Executive Summary - May 2014 Newsletter

King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 05/30/2014 02:37 PM PDT

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From the Office of King County Executive Dow Constantine

News from King County Executive Dow Constantine 
May 2014  •  Issue 2
The future of Metro Transit

A clear path for cities to save Metro service

While counties in Washington state have limited options for raising transit revenue, local cities have separate revenue authorities and are inquiring about buying bus service from Metro — in response to the outcome of Proposition 1.

Given pending bus cuts, Executive Constantine created a framework for cities in King County to buy local transit service, as a bridge until permanent and sustainable solutions can be secured from the Legislature.

A clear path forward for cities to fund Metro transit

All cities in King County — or groups of cities — will have the option of purchasing additional transit service through Metro's Community Mobility Contracts. Each city would decide how to pay for those services.

"I will work with any city or cities to keep people moving within their borders and across the region," says the Executive. "I look forward to working with the City of Seattle as one of our key partners and customers in the provision of region-wide transit. Until the Legislature acts, I cannot ask cities to accept cuts they are willing locally to prevent."
Riders love Metro bus service  

Fact-checking Metro reforms and services

To have an honest discussion about Metro's future, it's important to agree on the facts. Executive Constantine spoke with KUOW's Marcie Sillman about this, and Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond further cleared the air on KIRO Radio.

On May 12, the Municipal League of King County publicly stated that elements of its positions and findings about Metro's ability to deliver cost-effective services were taken out of context and used by opponents.

The Muni League, in fact, praised the progress Metro has made in four areas identified for improvement: performance measurement, service allocation policy, strategic planning, and transparency. Read the Municipal League's 2013 follow-up report.
Innovations in Government Award  

King County receives nation's top award for government innovation

Reforms at King County that have produced better health outcomes for employees while saving tens of millions of dollars were recognized by Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Healthy Incentives, our nationally-recognized employee wellness program, was honored with the prestigious 2013 Innovations in American Government Award.

Launched in 2006 to contain the costs of health care that were spiraling nationwide, Healthy Incentives has saved an estimated $46 million and improved the lives of County employees.

Read how employees lost more than 24 tons of collective weight.
Taking Earth Week into our own hands  

Taking Earth Week into our own hands—literally

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, leader of the nation's top conservation agency, joined the Executive during Earth Week to release rare Sammamish kokanee salmon into Ebright Creek.

The event marked the fifth consecutive year King County has partnered to give the Sammamish kokanee population a boost through the local hatchery program.

Alongside a restored stretch of Ebright Creek in Sammamish, Secretary Jewell, Executive Constantine, representatives from the Kokanee Work Group, and school kids on Earth Week science field trips released 100 inch-long kokanee fry into the wild.

Watch a 3-minute video from the release celebration and hear from the Exec and Secretary Jewell.

Executive Constantine in the news