COVID-19 Data Updates
For up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the County, see the Daily COVID-19 outbreak summary dashboard. The links to the data by demographics and geography are on the same page.
View all County COVID-related Data Dashboards here, including vaccination rates and outcomes according to vaccination status
View the most recent statewide COVID-19 data from the state Department of Health (DOH). Note: hospitalization rates are still below the most recent January peak but appear to be tracking a bit upwards.
 Now is as good a time as any to get your booster! Look how happy you will be if you do.
Helpful Public Health-related Articles
Quote of the Day
“The birds I heard today, which, fortunately, did not come within the scope of my science, sang as freshly as if it had been the first morning of creation.” – Henry David Thoreau
County Business and Other News and Events
Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee
In Tuesday’s meeting of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Meeting, we had three informative briefings. The first briefing was by the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention on in-custody deaths. So far this year, there have unfortunately been five deaths in King County correctional facilities, including three suicides. The briefing covered what’s being done in response to these, and other updates from DAJD. I’m quoted on this topic in the article below.
The second briefing was an annual report from Tamer Abouzeid, the Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, going over the work the office has done in the past year. And finally, the third was a conversation on pay equity among court interpreters in King County, where we heard directly from contract translators. To view the tape of the meeting, click here.
Full Council
On Tuesday, we began our first hybrid Council meeting by declaring June 2022 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in King County. Happy Pride!
This was followed by a 7-2 vote to approve the 2023 sewer rate and capacity charge. The sewer rate for 2023 will be a 5.75% increase from 2022, which will fund vital water quality improvement projects across the county, including reducing the nutrients in our waterways to protect marine life, and funding asset management projects to maintain our system and system upgrades. These important investments were briefed and discussed twice at both May meetings of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. To view the first briefing, click here: http://king.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=9371
We also approved a motion specifying the scope of work for the 2024 update to the King County Comprehensive Plan and ruled on a local land use appeal. You can watch a video of the meeting by clicking here.
Budget and Fiscal Management Committee
Committee members were briefed, then discussed and acted on placing a proposition to restore King County's conservation futures property tax levy rate on the November 8 general election ballot. The ordinance passed out of committee with a 7-0 vote. I am pleased to cosponsor the legislation along with the lead sponsor, CM Rod Dembowski. Conservation Futures is the County’s primary strategy to preserve our last, most important natural lands and urban green spaces. Since 1982, critical Conservation Futures grant funding has helped protect more than 100,000 acres of land in King County as open space, including the Olympic Sculpture Park in urban District Four.
Two years ago, I worked to preserve the Ballard P-Patch through a grant from Conservation Futures, and this year’s recommendations include the preservation of nearly three acres of lakefront property on Bitter Lake in one of our County’s most impoverished census tracts. This property has been sought after for nearly a dozen years by the local community and could not happen without the Conservation Futures program funding
With my vote, I hope to ensure the strength and viability of Conservation Futures for another generation. The Council will act on this proposed ordinance at our June 21st Council meeting.
Related article: King County property tax hike for land conservation likely headed to voters after committee approval – Seattle Times
Regional Policy Committee
Members were briefed on the state of affairs at the County-owned Harborview Medical Center. They then discussed and unanimously passed a motion to accept the 2020 annual mental illness and drug dependency evaluation summary report, as required by King County code. Finally, the members were briefed on the renewal of the Conservation Futures tax levy. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Next Week at the King County Council
* As a reminder, all Council and committee meetings will be conducted in a hybrid format for the foreseeable future. Hybrid meetings at the Council will allow the public to attend the meeting in person at the Chamber at the County Courthouse (at 516 Third Avenue with the entrance on 4th Avenue between James and Jefferson) or attend via ZOOM.
Government Affairs and Oversight Committee
Members will first receive a briefing from Leon Richardson, the Director for the Adult Services Division, on the Department of Community and Human Services’ Veterans Program General Update and COVID Response. They will then hear two reports from the Auditor’s Office, “Sheriff’s Office Data Shows Racial Disparities, Potential for Alternative Policing” and “Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement: Strategies Needed to Achieve Goals.” In addition to the Auditor’s staff, Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall and her staff will also be participating. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Committee of the Whole
On Wednesday, June 15th, members will be briefed on the Harborview Annual Report and Capital Bond Program. This will be followed by discussion and possible action on the re-appointment of Anita Khandelwal as the county’s public defender. We will conclude the meeting by deliberating a new ordinance (first briefed on June 1st) that would shift county-level elections from odd to even-numbered years. The ordinance, which I am cosponsoring, will place the measure on the ballot for voter approval. The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Related article: Balducci Proposes Moving County Elections to Even Years to Increase Participation – The Urbanist
Board of Health
On Thursday, members will first receive a briefing on preventing childhood lead poisoning. They will then be briefed on COVID-19 and the health impacts of “long COVID,” The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available on this page.
