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The bad news – the underlying cause for the structural deficit still exists. Rising inflation, the state limit in the growth of property tax revenues to 1% annually plus new construction, and other factors mean that revenues can’t keep up. This contributes to the growing gap between revenue and cost over time, creating a structural deficit. In addition, cuts at the federal and state level are impacting programs that the county delivers directly, as well as many other services that our residents rely on.
Looking ahead – the county must make smart investments, informed by residents, to meet our region’s needs in the 2026-27 budget while keeping in mind that financial forecasts indicate a likely shortfall in the general fund in the 2028-29 budget cycle. This means that we will need to:
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Continue working on our budget with the tools we have available,
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Fight for federal funding, and
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Advocate for tools to address this challenge at the state level.
 Get involved – Your ideas and suggestions on how we invest our public resources is CRUCIAL. Here are some ways you can ensure your thoughts are considered in the decision-making process.
In-Person
Remote
Other support – Request free translation and interpretation services through Tera Chea, Equity and Social Justice Coordinator, at tera.chea2@kingcounty.gov or (206) 477-9259.
Department of Community and Human Services Audit
Last month, the King County Auditor released a troubling report about contract monitoring practices within the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). The audit was part of a work plan for the Auditor’s Office (which is an independent agency within the county’s legislative branch) that had been approved by the council earlier this year. The auditor’s report reviewed a subset of contracts administered by DCHS and found that, as grant funding increased quickly over recent years, DCHS failed to apply consistent financial oversight, leading to improper payments and potential fraud in several program areas.
Like many of you, I was deeply disturbed by the findings of this report. Ensuring that county government resources are being utilized appropriately is critical, and the report highlighted that we had not been doing an adequate job in terms of oversight. Over the past few weeks, my colleagues and I have been working to identify steps to address the findings in the report. As an initial step in our response, the council passed an ordinance sponsored by Councilmember Reagan Dunn and which I co-sponsored to implement best practices for additional financial oversight at DCHS. Within this legislation, my office provided amendments to:
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Require training for all new DCHS contractors on contract administration and financial stewardship, and
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Direct DCHS to provide annual reports to the council on the number of site visits to our contracting agencies carried out over the previous year.
In addition to this legislation, we are also expecting additional follow-up from DCHS in the next month, including updates on the investigations that were triggered by the audit. We anticipate that there will be additional work through our budget process on this topic and I look forward to updating you in upcoming newsletters.
While more work remains ahead, please know that I am committed to ensuring that our public resources are being used as directed and that our non-profit partners have the knowledge needed to meet contract requirements.
 Protecting and Expanding Civil Rights
I am proud to share our office’s work in strengthening and making more consistent our county’s antidiscrimination protections. This effort began late last year when a veteran and constituent of then-Councilmember Dave Upthegrove pointed out an inconsistency in the County’s foundational documents. They noted that military status is identified as a protected class against discrimination in the King County Charter but not in the King County Code. This prompted Councilmember Upthegrove to introduce Proposed Ordinance 2025-0018 right before departing his council seat. In the ten months since, Councilmember Rod Dembowski and I identified other inconsistencies to amend in the County Code.
The revised ordinance that we undertook establishes consistency between Washington State Law and the King County Charter and Code by adding as protected classes:
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Military status,
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Family caregiver status, and
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Citizenship and immigration status.
These changes will allow the King County Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice to investigate civil rights complaints for all these protected classes. To further strengthen this effort, we streamlined protected classes and the associated definitions, placing them in a new section (K.C.C. 3.12D) to make sure that residents can clearly understand their protections.
I am grateful to the county resident who initially raised this concern, the many county staff who worked to make sure this was done without inadvertently affecting other protections, and my colleagues for supporting this legislation. I’m thrilled that this legislation passed with a unanimous vote at the Council meeting on September 23.
 Work on a Potential New Crisis Care Center in Capitol Hill
In 2023, King County voters passed the Crisis Care Centers Levy which:
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Approved five crisis care centers,
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Increased investments in our behavioral health workforce, and
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Expanded the county’s residential treatment capacity.
