 Thank you to everyone who joined me last Saturday for town halls in Mercer Island and Kirkland. I value hearing directly from constituents and it was great to be back in person. I appreciated the great discussion and information sharing about property valuations, taxes and where your tax dollars go in King County.
I heard from town hall participants about the alarming increase in property valuations many have received, as well as a deep concern about the affordability of housing on the Eastside for both renters and homeowners. My guests, King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson and Budget Director Dwight Dively, presented helpful information and there were some key take aways:
- property taxes do not rise equally with increasing property value assessments.
- there are resources for low-income seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities through property tax exemption programs. Find more: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/assessor/TaxRelief.aspx
- Locally raised property and sales taxes are less than 30% of the total County biennial budget.
Not everyone could attend the town halls (ahem, Mariners playoffs), so please connect with me directly to share your thoughts: Claudia.Balducci@kingcounty.gov
Each year, the King County Council gets to donate retired Metro vanpool vans, which still have a lot of life in them, to local organizations serving the community. This year, I donated a van to KidsQuest, the Eastside’s hands-on, interactive children’s museum.
KidsQuest encourages learning through play with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. With over 25 innovative exhibits, programs like early learning classes and summer camps, and free art and science programs, KidsQuest gives kids the chance to learn and explore, all while having fun. They also strive to make sure every child gets to enjoy the museum, offering low sensory opportunities, discounted tickets and scholarships, and exhibits that reflect diverse cultures and communities. I am thrilled that I was able to support them with a van donation and appreciate everything they do.
Comment on King County’s proposed budget Wednesday
 https://kingcounty.gov/council/townhalls.aspx
Join the County Council next Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6:00pm to share your priorities and values for the 2023/2024 King County budget. This evening town hall will be a hybrid meeting, so you can attend in person at the King County Courthouse or join remotely via Zoom using Webinar ID: 810 4606 8704. Full details can be found here:
Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized
 On Tuesday, Stacey McQuade, Senior Equity and Native American Program Manager, OESJ and member of the Native American Leadership Council (NALC), Bryan Davis, Chinook Tribal Councilmember, member of the Native American Leadership Council (NALC), DLS employee, members of the King County Council, and Deputy County Executive April Putney recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day
Monday was the first time King County government recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a paid holiday for our employees. I sponsored the ordinance creating this holiday because I believe we should celebrate what we value. In King County, we value our many American Indian, Alaska Native, and Indigenous residents and their contributions to our local, regional and national culture, economy and society. We also acknowledge the long history of systemic racism towards Indigenous people in the United States and recognize that the impacts of colonization have led to high rates of poverty and disproportionately adverse life outcomes for Indigenous people.
We can take action every day to honor our Indigenous neighbors in the following ways, and others:
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Learn the history of the Indigenous people on whose land we live
- Donate to Indigenous-led organizations that serve Indigenous people
- Shop at Indigenous-owned businesses
- Read Indigenous authors, listen to Indigenous artists
- Protect Indigenous lands—recreate responsibly on ancestral lands or plant native plants
Spread the word!
Please forward this email widely and invite others to sign-up to my email updates to receive important and timely information for District 6 constituents.
Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
District 6
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