At the Kent City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, a range of critical issues impacting the community were addressed, from escalating telecommunication crime to environmental initiatives.
Discussions included the acceptance of a significant grant for recycling and homeless encampment clean-up, and the impending capacity issues at the region’s last landfill.
Additionally, the council heard updates on the city’s fireworks ban and upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, and took steps toward securing a public safety sales tax increase to address police staffing shortages.
Telecommunications Infrastructure Theft On The Rise
Police Chief Rafael Padilla, along with representatives from Lumen and Comcast, gave the council an update on an escalating crime wave involving theft and vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure. Chief Padilla said that until recently, this had been treated as a property crime and given lower priority; however, it is now being treated as an attack on critical infrastructure. He said police will respond ASAP to reports of vandalism or theft of the copper wire used for internet provision. He said bystanders should call 911 if they see something suspicious.
Lately, this form of vandalism and theft has been extremely impactful, with service interruptions interfering with schools, the ability for people to work, and even lifesaving communications. Unfortunately it’s a growing trend, and is hitting its peak in South King County, as well as in more outlying rural areas.
As for internet providers, they are working on ways to respond and repair issues faster. They have deployed cameras which have helped to catch thieves in the act. Customers can opt in on an app to be alerted via SMS when service goes down. In addition, customers can request a credit for the time their service is down.
Chief Padilla said often the thieves are just trying to score some money for drugs, while other times they are obviously part of a crime organization. In this case, they might even dress like a work crew, with safety vests and flaggers along with bucket trucks, to legitimize the theft. Advocates are working to make this a felony crime, in order to further deter criminals.
On June 18, Kent Police released the following video addressing copper theft:
Department Of Ecology Grant Accepted
The council approved accepting a Department of Ecology grant for $169,654. This two-year grant will help pay for the city’s very popular recycling events, as well as homeless encampment cleanup. The city must contribute a 25% match of $56,551 to accept the funds.
Report: Last Area Landfill Nearing Capacity
The Maple Valley landfill is expected to reach capacity around 2040. King County Solid Waste Division, which serves 37 cities covering nearly all of King County, has eight transfer stations. Those transfer stations all haul waste to the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley. This presentation explored a couple of options for dealing with waste in the region after Cedar Hills closes.
Option 1 involves transferring waste by railcar to landfills still in operation in other states. Option 2 involves burning the waste, producing electricity through that incineration, and then transferring the ash by railcar to a landfill in another state. While this second option generates revenue by producing power, it has the drawback of potentially being more carcinogenic. In addition, it creates a situation where there is less incentive to recycle, since money can be made producing power by burning even recyclable waste. The only two existing waste incinerators in California and one in Oregon were recently shut down, due to the removal of incentives and stricter emission laws.
The first option has the advantage of not needing to site and build a new facility, and the cancer potential is neutral. In addition, it incentivises waste reduction and recycling, since the cost would be reduced as waste is reduced. Rail contracts are good for five to ten years, however, and future pricing projections are difficult to determine.
Fireworks Ban In Effect
Chief Rafael Padilla reminded everyone that all forms of personal fireworks are illegal in Kent. This law was adopted by voters in 2015. However, he said to use the non-emergency line (253-852-2121) to report fireworks violations. Since they expect to receive hundreds of fireworks reports, he asked that 911 be kept free for higher status emergencies. However, he said if anyone’s health and safety is at risk or there is a fire related to fireworks, 911 is appropriate.
During the 4th of July holiday, double the officers will be out patrolling the city. Fireworks violations come with a minimum $250 fine, but violators could be hit with as much as a $5,000 fine and 365 days in jail, depending on the level of the infraction. In addition, officers will seize and dispose of fireworks. Padilla said he hopes to see a continuation in the annual downward trend of fireworks violations.
4th Of July Splash
Chief Padilla also shared information on the 4th of July Splash at Lake Meridian Park. The free event runs from 5 – 10 p.m., when there will be a fireworks display over the lake. There is a free shuttle starting at 3 p.m. On-site parking is reserved for disabled and first-responders only, and drop-offs at the event aren’t allowed this year.
Public Safety Sales Tax
The council gave approval to take the next steps in qualifying for a public safety sales tax increase. While this is not the public safety increase Mayor Dana Ralph has been fighting for in Olympia, she said qualifying for this money is an important step in improving public safety funding. Police per capita levels in Kent are the lowest in the country, meaning the Kent PD is extremely understaffed.
Qualifying for this slight sales tax increase will come with grants for public safety. Mayor Ralph said it’s not responsible to hire people based on temporary grant money, but this is the only option being offered by the state currently. Chief Padilla said he can make good use of these positions if they are approved. He would like to bring in more bike cop units and have higher visibility patrols during festivals.
The council unanimously supported moving forward on qualifying for this money, though they expressed dismay at having to increase a regressive tax to fund it. In order to qualify for the sales tax increase, cities first have to qualify. There will be a lot of hoops to jump through, including training and reporting requirements.
