Council Discusses 2023-24 Country Budget
Dear Neighbor,
On September 27th, the King County Executive presented his proposed 2023-24 budget to the King County Council. The Council has been busy analyzing the proposal and holding public meetings around the county to hear feedback from the community.
One of these public meetings was held at the Kent Senior Activity Center where community members spoke about the need for increased funding for public safety, human services and affordable housing.
As a member of the budget leadership team, I am working hard to help develop and pass a responsible balanced budget by mid-November. My priority in this budget is to strengthen our commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety in South King County. The public will have additional opportunities to share their thoughts – either in writing or through public comment at upcoming committee meetings – before final action is taken.
For more information on the King County budget and ways to get involved, check out the Council website here.
Reimagining the Green River
This month, I led a delegation of local mayors and other policymakers from King County to Denver to learn about exciting environmental and economic redevelopment work being done on the South Platte River.
I’m interested in developing a regional vision locally for the Green River—to better capitalize on our treasured river as a cultural and economic centerpiece – supporting economic redevelopment that provides better environmental protection, enhanced recreation, and reliable flood protection.
Diverse interests in the Denver area have made progress on the South Platte River balancing competing priorities—and we sought to learn from their successful efforts. We spent the day touring sites and meeting with many of the partners driving this vision forward, including local elected officials, environmental organizations, government staff, and business leaders.
We saw first-hand how investing in the environment and recreation can be an economic boon. As Chair of the King County Flood Control District, I am prioritizing this kind of "integrated floodplain management." The lessons learned on our trip will help inform the development of a long-term vision for the future of the lower Green River. Working together, we can restore healthy salmon runs, provide the safety of flood protection, and improve recreation opportunities....all while boosting our local economy.
Grants Help Local Cities Prevent Flooding and Improve Fish Habitat
Residents in Normandy Park, Tukwila, Des Moines and Renton will benefit from $1.6 million in grants recently approved by the King County Flood Control District. These projects will make our parks better for local residents and visitors, reduce seasonal flooding and improve the environment for chinook salmon and other fish species.
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Normandy Park will receive $150,000 to complete the design for the replacement of undersized culverts along Walker and Sequoia Creeks. The current culverts cause periodic flooding and slow the flow of water preventing fish from moving easily through the creeks. This funding is in addition to a previous $500,000 grant we provided to kickstart the project design process.
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Tukwila will receive $250,000 to restore fish passage between Gilliam Creek and the Green River and improve habitat conditions within lower Gilliam Creek. Currently, Gilliam Creek is mostly inaccessible to aquatic species due to aging infrastructure.
- Three projects in Des Moines would receive a total of $950,000 in funding from the King County Flood Control District including:
- $500,000 to fund the final design and permitting of the McSorley Creek Shoreline and Estuary Restoration Project at Saltwater State Park, making the creek more accessible for fish and the beach more accessible to people.
- $250,000 to seek potential improvements to address flooding impacts to Des Moines Beach Park while bolstering both shoreline and estuary habitat.
- $200,000 to help alleviate seasonal flooding issues from an undersized and aging storm system at the intersection of Kent-Des Moines Road and 16th Avenue South.
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Renton will use $250,000 to evaluate options for replacing an existing culvert on Talbot Road South that frequently gets blocked with debris, slowing the flow of Panther Creek and preventing fish passage. When blocked, the culvert also is a potential flood risk to nearby homes.
When I became Chair of the King County Flood Control District, I greatly expanded this grant program to include urban streams, coastal erosion, and culvert replacement. By doing so, we are preventing flooding in ways that create a better environment – for salmon and for people.
As always, I value your thoughts, ideas and input. Please feel welcome to contact me via email at Dave.Upthegrove@kingcounty.gov.
You can watch Council meetings via livestream on the Council's website or on KCTV channel 22. We take general public comment on the 4th Tuesday of every month.
To learn more about testifying before Council go to: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/committees/full_council.aspx
Sincerely,
Dave Upthegrove
King County Councilmember
District 5
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