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Pictured with Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda at KUOW’s Soundside studio.
I hope you have been enjoying the longer days and enjoying the beautiful weather we have had recently!
Late last month, I was thrilled to join Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda on an episode of KUOW’s Soundside podcast to speak on the actions our county and state have taken to protect our immigrant neighbors. I encourage you to listen to the full episode to learn more about this work as I know many of you have expressed your concerns with me about this topic.
 I am pleased to announce that the District 4 team welcomed a new member, Chris Ramirez, as our Interim Community Liaison and Policy Advisor. Chris brings a strong commitment to public service, equity, and empowering communities through effective policy change. His experience in public policy and government affairs will be a valuable asset as we address the challenges before us while our team member, Jessie, is away on family leave.
Read on to learn about the steps the council is taking to ensure we are properly investing your tax dollars, transportation updates, an opportunity to connect with me in the district, and more!
With gratitude,
 Jorge
 I am excited to announce that I will be at the Greenwood Branch Library on Friday, May 29 from 3 pm to 5 pm for my next “Brewing Conversations with Jorge” session. I invite you and your fellow neighbors to stop by to discuss questions, comments, or ideas on how King County can better serve you.
What are these sessions? – An informal opportunity for constituents to drop by when they can and stay for as long as they’d like to connect with me. The 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:
- Public transportation,
- Public health,
- Human services,
- County roads and parks,
- Superior and district courts,
- Open spaces, and more.
Can’t make it? – If you cannot make this session, please note that there will be additional opportunities to connect with me later this year. 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!
 King County Regional Homelessness Authority Updates
Homelessness remains one of the most urgent challenges facing our region, and a priority for my office. This month, the Governing Board of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) received the results of a forensic evaluation of the agency, and I want to be direct about what that means.
Findings – The evaluation identified significant weaknesses in financial management and internal controls, including issues with invoicing, financial reporting, and fund balance sufficiency. It also found ongoing negative cash balances tied to the authority’s use of the King County investment pool, raising concerns about long-term fiscal stability. More broadly, these findings point to gaps in oversight that must be addressed to ensure transparency and proper stewardship of public funds.
KCRHA was created because our region recognized that a fragmented, jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction approach to homelessness was failing those in need. If that goal of a coordinated regional response is going to work, it must be matched with strong execution and accountability.
Actions taken – On April 24, the Governing Board approved the resolution I introduced to establish a Finance Committee to strengthen fiscal oversight. This is an important step, but it is just that, a step. More work is needed to address the issues identified in the evaluation.
At the same time, the council will be undertaking a broader review about the future of KCRHA. Earlier this week, my colleague Councilmember Dembowski introduced a motion before the council that, if approved, would trigger the dissolution of KCRHA. This is a significant step with potentially substantial ramifications.
Councilmember Fain, who serves along with me on the Governing Board, and I are developing a proposal in collaboration with Councilmember Dembowski to ensure that any such decision is made thoughtfully and with the information needed to fully understand the impacts. If approved by the council, this proposal would establish a clear timeline and process for consideration, including an initial briefing in June and a comprehensive report later this summer. That report would include recommendations on whether to whether to continue, amend, or terminate the current structure, along with detailed analyses of funding, system performance, and the potential impacts to services.
Factors to consider – KCRHA administers tens of millions of federal funding and coordinates services across our region, and any changes must protect those resources and avoid disruption to the providers and individuals who rely on the homelessness response system every day.
Next steps – The council will begin receiving updates in the coming weeks, with more detailed information expected this summer to help inform next steps. I remain committed to staying engaged in this work, holding the system accountable, and supporting the changes needed to ensure it delivers real results for our community.
Click image to access the recording of the April King County Transportation District meeting.
King County Transportation District
The King County Transportation District (KCTD) gathered on April 2 to consider a proposal for a 0.1% countywide sales tax increase to support roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure in unincorporated King County. As I wrote last month, revenue to the King County Roads Division has been outpaced by rising costs and, without additional revenue, the Roads Division estimates that they will need to suspend their capital program in 2028.
The discussion was robust and ultimately, the District could not reach agreement on the proposal. The disagreement was primarily focused on whether to “pass-through” a portion of the revenue to incorporated areas to maintain their own transportation infrastructure and, if there was a “pass-through,” how much it should be.