Full Council
Next week’s Council meeting we will take up some consent items, but the main event will be our annual Martin Luther Jr. Distinguished Service Award ceremony. Every year, the King County Council honors community members answering Dr. King's call "what are you doing for others." I’m looking forward to revealing District Four’s awardee next week. You can read about last year’s winners and watch clips about each of their unique gifts that make them so indispensable to our community by clicking here.
The agenda, meeting materials and instructions on providing public comment are available here.
Regional Transit Committee
On Wednesday, members will discuss and possibly act on a new ordinance implementing the Zero Youth Fare proposal transmitted to Council last week. We are moving quickly to implement this program because as part of the Move Ahead Washington state funding package, King County Metro will also receive more than $31 million in grant funding if the program is approved before October. You can view the agenda for RTC by clicking here.
Related article: Free Youth Transit Plan Moves Forward In King County - Patch
Legislation introduced this week to establish a safe firearm and ammunition return program
We need gun reform in more than just our laws — we need it at the cultural and individual level, too, to stop the plague of mass shootings in the United States. But, getting guns off the street and making them more difficult to access is an important place to start. That’s why I am so pleased to be cosponsoring Councilmember Dembowski’s motion to explore establishing a safe firearm and ammunition return program in King County and look forward to working with him to advance efforts to support gun safety. And a head’s up: I will be dedicating both July meetings of the Committee of the Whole to the issue of gun violence prevention and response. The first of which on July 6 will be the first time we will take up this motion and potentially vote it out of committee.
On a related note, the Kirkland Police Department will host a ‘Guns for Gift Cards’ exchange on Saturday, June 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. as part of KPD’s ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence and unwanted firearms in the community. Click here for more information.
Read more about the proposed motion here: https://kingcounty.gov/council/news/2022/June/6-7-Gun-return-program-intro.aspx
Other gun related links:
New model of battery-electric heavy-duty trucks unveiled
This week, King County became the first organization in the state to roll out a new model of battery-electric heavy-duty trucks manufactured at Kenworth’s assembly plant in Renton, opening a new market for zero-emission fleets.
It will be one of the first Class 8 battery-electric trucks in North America operated by a waste management agency. Along with King County Metro’s progress toward electrifying its bus fleet, King County is a leader in the transition to zero-emission vehicles that reduce air and noise pollution. This is a big deal, and it brings a step closer to a completely zero-emission fleet – something I have worked hard on throughout my time at the King County Council. In fact, I was able to work with my colleague Rod Dembowski to speed up the timeline for full transition to electric from 2040 to 2035.
You can read more by clicking here.
Calling all future change-makers: Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship
King County is offering five one-year, paid, full-time Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowships. Selected fellows will demonstrate their commitment to building on the namesake’s legacy and achievements of empowering and advocating for youth from economically disadvantaged communities that have historically lacked opportunities to further both educational and career aspirations.
Ruth Woo a once powerful and recognized political guru in the Asian community and beyond and a mentor of former King County Executive and Governor Gary Locke, helped and mentored many younger politicians, lobbied to get Asians appointed, managed campaigns for many Asian elected officials and did scores of good to make Puget Sound a better region for all. You can learn more about the fellowship and apply by clicking here.
Free Juneteenth concert: 'The Songs of Black Folk: The Music of Resistance & Hope'
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, in collaboration with community churches and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, invites you to a free concert to celebrate Juneteenth. The event celebrates and centers African American spirituals and the diverse musical traditions that have creatively evolved from them, including gospel music, jazz, R&B, and hip hop. Add this to your calendar: Sunday, June 19, 6:00 p.m. at McCaw Hall on the Seattle Center campus. Tickets are free, but you need to RSVP.
Join United Way’s Summer HungerCorps!
United Way of King County is calling on all young adults 18 years or older—especially those who haven’t nailed down their summer plans yet. How would you like to make $1,900 a month and earn a free ORCA pass this summer while helping to provide nutritious food where local families live, learn and play? Click here to learn more about this opportunity.
Additional helpful and informative links
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I’m now sending out once a week. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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