County Council passes budget

The County council completed eight weeks of deliberation on the proposed 2019-2020 King County Budget with Tuesday’s unanimous adoption of the $11.7 billion budget.

The budget includes an array of key measures:

• The restoration of the gang unit, a vital law enforcement tool for communities affected by gang violence.
• Increasing shelter space for the homeless while increasing oversight of funding for programs.
• Taking steps to implement a low/no-cost transit fares for Metro’s lowest-income passengers with the goal of having the program in place by 2020.
• Providing funds to help meet the region’s growing transit needs, including 200,000 hours in increased bus service throughout King County. There are also funds to study new transit options, including Seattle ferry services to and from Renton and Kenmore.
• Examining the impact of the wastewater system on orcas and salmon

“This budget prioritizes investments aimed at ensuring everyone in King County has the opportunity to pursue their full potential. From housing investments, to expanding access to transit, to innovative criminal justice reform initiatives, this is a budget that puts our progressive values into action. I am honored to have participated in the budget leadership team that led the efforts to complete this work.”

• --Councilmember Rod Dembowski

For more information, visit the budget page.