Next steps – The proposals have been sent to the KCTD Executive Committee, which met on April 22 to further explore the concept. Based on that conversation, I anticipate that the District Chair Balducci will return with a proposal to the full District later in May. While I recognize the need for additional revenue to support transportation projects in unincorporated areas, I continue to have concerns about using a regressive sales tax for this purpose. However, if this tax increase is adopted, I plan to support efforts that would allocate a portion of this funding to transportation projects in incorporated areas, including the City of Seattle.
Click image to access the recording of the April Committee of the Whole meeting.
Chairing the Committee of the Whole
Key governance issues were at the center of our conversation at this month’s Committee of the Whole meeting, including the county's federal legislative priorities, an audit review, and potential changes to the Executive’s Office.
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Discussed the county’s annual federal priorities agenda, which highlights to our federal partners the topics that matter most to our region. The agenda ensures that we speak with one voice to our federal leaders.
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Received a briefing on the steps being taken to address the findings of a recent audit of the Department of Community and Human Services. Members spent the majority of our meeting on this topic, which you can read more about below.
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Heard a briefing about a proposed re-organization of multiple county offices, whose duties would be incorporated into the Office of the Executive.
Click image to access the recording of the April Budget and Fiscal Management meeting.
Budget Updates
Over the coming months, the council will consider the first revisions to the two-year budget approved last fall. This is a notable milestone because it is the first budget from Executive Girmay Zahilay, and the first chance for him to recommend changes to the two-year budget that took effect in January.
Timeline – The Executive’s proposed revised budget, which you may hear called the first supplemental budget of the 2026-27 two-year period, was transmitted to the council in early April. It is now under review in the Budget and Fiscal Management committee, which held its initial briefing on April 22. A final vote is currently scheduled for late June.
 Initial takeaways – As the first revision to the budget adopted in November 2025, this proposal primarily adjusts existing investments rather than introducing major new ones. This is typical at this stage of the two-year budget cycle. The proposal includes updates to federal and state grant funding, along with rebalancing across county funds. At the same time, this budget proposes some key policy changes including funding to support the Executive’s initiative to return more county employees to in-person work and the associated facility and operating costs, $2 million to assist immigrant and refugee communities impacted by federal enforcement policies, and $2 million for additional rental assistance.
Throughout this process, I will continue advancing the following key priorities:
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Homelessness services, particularly given ongoing uncertainty about federal funding,
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Meeting our responsibility to provide public defense services to ensure our criminal legal system is operating fairly and can hold people accountable, and
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Responsible, and sustainable investment of public resources with long-term impacts in mind.
Get involved – I encourage you to take part by sharing your budget priorities by writing to me or participating in a public comment opportunity. More information on public comment opportunities can be found on the Budget and Fiscal Management committee page.
 Preparing for the World Cup
As a lifelong soccer fan, I’m counting down the days until the FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 and arrives in Seattle with the first match here on June 15. Along with the excitement of the event, we are anticipating the arrival of 750,000 visitors. This will impact all aspects of our region – how we move, support local businesses, and gather to celebrate local, national, and international sports.
How we are preparing – King County has joined other local jurisdictions, businesses, and organizations to prepare our region for this event. King County Metro is particularly focused on making sure that residents and visitors can move safely through the region. They will be boosting bus and water taxi services and adding special downtown shuttle services, including along the waterfront, to ensure that people can move efficiently. More information on Metro’s coordinating work is available here. Additionally, the King County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Transit Police are working alongside other local law enforcement agencies to promote safety and increase presence throughout the region. Metro has worked to ensure resources are in place and available to prevent and stop human trafficking, and ensure that resources are available to survivors.
Addressing safety concerns – As people from all over the world gather in Seattle, I’ve been asked about the risk of increased federal immigration activity surrounding this event. While we do expect an increase in federal law enforcement agency present in our area during the event, we do not have any information about a surge of immigration enforcement activities specifically around the World Cup. I commit to staying closely connected with local communities, city, and county partners on how to best support residents and visitors.
Learn more – Visit the website of the local organizing committee, Seattle FIFA World Cup, for the latest information on ways to get involved, get around our area, and more!
