Dear Neighbor, 

With several public meetings and a grant application deadline coming up in the next few days, I wanted to send a brief update now rather than wait for my next newsletter. 

Below are opportunities to weigh in on decisions affecting South King County, including garbage disposal, bus service, airport noise, and city budgets. I hope you'll take a look and share your input on issues that matter to you. 

I'll be sharing a broader update on my work at the County and across District 5 soon. In the meantime, I hope you'll find an opportunity here that's relevant to you! 

Coming Up Soon 

• October 17–20 | Airport Noise Workshops 
  • Join the Port of Seattle at workshops in Burien, SeaTac, and Des Moines to share your experiences with aircraft noise and review potential noise-reduction measures. 

• October 19 | District 5 Grant Deadline 
  • Last day for community organizations serving District 5 residents to apply for my office’s 2027 grant funding. 

• October 22–29 | King County Solid Waste Planning 
  • Attend public meetings in Kent, White Center, or online to learn about options for managing our region's garbage after the Cedar Hills landfill closes. Written comments are due November 20. 

• October 29 & November 5 | Renton Bus Service 
  • Join King County Metro in person or online to provide feedback on future bus routes and Metro Flex service in Renton. 

• October–November | City Budget Meetings and Feedback 
  • Learn how South King County cities plan to spend local tax dollars and share your priorities for public safety, roads, parks, and other services. 

Whether you participate in one of these meetings or contact my office directly, I appreciate hearing what is and isn’t working in South King County. If you’re unsure which agency handles an issue, our office can help you find the right contact. 

As always, thank you for the opportunity to serve you. 

These choices could affect future garbage costs, environmental impacts, and how waste moves through our region. The County is asking residents to review its draft environmental analysis and submit comments before that review is finalized. 

Selected upcoming public meetings: 

• Thursday, October 22, 6-7 p.m.: Kent Commons Community Center, 525 Fourth Ave. N., Kent 

• Tuesday, October 27, 6-7 p.m.: White Center Library, 1409 SW 107th St., Seattle 

• Thursday, October 29, Noon-1 p.m.: Virtual meeting via Zoom 

Submit official comments by November 20 at 11:59 p.m. Use the online comment form or email SWDCompPlan@kingcounty.gov. Questions asked during a meeting's Q&A do not count as official comments.  

King County Metro is considering changes to downtown Renton bus routes, stops, and Metro Flex service to connect riders with the future Renton Transit Center near South Grady Way and Rainier Avenue South. The new transit hub is planned for 2028, with connections to Sound Transit’s Stride S1 and Metro’s RapidRide I Line. 

If you ride through Renton, transfer downtown, or wish your neighborhood had better connections, this is a chance to review proposed routes and explain what would make transit more useful.  

I plan to attend the October 29 event and hope to see you there. 

• Thursday, October 29, 6-7:30 p.m.: Luther’s Table (419 S 2nd St, Renton, WA 98057) 

• Thursday, November 5, 6-7 p.m.: Zoom (Register Here)

City Budgets: Review your city’s budget and provide input. 

Cities are making decisions about their 2027–2028 budgets, including spending on police and fire services, roads, parks, and other daily services.  Your City Council makes these decisions separately from King County. Some of the meetings below are public hearings where testimony is taken; others are workshops where residents can observe discussions.   

Please check each District 5 city’s participation instructions before attending: 

• Kent | Proposed Budget Information & Public Comment  
  • Review the proposed budget and share priorities with City Council.
  •  Budget Information | Public Comment Instructions 

• Renton | Proposed Budget Public Hearings  
  • October 19 and 26, 7 p.m.
  • Budget Information 

• SeaTac | Proposed Budget Workshops 
  • October 17 and 24, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
  • Meeting Information 

• Des Moines | Proposed Budget and Property Tax Public Hearings 
  • October 29 and November 12, 6 p.m.
  • Meeting Information 

• Normandy Park | Proposed Budget Public Hearing
  • November 10, 7 p.m.
  • Meeting Information 

• Tukwila | Budget Information & Survey
  • Review the proposed budget and share priorities via online survey.
  • Budget Information & Survey 

If you’re concerned about rising costs or how services are funded in your neighborhood, this is a good time to ask what is being proposed, what tradeoffs the city faces, and how it will measure results.