King County Executive Shannon Braddock presented her proposed 2026-2027 biennial budget to the Council this week.   

This is the official “kick-off” of the council’s budget review.  We are required by state law to pass a budget that is balanced and on time.  The Budget Committee Chair, Councilmember Dembowski has set the date for our final vote on November 18.   

King County, and all local governments in the State of Washington, face an on-going challenge, how to balance a budget when demand for services is increasing with population growth and inflation.   

Current limits on property taxes do not allow local governments to keep up with population growth and inflation.  As you can see in the graph below, it is a gap that only grows more significant with time. 

The only solution to covering this gap is for local governments to appeal directly to voters which is exactly what King County did this year with putting the Parks Levy up for a vote in August and the Emergency Medical Services levy in November.   

In addition, King County has made appeals to the state legislature for permission to raise taxes for specific purposes.  This year, the legislature granted King County the authority to raise the sales tax by one tenth of one percent (0.1%) to pay for criminal justice services.   

This allowed the Executive to propose restoring 80 sheriff’s deputies, dozens of prosecutors, victim advocates, and court services in her proposal. 

Would you like more information on the King County budget?  How your tax dollars support services ranging from Metro transit to Public Health, to our Sheriff, Prosecutor and Public Defense?  

Jazmin Pairazaman on my D5 staff interviews King County Budget Director Dwight Dively about the King County budget in this video: 

The goal of the D5 e-news* is to share information about King County 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. 

If you have something to share, please do not hesitate to contact me at desean.quinn@kingcounty.gov or 206 477-1005. 

This week:  

On Monday, I met with Greg Woodfill, President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 587 at their offices in Tukwila.  ATU 587 has been a leader in advocating for regional investments in transit security.  We discussed the Transportation Benefit District and sources of funding for improving transit security. 

My staff met with the Executive Climate Office on community requests for changes to the Strategic Climate Action Plan which will be considered at full council on October 7. 

On Tuesday, Committee of the Whole received a briefing by the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission.  We also interviewed candidates to serve on the Immigrant and Refugee Commission including Luz Escalante from District 5 who volunteers at several nonprofits, including Consejo Counseling, Lutheran Community Services, Vine Maple Place, and the Community Health Worker Coalition for Migrants and Refugees. She is passionate about advocating for equitable policies and resources that support immigrants’ integration and success.

The Committee of the Whole also voted to recommend the 2025 Waterworks grants to Full Council for approval.  The Waterworks grants, funded with a small percentage of the sewer rate, support community and neighborhood efforts to protect and enhance water quality.   

If your community group or neighborhood has a great idea for protecting our waterways from pollution or degradation, feel free to contact the Waterworks grant program for more information here.  A second round of grant applications are being accepted now by the King County Wastewater Treatment Division.  

I also attended the final meeting on the Regional Fare Forum with representatives from Metro Transit, Community Transit, Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries.  The Regional Fare Forum was created to review ways to streamline fares to improve customer service.  Today we wrapped up discussions which centered on ways to make transportation even more affordable. 

In the afternoon, Executive Shannon Braddock formally presented her budget to the Council. 

Following the Executive’s budget address, councilmembers presented several proclamations. 

Councilmember Mosqueda presented a proclamation recognizing National Service Dog Month.  Organizations like Canine Companions trains dogs to provide critical assistance to people with disabilities. Well-trained service dogs provide freedom, security and independence for individuals with sight and mobility issues.

Councilmember Balducci presented a proclamation recognizing September 29-October 5 as “A Week Without Driving”.  The challenge is for everyone to live without their cars for an entire week (or a portion of a week) as a way to understand the mobility needs of people who cannot drive a car. It is estimated that nearly one third of people in the United States do not drive a car due to issues such as age or disability. This “Week Without Driving” is coordinated with Disability Rights Washington. 

We had numerous people come in person and sign up on-line to give comment at our weekly full Council meeting. Commenters gave remarks on the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) program, the siting of the Crisis Center on First Hill (Seattle) and on legislation prohibiting algorithmic rent fixing. 

We had a lengthy debate on whether to renew the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) fund for 9 years or, for 2 years. Concerns were raised about continuing the current implementation plan but ultimately the council voted unanimously for a renewal of 9 years.  

I supported a 9-year renewal with the belief that King County and the cities need to be “the first dollar in” to address the on-going epidemic we are facing of behavior and mental health issues. Not addressing these critical issues adequately leads to homelessness or jail time which is even more expensive. Pragmatic local government leadership is needed to leverage other funds.   

MIDD has proven itself to show results. Scroll down to see a quick summary of results or take a look here for more complete information. You can also see my comments below. 