Earlier this month, the council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee advanced a request for funding needed to move forward with the purchase of a former Polyclinic building on Capitol Hill intended for a Crisis Care Center. This is an important next step towards realizing our goal of accessible, excellent behavioral health care for all who need it. The committee also enacted requirements for King County and the contracted operator of the Crisis Care Center to work with the surrounding community. These efforts will include development of a ‘Good Neighbor Agreement’ outlining how challenges will be addressed quickly, and a community advisory board to identify and respond to emerging needs. I believe that these community engagement efforts will enhance the success of this Crisis Care Center when it is expected to open by mid-2027.
I am cognizant that some questions and concerns have been raised during the committee process, and we are working to address those before the full council votes on the proposal on October 7. However, I am glad to see this important initiative moving forward. Throughout my nearly two years in office, I have heard many calls for action from residents and have witnessed intense need in our community. As the federal government moves away from their responsibility to provide essential care to those in need, I am proud that our regional government is following through on our commitment to improve and expand our behavioral health system.
 Strategic Climate Action Plan
A major update to King County's Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP), which outlines the county's strategy to achieve our climate goals, is currently under council review. The proposed SCAP revision outlines 177 actions that the county can take to:
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Reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
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Support sustainable and resilient frontline communities, and
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Prepare for impacts related to climate change.
The proposal passed out of the Transportation, Economy and Environment (TrEE) committee on September 8. While I am not a member of TrEE, four amendment concepts I proposed were included in the striking amendment that was adopted. Those four changes would:
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Require a funding strategy report, including on the expected climate impact of strategies that need new funding,
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Ensure that community engagement and feedback will be the primary driver of Metro’s work on moving away from on-board cash payments for fares,
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Direct the Executive to study the greenhouse gas emissions and water usage impacts of the county’s IT system, especially related to the increased use of artificial intelligence, and
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Expand reporting on marine sector greenhouse gas emissions, specifically cruise ships docking at ports within King County.
I am grateful to TrEE Chair Quinn for including my ideas into the striking amendment and his stewardship of the legislation. The full SCAP will be considered by the full Council at the October 7th meeting, and information on how to join the meeting and make your voice heard is available here.
Click on image to access the September 3 Law and Justice Committee meeting recording.
Law and Justice Committee
The Law and Justice Committee met on September 3 and received briefings on three reports created at council’s request:
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An analysis of racial disparities in responses to infractions within King County detention facilities,
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Considering viability of using the west wing of the King County Correctional Facility to provide alternatives to secure detention, and
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An update on the use of solitary confinement for youth in detention from a County-contracted independent monitor.
The meeting held a lot of robust discussions and provided helpful information on the status of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, especially as we go into budget season.
Click on image to access the September 17 Regional Transit Committee meeting recording.
Regional Transit Committee
The Regional Transit Committee met on September 17 and received several updates from our King County Metro staff. Updates given during this meeting included:
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A monthly report on the status of King County Metro,
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A briefing on Metro’s strategies to incorporate language equity and community engagement, and
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An update on Metro’s flexible “last mile” services including vanpool and Metro Flex.
These “last mile” resources are primarily designed to connect residents who may be further from fixed-route bus and light rail services to those transit lines. While much of District 4 is relatively close to frequent Metro routes, that isn’t always the case for many residents, especially those living outside of Seattle. I appreciate Metro’s investment in these important services.
 Affordable Housing Committee
Our region continues to make important progress toward our housing goals, but work is needed to broaden local options, especially for larger families looking for affordable places to live. At this month’s King County Affordable Housing Committee meeting, we heard an important briefing, “Housing Market Pressures and Shifting Area Median Income in King County”, that showed:
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Construction of multifamily housing - properties containing two or more separate dwelling units within a single building or complex - has increased over the past decade.
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Studios and one-bedroom apartments have seen the largest growth.
