COVID-19 Update: New payment plans for property taxes

Your Update on What's Happening at the King County Council  

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

I’m glad to announce the Council has approved my legislation that offers payment plans for those who missed the deadline on their 2020 property tax bill.

I’m grateful to my colleagues for their support on this effort. There was an almost 30% increase from last year in the amount of people who couldn’t pay their property tax bill, even with the extended deadline. In light of the widespread hardship many are experiencing during the pandemic, its good policy and fair practice for the County to offer a bit of leniency to folks who are struggling to pay their property tax bill in a lump sum. I've included more details below for anyone who needs to access a payment plan. 

This week, the King County Council also approved another round of emergency funding, allocating CARES Act dollars to sustain our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read more about the emergency budget here.

Take care and stay healthy,

Reagan Dunn Vice Chair Metropolitan King County Council

Masks Required in Public Spaces Statewide Starting Tomorrow

Councilmember Dunn delivers face masks to Andy Fouche of Sunset Community Church

Gov. Inslee has ordered that starting tomorrow, face masks are required to be worn in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces when you can’t maintain a distance of 6 feet from other people.

Today I am out in District 9 delivering face masks to various community groups. I hope that this will help make it easier for folks to meet the new requirement!

King County has given plenty of masks to local governments and other community organizations for distribution. If you need a free face mask, please contact your city's office or local chamber of commerce. If you'd like a list of organizations that are giving out masks, feel free to contact me email me directly. 

If you prefer to make your own mask, my wife Ashley shows how to do so in this DIY face mask video.

Property Tax Relief: Payment Plans Now Available

This week the King County Council approved my legislation that offers payment plans for those who could not afford to pay their June 1 first half property tax bill due to COVID-19. The King County Treasury will also waive 3rd party vendor payment plan setup fees, but will charge 1% interest as required by state law. You can find more info about this program at the King County Treasury webpage.

If you need help paying your June 1 property tax bill, please email paymentplans@kingcounty.gov or call 206-263-2890. 

Applications open TOMORROW for Small Business Grants

Starting tomorrow, June 26th, small businesses in unincorporated King County can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic. These businesses are vital to our community and our economy, and I'm proud to have supported this grant program at the Council.

The program will accept applications until Friday, July 10, but funds may run out quickly, so businesses should apply as soon as possible.

For more information and to apply, visit the Local Services website.