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Pictured with community leaders who joined us for the passing of the "Welcoming County” motion.
As most of you may know, H.R. 1, a federal reconciliation bill, was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on July 4. This bill will have devastating impacts to Medicaid and other critical human service programs that many in our community rely on. Early estimates are that as many as 100,000 residents of the county might lose Medicaid coverage as a result of the bill according to an update provided by Dwight Dively, Director of King County’s Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget at the July 22 Committee of the Whole meeting. H.R. 1 will also dramatically expand resources to federal immigration enforcement in the coming years.
As Vice Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee and a member of various committees that oversee human service programs, I am deeply concerned about the harmful impact that federal cuts will have on essential services for King County residents. In the years to come, local resources will be even more important as a tool to mitigate the impact of diminishing federal support.
Following the passage of the federal bill, Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda, Rod Dembowski, and I brought forth a “Welcoming County” motion to re-affirm that King County will remain an inclusive region for immigrants, even in the face of attacks from the current administration. While this motion is non-binding, the legislation lays out a clear commitment to future action to protect our immigrant neighbors.
To our immigrant community, we will stand with you. To those who are at risk of losing critical medical care, please know we are exploring all reasonable options to maintain access to services for King County residents. While there is much that is unknown at this moment, I am working collaboratively with community partners, Councilmembers, and the County Executive to ensure that King County continues to uphold our values in this difficult environment.
Read on for updates on the passing of the 2025 mid-year budget, reminder to return your ballots, upcoming road disruptions near the district, and more!
With gratitude,
 Jorge
 I want to share a reminder that I will be at the Queen Anne Farmers Market this coming Thursday, July 31 from 4 pm to 6 pm for this year’s fourth “Brewing Conversations with Jorge” session. I invite you and your fellow neighbors to stop by my booth, before or after doing your market shopping, to discuss your questions, comments, or ideas on how King County can better serve you. You can find me at booth F7 or F9 near McClure Middle School’s entrance. Please see the map below.
Click on image to access the market map online.
What Are These Sessions?
These sessions are an informal opportunity to connect with me. Constituents can drop by when they are able to and stay for as long as they’d like. The main goal is to make myself accessible to my constituents.
What Can I Discuss?
Topics of interest or concern the county has jurisdiction over include, but aren’t limited to are, Metro transit, public health, human services, county roads and parks, superior and district courts, and more. If you do not have a specific topic you’d like to discuss, I still encourage you to stop by.
Not Able to Make it?
If you are not able to make this session, please note that there will be additional opportunities to connect with me. If you know you will be stopping by and would like to submit your question(s) in advance, please send them to jorge.baron@kingcounty.gov.
Plan Your trip!
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If you are a voter, ballots should have arrived at your home this month for the upcoming King County August 2025 Primary Election. I encourage you to exercise your right to vote! Remember, every vote and election matters. Voting allows YOU to decide who will represent you at various levels of government and ensures that your voice is heard on important issues.
Ballots must be returned to drop boxes by 8 PM on Tuesday, August 5, or postmarked on or before that date! 🗳️
Questions About Elections?
Connect directly with the King County Elections Office at elections@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-VOTE (8683). For timely updates follow their social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram.
To find a ballot drop box, sign up for ballot alerts, and more, see link below.
My family and I hope you’ll join us in voting.
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Photo of community members and leaders who joined the walk along Aurora.
Aurora Avenue Community Walk
I was delighted to join Aurora Reimagined Coalition along with various local leaders for a community walk along Aurora Avenue North. This walk was an opportunity for community members, candidates for public office, and supportive elected officials to share knowledge and exchange ideas on ways we can make Aurora Avenue and the neighborhoods that surround it safer, more equitable, and livable for our residents.
Top photo: Pictured with former King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and my wife Tyler who joined me at the event. Bottom photo: Picture of the women leaders who spoke at the event.
Celebrating Women's Sports
I was thrilled to join many fellow sports enthusiasts at the “Celebration of Women’s Sports” event hosted by the Seattle Sports Commission earlier this month in Belltown. We heard from special guest Kim Ng, Commissioner of the Athletes United Softball League, and representatives of other Seattle powerhouse women’s sports teams including Seattle Reign and Seattle Storm about the evolving landscape of women in sports. Thank you to President and CEO of the Seattle Sports Commission Beth Knox for your leadership in growing Seattle's women sports community.
Speaking to community members who joined the vigil.
Together in Welcome Vigil
I was honored to speak at the Together in Welcome Vigil, hosted by the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW. In the face of harmful federal actions, it was powerful to stand with faith and community leaders and reaffirm King County’s commitment to welcoming and protecting our immigrant neighbors.
Together, we sent a clear message: our values of inclusion, dignity, and justice will remain unwavering. I remain committed to ensuring King County’s policies and programs reflect that commitment.
Pictured with Vice President Emily Hanning and newly appointed Chief Executive Officer James Shackelford.