This report confirmed that we must focus on building more multi-bedroom units. I am deeply concerned about the future of federal funding for affordable housing as well as the ability of state and local resources to sustain past efforts but remain committed to making sure we are using all tools available to help families of all sizes live in our region.
Resources Regarding COVID-19 Vaccinations
There’s a great deal of confusion about the availability of and eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines due to shifting federal vaccine guidelines. I want to share with you King County and Washington State resources so that you can stay up to date with the latest guidance from our local public health leaders.
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King County Public Health
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Washington State Department of Health
The COVID-19 vaccine is an essential tool to keep King County healthy, and I will continue to advocate for access for our neighbors.
Picture of Justice Yu in January 2024 when she conducted my swearing-in ceremony.
Thank You for Your Service
I want to extend my gratitude to Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu for her long service to King County and the State of Washington as she completes a judicial career spanning 25 years. Justice Yu has been a mentor to me and many others in our legal community, and the residents of our county and state have benefited greatly from her long public service. I was honored to have Justice Yu conduct my swearing-in ceremony last year when I joined the council. I wish her all the best in her next chapter.
 Traffic Disruptions Near District 4
The Washington State Department of Transportation is still working on the Revive I-5 Ship Canal Bridge preservation project this fall which means disruptions to your commute. Some of the scheduled work is shown above, but I encourage you to visit their blog, project webpage and social media channels for the latest project updates.
Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and I presented this year’s Latine Heritage Month proclamation and were joined by community leaders to celebrate the occasion.
Latino/a/e Heritage Month
I was pleased to present this year’s proclamation celebrating Latino/a/e Heritage Month with Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. We were joined by Executive Director Lilliane Ballesteros and Policy Director Jake Garcia of the Latino Community Fund, Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce President Marcos Wanless, and Alejandra Tres, Co-founder and Co-leader of Comunidad Latina de Vashon. I extend my gratitude to our guests for joining us in celebrating the countless contributions and accomplishments of members of the Latine community.
Councilmembers Pete von Reichbauer, Teresa Mosqueda, and Girmay Zahilay offered a Mexican Independence recognition. We were joined by Victor Hugo López Ortega of the Consulate of Mexico Seattle who received the recognition.
Councilmember Reagan Dunn presented a proclamation to declare September as Recovery Awareness Month. We were joined by the Director of the King County Recovery Coalition Heather Venegas who received the proclamation and the 2025 King County Recovery Champion award recognizing her role in recovery.
Councilmember Rod Dembowski brought forth a recognition celebrating the 2024 – 2025 Ruth Woo Emerging Fellows. We were joined by the new and previous cohort of fellows at the Tuesday, September 2 full council meeting.
Councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Sarah Perry offered a joint proclamation with Executive Braddock recognizing September 15 through September 21, 2025 as Diaper Need Awareness Week. We were joined by Morgan McGinn of WestSide Baby and Helen Banks Routon of KidVantage to receive the proclamation.
Councilmember Claudia Balducci offered a proclamation to highlight September 29 to October 5, 2025, as Week Without Driving in King County. We were joined by Cecelia Black, an organizer for the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington, and Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO of EvergreenHealth, which hosts an annual mobility fair to mark Week Without Driving. Click on image for more info about Week Without Driving.
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda presented a proclamation to recognize September as National Service Dog Month. We were joined by Katie Owensby, Heath Owensby, and Kevin who received the proclamation.
 Nominate a Local Leader for the Larry Gossett Service Award
Nominations for the Larry Gossett Service Award are now being accepted. The award recognizes and affirms an individual or organization that has made significant contributions in the areas of racial equity, social justice, and/or human rights in King County.
This award is named in honor of Larry Gossett, civil rights leader and former King County Councilmember. Since 2020, this recognition has been awarded as part of King County’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
Nominations must be submitted by December 1.
 Become a Community Advisor
The Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) is looking for community members who want to serve as advocates for the interests of the diverse communities across King County. OLEO represents the interests of the public in its efforts to hold the King County Sheriff’s Office accountable for providing fair and just police services.
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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