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Group photo with the delegation of the 5th Legislative District and my council colleagues. In the front row from left to right are Representative Lisa Callan, Senator Victoria Hunt, and Representative Zach Hall.
With the passing of State Senator Bill Ramos, late husband of Councilmember Sarah Perry, the council was tasked with appointing a Senator to represent the 5th Legislative District. This district encompasses areas in east and southeast King County including Snoqualmie, Issaquah, Maple Valley, Enumclaw, and unincorporated King County. Given the circumstances, I want to take a moment to commend Sarah for her strength and kind words she shared during the council meeting.
Victoria Hunt, who previously served as a State Representative, was appointed as Senator. This created an opening in Senator Hunt’s previous seat. Zach Hall, a member of the Issaquah City Council, was appointed to be the new representative for the 5th Legislative District. We are grateful to both Senator Hunt and Representative Hall for their service to our state.
Congratulations to Senator Hunt and Representative Hall on their appointments!
Thank you for your leadership and service to the residents of District 4, Jen!
Recognizing Jen Muzia’s Dedication to Public Service
Every year, the King County Council honors and recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to the community through the Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service Award.
This year, I had the pleasure of recognizing Jen Muzia, Executive Director of the Ballard Food Bank, a member of the Seattle Food Committee, and the Co-Chair of the Seattle Human Services Coalition, for her years of public service. In her time at the Ballard Food Bank, Jen has expanded the organization into a critical source of food, community, and hope for residents in District 4 and across King County.
With record numbers of our neighbors experiencing food insecurity, Jen’s commitment and work plays a crucial role in our collective fight against hunger. She brings people together, advocates for policies that matter, and works every day to ensure families have their basic needs met. Jen’s efforts have a tangible impact that makes this community stronger and more connected.
Congratulations to all the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service Award recipients!
Advocating for King County Residents in Washington D.C.
Today, it’s more important than ever that we work closely with our federal congressional delegation. This month, I joined my Council colleagues on King County’s annual advocacy trip to Washington D.C. We met with Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Representatives Suzan DelBene, Adam Smith, Pramila Jayapal, and Kim Schrier over the three-day trip. Our message was strong – King County and our federal delegation have an obligation to protect the rights of our 2.4 million residents, uphold the values that we hold dear, and fight efforts by the current federal administration to coerce local jurisdictions to act against our own residents.
My Council colleagues and I pictured with Representative Adam Smith on the left, and Representative Pramila Jayapal on the right.
Prior to our trip, the Council adopted our 2025 Federal Legislative Priorities, which call out the need to protect the foundational rights of residents, protect access to health care, behavioral health, and food security, promote public safety, and maintain vital environmental and housing policies and funding.
This trip occurred shortly after we received a briefing at the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 27 about impacts of proposed federal policies, including budget resolution H.R. 1. One of the most alarming proposals included in H.R. 1 would drastically affect health care access for people covered through Medicaid, often referred to as Apple Health in Washington. Proposed changes to the program would cut some residents off health coverage and reduce federal funding to states that provide health coverage to residents. For enrollees who are still eligible, the proposed changes would impose onerous new requirements and increased costs for care.
My Council colleagues and I pictured with Representative Suzan DelBene on the left, and Representative Kim Schrier on the right.
This proposal would be devastating to the 1 in 5 Washington State residents, nearly 2 million people, enrolled in Apple Health. It would surely result in fewer people being able to access care like vaccines and other preventive services, and also in more people seeking care in already overburdened emergency departments, at a higher cost than in an office setting. The proposed cuts would be devastating to the babies, children, and adults in King County and across the state who depend on Apple Health to obtain the medical care they need. These impacts posed such high levels of concern among my colleagues that the Council passed a motion expressing our opposition to the proposed cuts to Medicaid at our Council meeting on June 17.
Pictured above with Senator Maria Cantwell on the left, and Senator Patty Murray on the right.
I am grateful that King County has a strong federal delegation that is committed to advocating for our residents. I look forward to continuing to work with them to address the needs of our community.
