Proposal to ask voters to reprioritize property taxes to protect criminal justice falls one vote short

Legislation to allow voters to decide whether to fund criminal justice services by reprioritizing other property taxes did not garner the votes needed to be placed before the voters on the August ballot at today’s special meeting of the Metropolitan King County Council.

Today was the last day for the Council to take action to submit a proposal to the voters for the August primary ballot. A majority of the Council voted for the proposal, but it failed because a supermajority was required.

“Criminal justice is the County’s paramount duty,” said Council Chair Bob Ferguson. “We are all in this budget crisis together and it is disappointing that a minority of the Council frustrated the will of the majority to let the voters decide on funding criminal justice and public safety services.”

Councilmembers voting against giving voters the option to reprioritize property taxes were Kathy Lambert, Jane Hague, Pete von Reichbauer, and Reagan Dunn.