Celebrating at the Council
Pictured on left: Seattle Torrent athletes celebrating their win against the Minnesota Frost team at the April 22 game at Climate Pledge Arena. Click image for source. Pictured on right with Seattle Torrent players and Olympians alongside other local leaders.
Honoring Our Athletes
I was honored to collaborate with Councilmember Claudia Balducci to recognize the women of the Seattle Torrent, Seattle’s first and only professional women’s hockey team, for their historic inaugural season.
Although the Seattle Torrent are new to our region, over the past year the team has developed record-setting fan support and sent six athletes to the Olympic games in Milan, including for Team USA who brought home the gold medal. The team has made a positive impact on our region by inspiring future women athletes and uplifting diverse members of the community. Congratulations and go Torrent!
Pictured with my council colleagues alongside our guests, Amarinthia Torres and Laurel Redden, whose work is crucial to our collective progress in ensuring survivors are supported and heard.
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
I was pleased to join Councilmember Claudia Balducci as co-sponsor for this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month proclamation. We were joined by Co-Executive Director Amarinthia Torres of the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence, and Director of Communications and Policy Laurel Redden of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center to receive the proclamation. It is important to reaffirm our support for survivors of sexual violence as this is a pervasive and unfortunately common experience by many of our friends, neighbors, and community members. I am proud to say that the King County Council stands firmly with survivors.
Pictured with the many members of the Khmer community who came to receive the recognition at the council meeting.
Khmer Rouge Genocide
I was pleased to join Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda again this year in offering a proclamation to honor the memory of the Khmer Rouge genocide, during which millions of Cambodian people were killed or displaced. Hardship, pain, and displacement are words that many immigrant and refugee communities are unfortunately familiar with. However, through resilience, perseverance, and resistance, the Khmer people are still here, as fellow members of our community rebuilding and reclaiming their lives and cultural identity. Thank you to the several members of the Khmer community who joined us to accept the proclamation.
Pictured with State Senator Victoria Hunt and Council Chair Sarah Perry as we waited to ride the 2 Line across Lake Washington.
Sound Transit Updates
Sound Transit has been busy lately. Late last month, the Crosslake Connection opened connecting Seattle, Mercer Island, and the Eastside via light rail. The opening of Judkins Park Station was filled with joy and reflected the promise that expanding high-capacity transit provides. I was glad to be able to join the thousands of community members in celebrating this remarkable achievement!
At the same time, the Sound Transit Board is currently considering cuts to the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) network as part of their Enterprise Initiative.
What this means – We’ve just seen how transformative new connections can be, which is why it’s incredibly frustrating to hear that the agency is considering cutting and significantly shortening the Ballard Light Rail Extension, which is projected to be the highest ridership segment of the ST3 network. I recognize that Sound Transit is struggling to address escalating costs but believe that we need to work collaboratively to identify solutions to those challenges.
Pictured from left to right: State Senator Noel Frame with her son, me, and City of Seattle Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rink at the rally.
On April 19, I joined Save Ballard Rail to call on the Sound Transit Board to find a way to fulfill their promise to voters and deliver on the ST3 vision, especially to Ballard. Over 250 community members rallied and walked, and I was happy to stand alongside so many Ballard residents, transit advocates, and other elected officials at the city and state levels to re-affirm our commitment to the Ballard Light Rail Extension.
Make Your Voice Heard
The Sound Transit Board hasn’t made a final decision, and they need to hear from you! Sound Transit staff will be presenting a new proposal to the Board in early May. If, like me, you’d like to see the Ballard Light Rail delivered as promised, reach out to the Sound Transit Board at emailtheboard@soundtransit.org.
 City of Seattle Councilmember and Sound Transit Board Member Dan Strauss is hosting a community meeting to discuss the future of the Ballard light rail on Monday, May 11 at 6 pm at the National Nordic Museum. Sound Transit staff will present on the latest developments and I, along with other local leaders, will be there to listen to your comments and concerns with regard to this project. Your input is valuable and I encourage you to come out and speak with your representatives. You can RSVP here.
Also, Transportation Choices Coalition is hosting a Sound Transit Seattle Town Hall: The Future of Light Rail in Seattle on Tuesday, May 5 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at the Bertha Knight Landes room located inside Seattle City Hall.
Pictured with City of Seattle Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Maritza Rivera, Executive Director Marcia Wright-Soika, Mayor Katie B. Wilson, and other community members.