Pictured outside with members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who, despite the 100-degree heat, showed up to advocate against Medicaid cuts.
King County’s 2025 Mid-Year Adjustment Budget
My team and I are investing a lot of our time this month on reviewing Executive Braddock’s mid-year budget proposal. This budget, called the 2025 Omnibus Budget, is the one opportunity for the county to adjust the budget for the current fiscal year that ends on December 31, 2025.
The landscape today is significantly different from when the current budget was adopted in November 2024. Since then, the federal administration has made drastic budget and policy changes that put federally funded services at risk, creating gaps, and increasing needs in our community that local resources cannot fully fill. At the same time, the state and county have been working to address their own anticipated budget shortfalls. In the most recent legislative session, the state provided local jurisdictions with new tools to manage this challenge, one of which, the proposed Safe and Stable Communities Sales Tax, will be considered by the county council in the coming months. More information on this proposal appears below.
My priority in the mid-year budget is to ensure the county can continue providing core services now and in the future. Several issues are being considered, one of which proposes enhanced safety measures on public transit that were developed in partnership with Metro drivers and transit staff. We will also look at ways to manage rising costs in public safety, such as staffing in detention facilities and growing caseloads for public defenders. This budget will also award funding to community organizations that provide services to residents through the District 4 grants.
We received our first briefing on the County Executive’s budget proposal at our June Budget and Fiscal Management Committee meeting. Due to the timing of the county advocacy trip to Washington D.C., our next Budget and Fiscal Management meeting will be on Wednesday, July 9, when this proposed budget is expected to be voted out of committee. The full Council is scheduled to take a final vote on this budget proposal at our Tuesday, July 15 meeting.
Work on the next full budget will begin in the fall, when the Council receives the Executive’s proposal for a biennial budget. That budget will cover the period from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. Stay tuned for updates in future newsletters.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/kcmedicone/
Update on the Emergency Medical Services Levy Renewal
Last month, I shared that the Council had been working on the Emergency Medical Services Levy proposal. This month, the proposal was approved by the Regional Policy Committee. It will next be considered at the Council’s July 1 meeting. If the Council adopts the proposal, the measure will be placed on the November ballot for the voters’ consideration.
King County Regional Homelessness Authority Update
At the June meeting, the Governing Board started the months-long consideration process on the 2026 budget for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). As a reminder, the agency is primarily funded by the City of Seattle and King County but also receives resources from the state and federal government, and some cities in King County. As a result, KCRHA budgets are highly dependent on the fiscal realities faced by these funders. Addressing these challenges will be an important focus as the Governing Board considers the 2026 budget.
You may have also read about KCRHA’s work to help service providers by identifying potential sites to host temporary housing. Advocates and community partners have repeatedly told me that it’s very difficult to find places to set up and offer homelessness services in King County. The KCRHA is addressing this barrier by launching a program to encourage property owners to lease suitable land where temporary shelters and housing of different types can be placed. The state has also taken action through the passage of HB 1774, which will allow non-profits to lease state-owned land at below-market rates. Together, these efforts could eliminate a significant barrier faced by service providers.
Click on photo to access recording of the June Law and Justice Committee meeting.
Law and Justice Committee Update
In early June, the Law and Justice Committee met to discuss two important topics. First, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office presented data on sexual assault cases, followed by a robust discussion on two reports produced by Prosecutor Leesa Manion’s team. These reports focused on case processing including filings, trials, and pleas. Next, the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) presented its 2024 Annual Report, which provided an overview of last year’s work, trends in complaints filed about the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), and areas of agreement and disagreement between OLEO and KCSO. The next meeting of the Law and Justice Committee will be held on Tuesday, July 29.
Proposed Safe and Stable Communities Sales Tax
I’ve shared previously that the state legislature passed HB 2015 earlier this year, which established a grant program for law enforcement agencies and authorized local jurisdictions to implement a sales tax of 0.1% to support public safety efforts. State law allows a broad range of uses for these funds such as:
- Survivor support services,
- Community outreach,
- Mental health crisis response, and
- Efforts to reduce engagement with the criminal legal system.