Visit to Lifelong
I had the opportunity to tour Lifelong’s new center in Georgetown earlier this month. It was a pleasure to see the important work being done at the facility, talk with staff, and to meet Lifelong’s new CEO James Shackelford. Lifelong does critical work ensuring that King County residents with chronic illnesses have access to nutritional, medically appropriate meals. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the organization’s exciting plans for expanding food access to our most vulnerable neighbors. I look forward to future ways that the Council can work to expand access to healthy, culturally relevant food for all King County residents.
Pictured with Director Monisha Harrell of the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice and her colleague, Darya Farivar, ADA and Disability Equity Specialist.
Celebrating 35 Years of Protecting People with Disabilities
I joined Executive Shannon Braddock and the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice in celebrating Disability Pride Month and the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). During the event we heard from speakers reflect on the strength and contributions of people with disabilities. Thank you to Director Monisha Harrell and her team member, Darya Farivar, ADA and Disability Equity Specialist, who also serves as the state representative of the 46th Legislative District. Thank you to all who made this event possible and for continuing to reaffirm our commitment to all residents.
 Legislative Branch Picnic
I was pleased to spend the afternoon with my colleagues at our annual King County Legislative Branch All-Staff Picnic at Marymoor Park. The work of our District Four office and other Council District offices relies heavily on the steady and excellent work of these public service professionals. Without their dedication to improving the lives of King County residents, none of the work we do at the local level would be possible. I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing Legislative team and look forward to our collective work in the coming months.
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Pictured with President Greg Woodfill of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 587 after a meeting of the transit safety task force.
Improving Transit Safety
On July 9, I joined the King County Regional Transit Safety Task Force’s most recent meeting. In the time since the kick-off meeting in March, workgroups composed of subject matter experts, including law enforcement officials, urban planners, community health providers, and King County Metro staff have met to identify ways to improve safety across our transit system. At the recent gathering, we heard updates from these workgroups, built relationships across agencies, and toured a bus equipped with a permanent partition behind the driver’s seat which aims to protect our transit drivers. It is heartening to see the close collaboration across many groups to envision concrete changes to promote safety on transit. We anticipate additional recommendations from the task force in the coming months, and I look forward to pursuing further work on this important topic.
Click on photo to access the recording of the July 15 full council meeting.
2025 Mid-Year Budget Passed
The Council completed our work to review and revise the current 2025 budget on July 15. As Vice Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, I want to express my gratitude to Executive Braddock for presenting Council with a sound proposal from which we began our work, and to my colleagues for their active participation in this process.
When considering any proposed budget, I primarily focus on balancing the immediate and long-term needs of our community. This mid-year budget was the Council’s first opportunity to make funding decisions since many of the current federal administration’s policies have been adopted. Those decisions have already begun creating challenges for local organizations that provide food assistance, prevent homelessness, support physical and mental health, and improve our environment.
My priority for this budget was to protect essential services while investing in the well-being of our residents. I carefully considered the timing of proposed investments and whether it was critical that investments were made now or later, as I know we will be facing more challenges ahead. While I believe that local governments must intervene to address needs created by federal cuts, I know that it is not nearly possible to fill every gap. This budget reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening essential county services and support communities who are bearing the brunt of attacks from the federal administration.
Efforts that I championed in this budget include:
- Over $1 million to support essential reproductive and gender-affirming care for Planned Parenthood, the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, and Cedar River Clinic, to preserve access to care threatened by federal and state cuts,
- $175,000 in resources for asylum seekers, including resources to help those who cannot afford the newly imposed $550 application fee for first-time work permit applicants,
- $145,000 for the Let Everyone Advance with Dignity (LEAD) program, which helps connect eligible people to behavioral health treatment as an alternative to incarceration, and
- Nearly $200,000 in grants to twenty-three organizations serving residents of our district and county to meet basic needs and address hunger, enrich our local communities, and promote active living for people of all ages.
I appreciate the leadership of my Council colleagues and believe this budget will advance public health, protect civil rights, and enhance local resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.
Click on photo to access the recording of the July 22 full council meeting.
Safe and Stable Communities Tax
As many of you know, the County has been facing a substantial shortfall in the general fund that has the potential to significantly impact core County services. These cuts would be especially detrimental for the criminal legal system, which represents nearly three-quarters of total general fund spending. Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature granted local governments, including King County, a tool to help fund a broad selection of programs and fill that gap: the option to adopt a 0.1% sales tax increase.
This month, the Council considered legislation proposed by Executive Braddock to implement this sales tax increase and I joined the majority of my colleagues in supporting it. I found that utilizing this tool was necessary to avoid drastic cuts to county-funded services, particularly at a time when we are facing additional threats as a result of federal and state cuts in funding. At the same time, I had reservations with the proposal because of the regressive nature of the sales tax – meaning that lower-income people generally pay a higher proportion of their income on the tax than higher-income people. For that reason, I believe it is essential that a meaningful portion of the additional revenue generated by this tax go towards programs benefitting low-income and historically underserved communities.
