On Tuesday, the Bellevue City Council unanimously approved the acquisition of 12 acres of land adjacent to the Coal Creek Natural Area near Cougar Mountain. The acquisition of this uniquely important property will protect critical wildlife habitat and priceless open space. It will connect some of the most popular trails in our region and make it safer for hikers to reach trailheads. In addition, it preserves our local mining history, as it was the former home of the late Milt Swanson, one of the last coal miners in the area, and features the last coal miner dwelling and one of the last barns in South Bellevue.
This triumph of conservation was spearheaded by a passionate group of local volunteers. Thanks to their advocacy, I was able to help secure $9.2 million in King County Conservation Futures funds, along with King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn. Thank you also to the City of Bellevue for their bold action to preserve this property and all the other public and private partners that made this possible.
Harborview Medical Center offers an essential lifeline to our region, providing quality healthcare services to our most vulnerable neighbors, leading the medical world in innovation and excellence, and serving as the only Level 1 Trauma center for four states. On Tuesday, the King County Council approved a proposal for a dedicated property tax increase of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to fund Harborview’s operations, maintenance, and capital expansion. It will cost the average King County homeowner about $7.30 per month.
As a member of the King County leadership group that led the creation of this funding proposal, I am proud of the action we took to ensure Harborview Medical Center continues serving the people of King County and our region. It wasn’t an easy process. King County is strictly limited in the types and levels of revenue we can enact, but we cannot afford to lose these critical services. In fact, the need is greater than ever in the face of uncertainties at the federal level.
More work remains to shore up basic healthcare access, safeguard reproductive rights, meet complex behavioral health needs, and maintain Level 1 trauma care. With this new revenue, we provide support for our region’s healthcare system and demonstrate our commitment to keeping King County residents healthy and safe.
Last month, King County biologists reported the strongest return of kokanee salmon to Lake Sammamish in ten years, marking a hopeful milestone towards recovery for this native species after near extinction. King County has worked in partnership with local, tribal, state, and federal governments and nonprofits for many years to prevent the extinction and improve the health of the native kokanee population.
With at least 6,800 adult kokanee salmon returning from Lake Sammamish to their spawning ground this season, we are seeing the results of this diligent work to restore the habitat of this culturally, historically, and ecologically important species.
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