Executive Braddock has sent Council a proposal to adopt this sales tax, called the Safe and Stable Communities Sales Tax. While this sales tax will not address the structural gap in the county budget or the regressive nature of the state’s tax structure, I appreciate that the Legislature provided an important option for the county to consider. We heard our first Budget and Fiscal Management committee briefing on this proposal earlier this month, which you can watch here.
For additional background, I encourage you to read the Budget 101 series in my past newsletters starting in February 2025 for more information on the structural gap and legislative session.
Click on photo to access the recording of the June Regional Transit Committee meeting.
Regional Transit Committee Update
The Regional Transit Committee had one item on the agenda, but it was an important one. The meeting focused on the 2026 Men’s World Cup and our regional efforts to prepare to welcome visitors from across the world. This included an update from King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, followed by a series of presentations on World Cup planning from the FIFA Seattle Organizing Committee, King County Metro, and Sound Transit. It was an informative and important conversation.
Click on photo to access the recording of the Committee of the Whole meeting.
Joint Meeting of Seattle and King County Council Committees
Members of the Seattle City Council and King County Council came together for a special joint meeting this month when Seattle’s Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes and King County’s Committee of the Whole met to hear about the impact of tariffs on our regional economy, big and small businesses, and tourism. Concerns raised by presenters included rising costs for consumers and businesses, difficulty in predicting long-term economic impacts, and the fact that local decisions have global impacts. This meeting highlighted the importance of close collaboration across multiple levels of government and the need for proactive preparation and response to address these concerns.
This month was filled with proclamations and recognitions highlighting many issues, individuals, and communities. These ceremonial documents aim to commemorate a special period of observance, or honor individuals, groups, or organizations whose work and contributions hold meaning in our county.
Source: https://nordicmuseum.org/exhibitions/ginny-ruffner-project-aurora
Spotlighting Late District 4 Resident, Ginny Ruffner
On June 29, I joined a Celebration of Life for Ginny Ruffner, a beloved artist who resided in District 4 and sadly passed away in January of this year. Widely known for transforming the glass art field, her work is held in major institutions and is on display at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Ginny made an undeniable impact in the arts community, both locally and nationally.
In 2016, Ginny founded SOLA, which stands for Support of Old Lady Artists, to encourage other women to exhibit more, increase visibility for grants, and provide career and archiving support. In 2023, she was awarded the Washington State Governor’s Art and Heritage Award and, in 2024, she received an honorary doctorate from Cornish College of the Arts.
Ginny was an artist, teacher, and champion of other artists. May she rest in peace.
Councilmember Balducci offered a proclamation recognizing June as Ride Transit Month. We were joined by Kirk Hovenkotter and Iz Berrang from Transportation Choices Coalition who accepted the proclamation.
Councilmember Quinn and Chair Zahilay brought forth a proclamation recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth on its 160th anniversary. We were joined by Gwen Allen-Carston with Kent Black Action, Delbert Richardson with The Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum, Chris B. Bennett Jr. with the Seattle Medium, and Executive Braddock.
 Join the King County Board of Health
The King County Board of Health protects public health by supporting effective strategies, engaging in advocacy, and setting local regulations. The Board is inviting interested candidates to submit their applications for the open seat representing public health, health care facilities, and health care providers. The successful candidate will serve for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2026.
Submit your application by Tuesday, July 22 at 11:59 PM.
 Human Services Workforce Stabilization Grant
The King County Department of Community and Human Services has released a Request for Applications for human services workforce stabilization with funding from the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL). The grant fund seeks to improve staff recruitment and retention within nonprofit organizations with active VSHSL awards who are currently providing human services in King County.
Submit your application by Friday, July 18 at 2 PM.
For information on additional county grant and funding opportunities, visit the Grants and Funding Opportunities page on my King County Council website.
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