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I believe that with thoughtful use of revenue from the Safe and Stable Communities Tax, we can preserve critical county-funded services, invest in our communities, and relieve future pressure on our legal system. This would reduce the incidence of people being involved in the criminal legal system and the expenditures that requires. Furthermore, we can invest in the things we know keep our communities safe, including behavioral and public health services, housing, and community-based supports. I look forward to hearing from community members and taking up these important conversations over the next couple of months and into the fall as we consider the biennial budget.
Law and Justice Committee
On July 29, the Law and Justice Committee took action to appoint a full slate of ten residents to serve on the new Human and Civil Rights Commission. Over the next several months, they will co-create governance policies and consider ways King County can strengthen human and civil rights. Additionally, the committee appointed a resident to serve on the Community Advisory Committee for Law Enforcement Oversight. Congratulations to all the nominees on their advancing appointments and thank you for your willingness to serve.
Following those appointments, the committee held a hearing on legislation I proposed to expand protections for immigrants served through county-contracted health and human service providers. The ordinance requires county contractors to abide by the same requirements as county staff regarding information sharing and facilitation of immigration enforcement. Following that, we heard a presentation from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention on efforts to utilize safety technology across the County’s detention facilities.
To see a full recording of the meeting, click here.
 Maintaining Behavioral Health Services
King County’s Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Tax (MIDD) is an essential revenue source for behavioral health services in our region. Authorized by the state, MIDD is a 0.1% sales tax used for behavioral health treatment and services for King County, including substance use treatment, mental health care, school-based services, and crisis services. In 2023, MIDD served more than 24,000 individuals throughout King County. The current MIDD sales tax, which began in 2017, is set to expire at the end of this year.
Earlier this month, King County Executive Shannon Braddock transmitted a proposal to renew the tax, which would begin in 2026 and run through 2034 to ensure continued access to behavioral health services. Council will consider this proposal at the August 21 and 27 Budget and Fiscal Management Committee meetings. I invite you to join the committee meeting in-person or remotely for public comment on this proposal on those dates.
 Housing Our Unhoused Neighbors
We recently received a promising annual report from King County’s Health Through Housing program, which provides emergency housing and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing or who are at risk of chronic homelessness. Below are a few promising data points from the report:
- The program currently funds 1,434 housing units, where residents have access to holistic wraparound services including behavioral health care, case management, and more.
- According to 2024 evaluation data, 95% of permanent supportive housing residents remained housed over the course of one year. This is a much higher percentage than is typically seen with more short-term interventions into homelessness.
- For program participants, emergency room visits decreased by 17% after one year in the program, and average hospital stays decreased by 33%.
I am hopeful that these positive outcomes will continue in 2025. The Urbanist discussed the 2024 evaluation fundings here.
Click on photo to access the recording of the July Regional Transit Committee meeting.
Regional Transit Committee
This month, the Regional Transit Committee heard our usual update from Metro General Manager Michelle Allison and then focused on King County Metro’s RapidRide program. RapidRide routes utilize partnerships between Metro and local jurisdictions to speed up transit service through dedicated infrastructure such as bus-only lanes, special traffic lights, curb cuts, and more. Eight lines are operating now (including the C, D, and E Lines in District 4), and four additional ones are underway.
Revive I-5 Road Closures
The Washington State Department of Transportation has officially begun work on the “Revive I-5: Ship Canal Bridge Preservation” project. Expect northbound I-5 lane closures through parts of Seattle from July 18 to August 18 and additional work over the next two years. During the northbound closures and lane reductions, the express lanes will run 24/7 in the northbound direction. For timely updates and further information, see link below.
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Councilmember Claudia Balducci offered a proclamation recognizing July as Disability Pride Month. We were joined by Co-Executive Director Ariele Belo of the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center who accepted the proclamation.
Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and De’Sean Quinn offered a recognition for King County Water Taxi Captain Dan Krehbiel to acknowledge his bravery in saving the Seattle Waterfront from an oncoming barge in 2023 and to celebrate his upcoming retirement after 16 years of service to King County Metro.
 Apply for a Launch Grant with 4Culture
4Culture is now accepting applications for the inaugural Launch grant opportunity. This program is for new and emerging organizations in King County and comes with a suite of support tools designed to meet their unique needs. Selected organizations will receive three years of unrestricted general operating support and will also have access to capacity-building support services.
Applicants must complete an eligibility pre-screening by Wednesday, August 13 at 5:00 PM to access the full application.
The full application is due by Wednesday, August 27 at 5:00 PM.
Help Us Recognize Your Small Business
The King County Executive’s Small Business Awards are coming! The ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate outstanding small businesses that fuel our local economy, create jobs, strengthen our communities, and exemplify King County's values. This year, instead of accepting external nominations, we are asking small businesses to self-nominate. If your business is making a difference, consider applying for a chance to be recognized at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 1 at the Washington State Convention Center Summit Building.
Submit applications by Sunday, August 10.
For information on additional county grant and funding opportunities, visit the Grants and Funding Opportunities page on my King County Council website.
Jorge L. Barón
he/him/his – hear my name
King County Councilmember, District 4
(206) 477-1004 jorge.baron@kingcounty.gov
www.kingcounty.gov/baron
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