On Tuesday, I joined my King County Council colleagues in renewing the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) levy for a third time. For 17 years, MIDD has funded vital services—including youth mental health, services for survivors of domestic violence, and substance use disorder treatment—supporting thousands across our region. I want to thank King County residents for their continued generosity in using their tax dollars to fund these critical programs.
This year, we were asked to approve a 9-year extension without a detailed spending plan. Instead, on the day we were asked to vote for the tax, we received a proposal that would continue the current plan on an interim basis while a full plan is developed. This is the second time this year that the Council has been tasked with passing a tax without an associated spending plan, leaving taxpayers, service providers, and those in need of services without information about what will be funded.
Without a data- and community-informed 9-year spending plan, I advocated for a 2-year rollover of both the current tax and the current plan to maintain funding while allowing time to develop a transparent, accountable plan that is based on evolving needs and built on our most effective programs. Many city partners supported this approach, but the Council ultimately moved forward with a full 9-year tax, which I supported to ensure we don’t lose this vital funding source.
However, I believe we need to become more disciplined how we commit to effectively investing our limited tax dollars. We have a commitment to the public and our service providers to tell them how we will utilize precious public resources, steward them responsibly, and invest in the most pressing needs of the community. I look forward to working with community leaders and my colleagues to develop a new plan that fulfills that commitment.
 King County Councilmembers (back row) present the Week without Driving proclamation to Cecelia Black, an organizer for the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington (front left) and Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO and Superintendent of EvergreenHealth (front right)
This week, I led the King County Council in proclaiming September 29-October 5 the Week Without Driving. Over 30% of people in King County don’t drive—maybe they’re too young or are seniors, have a disability precluding them from driving, can’t afford to have a car, or simply choose not to. For these residents, non-car transportation infrastructure, like sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails, is vital to their daily lives.
Week Without Driving, started in 2021 right here in Washington by the Disability Mobility Initiative through Disability Rights Washington, is an annual, nationwide challenge inviting people to experience what it is like to get around without a car so we can learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that nondrivers face. Even as someone who has usually lived “car-light” over the last several years, traveling mostly by bike and transit, I learn something new every time I participate.
Interested in participating? Sign up to commit to the challenge, share your journey on social media with #WeekWithoutDriving, and join Move Redmond on Thursday, October 2 at 4:30 for walk and talk to share your experiences on the first/last mile connections to Downtown Redmond Light Rail with elected officials, decision makers, and agency partners.
On Monday, September 29 from 4:00-6:00 PM, Public Health’s Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Lock-it-Up Program, in partnership with the City of Kirkland, will host a free handgun lockbox giveaway event at Kirkland City Hall (123 4th Ave, Kirkland). Safely storing firearms, locked and unloaded, can give individuals and families time to seek help during a moment of crisis. All are welcome and each attendee will receive a free handgun lockbox, while supplies last.
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