On Monday, my office and most King County offices will be closed to observe Veterans Day, an opportunity to reflect on the gratitude and respect we owe to the veterans in our community. I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to each veteran and their families for their service to our country and sacrifices they made to protect our rights and liberty.
At King County, we are proud to provide a wide range of services to support veterans. Our Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy funds programs to support housing and financial stability, social engagement, and health and wellness for veterans, servicemembers, and their families. The King County Veterans Program (KCVP) offers direct services to veterans, including emergency support, employment assistance, civil legal aid, case management, and more. If you or a loved one is a veteran or servicemember who needs help, you can visit KCVP offices in Seattle or Tukwila or call 206-263-8387.
Last year, I co-sponsored the Doors Open levy, an over $700 million, 7-year levy to increase access to arts, culture, science, and heritage across King County. This historic levy, the largest of its kind in the nation, will fund equitable access, support programming in public schools, increase tourism and revenue, and support the arts and culture workforce pipeline.
Now, I’m leading the King County Council’s work to finalize an implementation plan for Doors Open, which will provide more direction about how this money will be allocated. My priorities include getting the funding out the door as quickly as possible to support critical arts and culture organizations that are struggling in the wake of the pandemic. To do that, I proposed an amendment that ensures as much of the proceeds collected in 2024 are allocated to cultural organizations as early as possible, which could amount to an additional $19.4 million being distributed throughout the whole county in 2024.
My colleagues unanimously supported my proposal and passed the amended plan out of the Committee of the Whole. Next, we will take it up at the Regional Policy Committee on November 20 with final action expected at the November 26 Council meeting.
On Saturday, November 8 at 10:30 am, join the Redmond Historical Society for a talk with David B. Williams, co-author of “Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils in Washington State” to discuss the first ever book on fossils in Washington state. You can learn about the 500-million-year long story of life in this region, from trilobites near the Idaho border, giant bird tracks near Bellingham, and bear-like beasts on the Olympic Peninsula. Don’t miss this fascinating opportunity!
As your councilmember on the King County Council, I need to know what’s important to you. Please consider taking a short survey to share your priorities and your ideas about how we can work together to make King County a safe, welcoming place for all.
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