Dear Friends:
Today’s update includes information on the status of Senior Property Tax Exemption applications, general election ballots, funding for supportive housing, other funding opportunities, health and travel updates, and more.
Washington Trivia
How did Evergreen State College get its nickname?
(Answer is at the bottom).
FDA warns the public about certain hand sanitizer products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated their “do not use” list with about 200 hand sanitizers that may have 1-propanol or methanol, a toxic alcohol that can cause blindness or death when absorbed through the skin or when swallowed, or that may have less than the required amount of alcohol.
King County Assessor’s Update
King County Assessor John A. Wilson reported that the adjustment of the qualifying threshold for senior property tax exemption earlier this year resulted to a 400% increase in applications, causing a significant backlog. With the added impacts of the pandemic, the Assessor’s office is dealing with a 500% increase in emails and phone calls.
In response to this, their department has fixed some processing issues, allowing them to process 400 applications a week and rapidly work through the backlog. Additionally, King County is extending the second half payment of property taxes until January 31, 2021 for persons who have a senior citizen or disabled person property tax exemption application mailed or filed on or before October 19, 2020 and do not pay their property taxes through a lender. Affected property owners will be contacted (by mail) and will need to notify the Assessor’s office to opt in to this program by sending an email to exemptions.extension@kingcounty.gov, signing up online at https://kingcounty.gov/depts/assessor/TaxReliefExtension.aspx, or calling 206-296-3920. The statutory deadline of November 2, 2020 remains in effect for all other property taxpayers.
Election Update: Ballots in the Mail
Yesterday, October 14th, King County Elections mailed out ballots to all King County voters. Please be aware of the following important information:
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Ballot Delivery. Many voters will see their ballot in the next day or two, but everyone should have received theirs by Monday, October 19th. If you have not received your ballot by then, please call King County Elections at 206-296-VOTE (8683) or visit their website.
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Ballot Tracking. King County Elections highly encourages voters to track their ballot. Starting today, voters will now see when their ballot is sent, delivered, mailed back, received, signature verified, and ultimately counted (example below).
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Vote Centers. Vote Centers are a great option for voters who still need to register or update their registration after October 26th, voters who would like to use an accessible voting unit, which offers an audio ballot, touch pad and other options for adaptive equipment for individuals with a disability, and anyone who lost their ballot (may also pre-order one online to save time at the Vote Center).
The Vote Center in Renton is officially open and six locations (Federal Way Performing Arts Center, Accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Bellevue College, CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle, Dempsey Indoor Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Kenmore City Hall) will be open on Saturday, October 31st, Monday, November 2nd, and Tuesday, November 3rd.
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Drop Boxes. All 73 ballot drop boxes are officially open today and will remain open until 8:00PM on November 3rd, Election Day.
Council Passes Unprecedented Funding to Create Supportive Housing
On October 13th, the King County Council approved an unprecedented investment that will provide permanent, supportive housing for those deemed “chronically homeless” – people who reside in a place not meant for human habitation for at least a year, and with serious physical or behavioral health issues. Read more about it here.
New Funding Opportunity from the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy
The King County Department of Community and Human Services is now accepting applications to fund an entity or entities to provide programming to support caregivers of persons with disabilities to decrease isolation, promote inclusion and accessibility, and afford opportunities for respite so they can sustain their vital role and relationship. Funding and guidance is provided by the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) and the VSHSL Implementation Plan.
Successful applicants will promote the inclusion, equitable access, advocacy and self-determination of persons with disabilities and their caregivers. This RFP is designed to allow applicants to identify what opportunities for respite are needed and welcomes creative and broad solutions. This funding is open to and encourages supports for persons with disabilities of all kinds.
Available funding: Up to $610,000 in VSHSL funds
Investment period: January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023 (subject to change)
Questions: Contact Allison Jurkovich, at ajurkovich@kingcounty.gov
Applications due: November 23, 2020 by 11:59 PM
Eligible Families Strongly Encouraged to Apply for Free and Reduced-Price Meal Programs
Many students across Washington state rely on school meals to meet their nutritional needs. As the economic impacts of COVID-19 continue, more families are taking advantage of free meals provided by school districts. School districts have been able to provide free meals to all children aged 0–18, or older if enrolled in the K–12 school system, through the end of December 2020, thanks to waivers granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, once the funds run out at the end of the calendar year, many students will still need access to free or reduced-price meals from their school. Read more about it here.
Families are strongly encouraged to complete a simple and confidential School Meal Application now, which determines a student’s eligibility for free and reduced-price meals. More information can be found here: Child Nutrition Programs in Washington state.
Closure on State Route 99 for Federal Way Link Construction
All lanes of State Route 99 between South 204th Street and South 208th Street in SeaTac will be closed for underground utility work beginning Friday, Oct. 16th, at 8:00 PM and will remain closed through Monday, Oct. 19th, at 6:00 AM.
Northbound drivers will be detoured around the closure by heading west on South 208th Street, north on 24th Avenue South, and east on South 200th Street back to SR 99. Drivers traveling south will head west on South 200th Street, south on 24th Avenue South, and east on South 208th Street back to SR 99.
Alaska Airlines offers rapid testing for Hawaii-bound travelers
Alaska Airlines will partner with Carbon Health to offer rapid COVID-19 testing at its pop-up clinics across the west coast, starting October 12th in Seattle. Hawaii will begin to welcome visitors back by allowing out-of-state travelers to enjoy the islands without a 14-day quarantine when they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their final leg of departure to Hawaii. Read more about it here.
King County Case Update
Today, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 149 new cases, bringing the total in King County to 24,649. In addition, Public Health reported 0 new deaths, keeping the total in the county at 782.
   
Stay In. Stay Safe. Stay Healthy.
Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember
Washington Trivia Answer:
Founded in 1967, the Evergreen State College in Olympia was formed following the report issued by the Council of Presidents of Washington state baccalaureate institutions intending to create a new four-year college in southwestern Washington to balance the geographical distribution of state institutions. According to Wikipedia, the name Evergreen State College was selected among thirty-one choices and was officially used on January 24, 1968.
According to Evergreen’s website, the athletic team of the institution is called the Geoducks, pronounced “gooey-ducks”, which came from a local tribal word meaning “dig deep.” Their mascot is called Speedy, one of the only two non-insect invertebrate college mascots with the other being University of California Santa Cruz’s Banana Slug.
Speedy has been featured by many publications as the worst college mascot ever, but at Evergreen, Speedy the Geoduck was born from the intentions of the founders who would like to embody the difference between Evergreen’s innovative ideas and other traditional schools. The geoduck is an integral part of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem, which is the perfect symbolism of the college’s spirit, its devotion to sustainable and environmentally conscious practices, and its accessibility to all who are willing to dig deep.
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