The Council delayed a vote on the Crisis Center at the former Polyclinic building on First Hill until the Council meeting on October 7. 

The Council discussed in detail ways to improve contract monitoring of grants provided to community organizations following an audit of the Department of Community and Human Services which found flaws in contracting oversight.  

I spoke in favor of greater accountability and transparency as well as technical assistance to ensure a community organization with a good idea, but limited experience, can get up to speed with appropriate financial protocols.  This is vital to protecting public funds.  The council ultimately voted unanimously in support of legislation to tighten contract monitoring.

The Council then considered legislation proposed by Councilmember Mosqueda to prohibit owners of large apartment buildings from using algorithms to set rent and fix prices.  This will apply to unincorporated King County. It has also been implemented in 11 cities around the country including Seattle, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Jersey City, Hoboken, San Diego and San Francisco.   

The final discussion was about a report which included information about limited solitary confinement procedures at the Children and Family Justice Center.  Councilmembers had questions about methods and regulations as presented in the report.  CM Dembowski ran an amendment requesting further reporting.  I was pleased to support his amendment. 

On Wednesday, I met with my staff regarding the Strategic Climate Action Plan which will be in front of Council on October 7 for the final vote.  

I also met with Sound Transit staff.  I met with organizers of the upcoming FIFA World Cup games in 2026 to discuss ways to honor Juneteenth during the games. 

My staff represented me at the 4Culture Board meeting. 

On Thursday, I attended the Sound Transit Board meeting where we discussed several items related to the 2025 agency budget, the annual 2025 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, and  Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) which will help increase engagement with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms and Small Business Enterprise (SBE) firms among many other benefits.

On Friday, my staff and I prepared for the week ahead. I met with the Council’s Chief of Staff.  My staff met with the external affairs team regarding the future of Fire District 24. 

You are welcome to attend the following meetings.  You are also invited to write emails, letters or request appointments with your representatives to share your thoughts about the items on the agendas for these upcoming meetings.  You can find a list of councilmembers here. 

To watch King County Council meetings live, tune into channel 22 or on-line at King County Television.  

Wednesday, October 1, 1 pm 

The Flood District Executive Committee will meet to discuss on-going efforts to improve flood protection in the Green River (Kent) Valley and Snoqualmie and Cedar watersheds.  For more information about the Flood Control District, please visit the website here. 

Wednesday, October 1, 1:30 pm 

The Regional Water Quality Committee will meet to continue discussions on long-range rate forecasting and the workplan to improve transparency and accountability in the rate setting process. 

Thursday, October 2, 1 pm 

The Sound Transit Ridership Experience and Operations Committee will meet to discuss ways to improve transit services directly affecting riders. 

My colleagues, staff and I will also be preparing for the review of the 2026-2027 King County Budget. 

If you have opinions on how the King County budget should be allocated, you are welcome to send me an email, give us a call, or come to a public meeting.   Desean.quinn@kingcounty.gov, 206 477-1005 

Here are some important upcoming dates related to the budget. 

Wednesdays, October 8 and 15, 9 am

The Law & Justice Panel chaired by CM Jorge Baron will review funding proposed for services including the sheriff, prosecutor, courts, and public defense. 

Thursdays, October 9 and 16, 9 am-noon

The Health, Housing and Human Services Panel chaired by CM Teresa Mosqueda review funding proposed for these services. 

You are welcome to watch or participate in person or on-line. There will be a meeting dedicated to public comment on November 12, 2025.   

We welcome your comments. Here is a timeline and ways you can share your thoughts. 

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. 

Sincerely,  

De’Sean Quinn 

King County Councilmember, District 5 

Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila 

As cold and flu season approaches and COVID is on the rise again, many are thinking about how to best keep our families safe. Residents of King County have excellent public health resources and access to immunizations.  Information about local services can be found below.   

Over the last several months, this presidential administration has muddied the waters by issuing questionable and contradictory statements about COVID, vaccines, and health science. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and our west coast state partners are stepping up to fill the leadership void.

Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and California have launched the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) to serve residents including King County, proving the new adage that state and local government provides leadership, service and options where the federal government is failing. 

The goal of the Alliance is to provide credible, safe, science-based information about immunization. The WCHA recently issued consensus recommendations for the 2025-2026 flu season for the upcoming respiratory illness season. These consensus recommendations were developed by trusted national health organizations including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).  

WCHA recommendations are based on data regarding the people most impacted by these respiratory viruses, especially our most vulnerable. This includes: the youngest and oldest individuals in our states; other individuals at higher risk for complications, including people who are pregnant; individuals living in congregate settings; and those who live or work with people at higher risk.  

