How do you plan to pay for college for your kids?
Costs of college across the nation have escalated and 42.5 million Americans hold a total of $1.81 trillion in federal student loan debt. This debt averages $39,075 per person ($36,709 in Washington). Student loan debt increased 260% between 2006 and 2023.
Student loans are the second largest source of debt after a mortgage. 20% of borrowers are behind on their payments.
Debt can accumulate not just for students pursuing 4-year degrees. Many family-wage jobs like nursing or dental hygiene which offer job security and family-wages require technical training.
To address this, states across the country have adopted tuition-free Promise programs which allow graduates of local high schools to attend a local 2-year community college for free.
Promise programs can allow students to transfer to a 4-year college and thus cut their college costs. The Tennessee Promise Program helped student cut student loan debt by 40%.
Promise programs also provide access to technical training required for jobs that will provide a viable wage.
These programs have proven to help students gain the skills they need for good jobs. These programs have been particularly helpful to students who have historically faced economic challenges to secondary education.
PBS News covered a report which shows how the Promise programs increased first-time college enrollment in the following demographic groups where affordability had been a major obstacle:
Above graphic from 2022 PBS News report found here.
Here in King County, the cities of Seattle and Tukwila have launched Promise programs that cover the cost of tuition.
King County Promise does not currently cover the cost of tuition, but it does provide funding to encourage students to pursue secondary education and to support our community college students with supplies, books, and a dedicated navigator.
I am speaking with fellow councilmembers and the Executive office at King County about whether it would be feasible to expand the Promise program to serve high school graduates throughout King County.
All kids who work hard and apply themselves deserve a chance to advance their education and training to be prepared for good jobs.
The goal of the D5 e-news* is to share information about council business, upcoming community events, access to services, opportunities, and ways for us to build an even better King County.
*To translate this week’s e-news into another language, scroll down and click on the language of your choice. Whether you would like to read this e-news more easily or whether you are studying a new language, we are bringing you language technology to help us stay connected.
On Monday, we commemorated Labor Day.
In the afternoon, the Council voted on a biomethane contract with Puget Sound Energy to capture the methane gas from the Cedar Hill Landfill and convert it to energy. The Council also approved the 30-year forest plan which I co-sponsored with CM Perry.
Above: Ruth Woo Fellows seated in the front row include: Priscilla De Andrade, Marissa Maldonado, Saeed Mahmood, Monica Alfonzo and Zeinab Al-mohanawy.
The Council also honored five young employees who served in King County’s Ruth Woo Fellows program. These “fellows” worked shoulder to shoulder with staff in departments ranging from Human Resources to Performance, Strategy, and Budget to Human Resources to Facilities Management.
When I assumed office in February, one of my first hires was Saeed Mahamood – a Ruth Woo fellow working with the Council’s Local and Regional Affairs team. While serving as a fellow, Saeed provided analysis of Harborview Hospital, and Elections among other work for Local and Regional Affairs.
I have been pleased to have Saeed – a lifelong resident of Kent - on my staff as Policy Director, where he has worked hard reviewing materials and preparing notes for my committee meetings on a wide range of topics.
Ruth Woo Fellow Saeed Mahamood with CM Quinn & staff and Local and Regional Affairs Team
Left to right – Rob Gala, CM Quinn, Saeed Mahamood, CM Zahilay, CM Dembowski, BrynDel Swift, Tania Mondaca, Tom Goff, Jazmin Pairazaman, Carmela Ennis.
If you have a young person in your life who is motivated and wants professional experience, check out this fellowship program.
Click the image above to see KCTV's Ruth Woo Fellowship video
On Wednesday, like many of your kids, my boys started the first day of the new school year.
The Quinn sons with their Dad on the first day of school 2025!
I met with South King County members of the Sound Transit board and CEO Dow Constantine on issues affecting South King County.
On Thursday, my colleagues and I received a briefing from our Government Relations team for an update on federal and state issues affecting King County including the potential for a government shutdown.
On Friday I met with CM Mosqueda regarding rent stabilization. My staff and I prepared for the week ahead.
Next week, you are invited to join me and my colleagues:
Monday, September 8, 9:30 am
Monday, September 8, 1:30 pm
The Local Services and Land Use Committee will hold a special meeting to review an Interlocal agreement for salmon conservation on the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers, a strategic plan for Clean Water Healthy Habitat and a zoning change regarding doctors’ offices. You are welcome to sign up for public comment. For more information, please look here.
Tuesday, September 9, 1:30 pm
The Council meeting welcomes public comment – virtually or in person. We will be taking a final votes on legislation. You can find that agenda and those materials here.
Wednesday, September 10, 9:30 am:
The Budget and Fiscal Management Committee will be discussing the Crisis Care Center on Capitol Hill in Seattle. You can find that agenda here.
Thursday, September 4 9:30 am
The Health, Housing and Human Services Committee is holding a special meeting to discuss an ordinance relating to prohibiting algorithmic rent fixing as well as a motion to streamline food business permitting. There will also be briefing by the Department of Community and Human Services on funding for housing and a panel presentation by North Forty on youth homelessness. To watch those meetings, go here. For materials for those meetings including the agenda, look here. You are also welcome to sign up to give comment.
You are welcome to review the agendas and materials for the King County Council meetings that are used by the councilmembers and sign up to speak to items on the agenda.
You are also welcome to write emails, letters or request appointments with your representatives to share your thoughts about the items on these agendas. You can find a list of committee members here.
To watch the Sound Transit meetings, go here.
I hope this information is helpful to you. I am committed to keeping you informed about what King County government is doing on behalf of District 5, including the cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park, Kent, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila. I want to make sure we stay connected as a community.
King County Councilmember, District 5
Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila
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