The city council holds meetings on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building.

Prior to this date, Tacoma's government consisted of elected commissioners, who frequently plagued the city with corruption.

In 1999, Cheryl Miller sued the council for voting down her application to serve on the Tacoma City Planning Commission during executive session, during which doors were closed to the public.

In Miller vs. City of Tacoma, the court ruled that in executive session, the council could deliberate and "evaluate" nominees, but a vote choosing between nominees overstepped the boundaries of an evaluation.

[4][5] The current members of the Tacoma City Council as of August 2024 are listed below.