Feeding Our Neighbors
I was delighted to join FamilyWorks Executive Director Marcia Wright-Soika, city leaders, and community members for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Wallingford Food Bank. Food scarcity is a concern repeatedly raised by community organizers and constituents. The opening of this food bank demonstrates our commitment towards addressing food scarcity in our county. I am grateful to the team at FamilyWorks for being a part of the solution to ensure our residents have access to food.
Local government leaders, organizers, and other community members celebrating the opening of St. Luke’s. Picture credit to Genna Martin.
Affordable Housing in Ballard
I was honored to witness the grand opening of Ballard’s first affordable housing project in over 20 years, St. Luke’s. This housing project will bring 84 affordable family apartments equipped with services provided by FamilyWorks, that will connect residents to nourishing food, resources, and more. I am proud that this project will serve District 4 residents and am glad to see yet another small but significant step towards addressing our housing affordability crisis.
Pictured from left to right: Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson, HDC Executive Director Patience Malaba, and Executive Girmay Zahilay.
Celebrating Affordable Housing
I was invited to attend the Housing Development Consortium’s 18th Annual Celebration of Affordable Housing to celebrate our common goal to bring affordable housing across our county. There we heard from King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson about their plans for how they will continue to support efforts that will bring more affordable housing options to our region. Affordability in our region, especially in District 4, is undeniably a challenge for many of our residents. I am grateful to have connected with many of my colleagues who, like me, are committed to supporting projects and policies that increase access to affordable housing.
Pictured with local government leaders, organizers, community members, and donors whose efforts and collaboration made this project possible.
Homeownership Made Possible
In late March, I was invited to speak at the ribbon cutting celebration of Woodland View, Homestead Community Land Trust’s newest homeownership community in Phinney Ridge. Woodland View is a five-story condominium community featuring 25 modern homes. This community features both permanently affordable and market-rate homeownership opportunities, helping residents make the dream of homeownership a reality. I am proud to have this project located in District 4 and will continue to support efforts like these.
Pictured from left to right: me, State Representative Liz Berry, State Representative Julia Reed, and State Senator Noel Frame.
Grand Opening of Forest Trailhead Exhibit
I joined the Woodland Park Zoo to celebrate the grand opening of the all-new Forest Trailhead exhibit. This beautifully designed new space is now home to the zoo’s beloved red pandas, kea, tree kangaroos, and other extraordinary species. The space was intentionally designed to inspire a deeper connection between zoo guests and the wildlife and habitats of the world’s forests. I encourage you to check out this wonderful exhibit with your friends and family, especially with the sunny days approaching.
Pictured with State Representative Nicole Macri.
End Hepatitis C in Washington
I was honored to attend the Washington Hepatitis C Elimination Strategy Dinner this year. There, leaders from across Washington’s healthcare, public health, and community sectors gathered for a strategic discussion focused on advancing our shared goal of eliminating hepatitis C in Washington by 2030. Most hepatitis C cases occur among people experiencing homelessness, people struggling with substance abuse, and people detained in jails or prisons. I am grateful for the collaboration of healthcare experts, government leaders, and organizers as we work on ways to increase access to hepatitis C medicine and medical assistance to those most directly affected. If you’d like to learn more about the work King County is doing in this space, our Public Health department puts out an annual report on this issue, which you can read here.
 Preventing Lead Poisoning
King County’s Best Starts for Kids program is now accepting applications for the Lead in Traditional Eyeliner: Community Outreach and Education initiative. This project will support culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach, education, and community engagement strategies designed to increase awareness of lead exposure risks from traditional eyeliners, promote safer alternatives, and encourage blood lead testing among children in communities that use these products.
Submit your application by Friday, May 29 at 2 PM.
 Equipment Grants for Organizations
Are you an organization looking for museum shelving, stage lights, ceramic kilns, microscopes, or computers? 4Culture’s Equipment for Organizations grant may be a fit for you! This grant offers up to $15,000 to support these needs and more for arts, heritage, historic preservation, and science organizations in King County.
Organizations that plan to apply for the 2026 Equipment for Organizations grant program must complete their account profile and save a draft application by Wednesday, May 20 at 5:00 PM. After this time, new applications cannot be started. Final applications must be completed and submitted for review by Wednesday, June 3 at 5 PM.
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