endeavor. It would take years of development I'm guessing. But then if it was focused it wouldn't necessarily be that way. But major projects are seldom focused continuous development. .
1st of all we the citizens of pasco paid tax dollars for that new bridge and all that landscaping for it to look so horrible with them weeds! All you city counsel is doing taking or tax money and spending it on stuff we dont need. Use that money wisely.
I'd rather see a few more upscale non-Mexican restaurants (we have a lot of good Mexican restaurants) - we need more of a variety of meal options in Pasco, and bring in Trader Joe's, something we've been begging for for years, bring in better HAPO venues, do more events to draw in the community. There is so much more that can be improved here in our own community, rather than bringing in people to gamble, mess up the area, traffic craziness both in building for a couple years, then clogging up Rd. 68, for years with thousands more people coming through. I do not want a casino in the middle of town (and I ESPECIALLY hate the picture depicted in this post), that's a hard no for me.
CascinoNo...
Wow .. big step what's in it for the city council? Box seats at Seahawks games? What about dust devils stadium? Are the going to build a like facility? All that green way gone ...kids soccer would be gone. Where is pasco council going to buy land to make up that? And you think 68 is bad now.. wait till 10 thousand people are coming and going from casino.. oh I know they will fix like Sylvester and narrow the road to make it better..
It's your city.
Expect more.
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