Reasonable people might wonder why something like the WCHA is necessary. A quick survey of recent events in the world of public health administration reveals the following: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently pulled $500 million in funding earmarked to develop new vaccines using mRNA technology.  

Many who have read the vaccine policies of the HHS Secretary, or listened to his recent testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, are alarmed by the Secretary’s stance on the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine policy generally. Then, former U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) Director Susan Monarez was fired after refusing to comply with orders from the HHS Secretary to pre-approve vaccine recommendations that had not been properly vetted.  Following Monarez’s removal, three additional CDC leaders were escorted from the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters. These departures have created a leadership vacuum at the head of the CDC and thrown the agency into chaos. 

While federal information is currently unclear and unreliable, leaders at the state and local level are working to ensure that science backs decisions regarding the safety and wellbeing of our constituents.  

Visit the County website or email vaccineinfo@kingcounty.gov. For a list of public health centers across King County, look here. And you can find information on how to respond to a range of health concerns on the disease and illness page. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office or Public Health - Seattle King County. We are here to serve you. 

Renowned historian, educator and author, Quintard Taylor, died peacefully on September 21 at the age of 76 in Houston, Texas. Dr. Taylor was a Fulbright Scholar.  His nearly 50-year career in academia included teaching at California Polytechnic State University (1977–1990), the University of Oregon (1990–1999), and the University of Washington (1999–2018), where he served as the Scott and Dorothy Bullitt Professor of American History. 

Dr. Taylor went on to found BlackPast.org. BlackPast.org is a nonprofit that makes research on Black history accessible and free. It has evolved into the world’s largest online encyclopedia for Black history. Dr. Taylor’s dedication to the preservation of Black history and stories was unparalleled. 

Dr. Taylor was of particular significance to our local history, as the author of The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle’s Central District from 1870 through the Civil Rights Era. The book documents the development of Seattle’s Central District and explores the monumental contributions of African Americans to the construction of community institutions, networks and businesses through Seattle’s history. His research highlights the resilience and agency of Black Washingtonians in the face of segregation, discrimination and the economic challenges of the time. 

As stories of ICE’s presence in King County and District 5 have surfaced in recent weeks, privacy and personal liberties of our friends, families and neighbors are on many of our minds. 

Recently, the Department of Justice for the Trump Administration wrote on September 8 to demand private, personal data of Washington residents held in the State voter database.  

This week, Washington State joined California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania in declining the request by the Department of Justice on the grounds that it would violate state and federal law. You can read the letter sent by the Secretary of State here.  

The DOJ request letter cites the National Voter Registration Act and Help America Vote Act in its  demand for inclusion of all data fields in the voter database. This would include social security numbers, driver’s license information home addresses.  

In his response detailing the basis of refusal, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs states clearly, ‘None of the statutes you cite support production of such highly sensitive voter registration information.”   

Pursuant to state law RCWs 29A.08.710 and 29A.08.720 the publicly disclosable fields include information such as the registrant’s name, address, year of birth, and voting history. Protected information, including the last four digits of a Social Security number, a driver’s license number, or a full date of birth, is not subject to public disclosure.  

The Secretary of State’s official release cites his responsibility to Washington voters. “Our office is committed to transparency and accountability in elections, but transparency does not mean putting the personal information of every Washington voter at risk. The law is clear, and my responsibility is to the voters of this State.” 

We are fortunate to have leadership at the state level that prioritizes the security and safety of all Washington residents over questionable and potentially unlawful uses of our private information by the federal government.  

Registering to vote and voting remains safe.  

Please be sure to register and vote. You can register to vote up until eight days before the election.  

You may do so online at the Washington Secretary of State website.   

Instructions for registering to vote either in person or by mail are available at the bottom of this King County Elections page.  

Requirements for voting in Washington are you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Washington and at least 18 years of age at the time of the election. If you have a felony conviction, your voting rights are immediately restored at the time of your release. You may re-register to vote  as long as you are not currently in jail or prison for that felony. 

For more information about protecting the integrity of elections, consider visiting the Brennan Center for Justice website. 

For more information about Palmer and other great pets looking for a home, go to the  Pet Adoption Center.  Staff there will work to find a great match for every customer by providing information about each animal and ultimately allowing each adopter to make the final decision about what is right for their family.  

The Pet Adoption Center is open Monday thru Friday: Noon - 6 p.m.  Saturday and Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.  Adoptions end one hour before closing. 

Contact:  AdoptAPet@kingcounty.gov  206-296-7387 (PETS)