Your guide to the Metropolitan 2019

King County Councilmembers (from left): Joe McDermott (District 8), (Dist. 7), Council Vice Chair (Dist. 9), Jeanne Kohl-Welles (Dist. 4), Larry Gossett (Dist. 2), Council Chair (Dist. 1), (Dist. 5), (Dist. 3), and Council Vice Chair (Dist. 6)

As your Metropolitan King County Council, we oversee • Public health and human services; the second largest government and the most popu- • Metro Transit bus service, Water Taxi, King County lous county in State. With over 2.2 million International Airport (Boeing Field), and county roads; residents, King County is the 13th largest county in the • Wastewater treatment and solid waste management; in terms of population. There are more • Regional parks, open space, and trails; and people living in King County than in 15 states! At 2,130 • Elections, records, and licensing. square miles, the county covers more territory than the states of Rhode Island or Delaware. Each of the nine members of the King County Council represents a geographical district of about 240,000 Our dedicated employees provide quality regional residents. Councilmembers are elected on a services every day to county residents. We are also the non-partisan basis and serve four-year terms. local government for approximately 247,000 people who live in unincorporated urban and rural areas, and The Council has several standing committees that we provide services by contract to many of the oversee specific functions of county government and county’s 39 cities. a Committee of the Whole that includes all Council- members. They also work closely with elected officials As the legislative branch of county government, the from local jurisdictions on three regional committees Council sets policies, enacts laws, and adopts budgets that address common interests in matters of policy, that guide an array of services, including: transit, and water quality.

• The criminal justice system of prosecutors and public The Council’s review of ordinances, motions, and defenders, District and Superior Courts, juvenile budgets help ensure that county government detention, and adult jails; operates in an efficient, transparent, and cost-effective • The King County Sheriff’s Office, which directly manner, with equal access for all county residents. serves residents of unincorporated areas and con- tracts with many cities to provide police protection; Get agendas, minutes, and meeting videos online at: www.kingcounty.gov/council Message from the Council Chair and overview of King County budget

The members of the King increasing economic disparity, where the middle class County Council, and all of the and our most vulnerable residents face unprecedented legislative branch, work to challenges. In 2019, we will work hard to continue to serve the 2.2 million people make progress on homelessness and affordable housing, who live in King County. I am expand access to transit and transportation, invest honored to have been elected in environmental protection, and develop innovative Chair of the Council for 2019 criminal justice reform initiatives. We will strive to work and appreciate the trust my collaboratively and prioritize investments through an colleagues have placed in me equity and social justice lens, aimed at ensuring that to help guide our work this everyone has the opportunity to pursue their full year. potential and thrive here in King County.

King County has a tremen- My colleagues and I want you to be a part of the work dous opportunity to improve Rod Dembowski, Chair we do. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Coun- every community in our cilmember with your feedback and suggestions. We region and the tools to make it happen. We are living need your ideas, your energy, and your help to take the in times of transformative change in our region, and steps toward building better communities for all.

Understanding the county budget The projected deficit in the General Fund for the next biennium is $24 million. In the fall of 2020, the King The county budget is composed of two types of funds: County Council will review the biennial budget for dedicated funds and the General Fund. Dedicated funds 2021 and 2022. To learn more about the King County are the largest portion, accounting for 84% of the total budget, please visit: www.kingcounty.gov/council/budget. budget. By law, these funds are restricted to specific purposes, such as transit, sewage treatment, and voter- General Fund expenditures approved programs like regional Emergency Medical Services. Justice and Elections; Assessor; safety, health, human, and The discretionary portion of the county budget is the 72% community services; General Fund, which amounts to 16% of the total parks, 11%

1 budget. These funds pay for critical day-to-day services 2 3 4 5 not supported by other revenues. Almost three 6 Delivery of county quarters of the General Fund (72%) goes to pay for services, 14% criminal justice and public safety, as mandated by the state. The remainder must fund other services, such as elections and human services (see pie chart). Debt service, 3%

The General Fund is supported mostly by property Where your property tax dollar goes tax, sales tax, and fees. By law, King County collects 57 ¢ property taxes on behalf of all taxing districts within the county. However, King County receives only 17 cents of every property tax dollar, with the rest going to other agencies (see bar graph). Similarly, King County receives less than one cent of the sales tax of 10 cents per dollar collected in most of the county. 17 ¢ 16 ¢ Since Washington State enacted the 1% cap on property 8¢ tax increases, counties across our state have faced a gap between revenue and the cost of providing 2 ¢ services. This structural gap has resulted in the General Sound Other King Cities & Schools Fund being cut by several hundred million dollars, with Transit districts County towns consequent reduction in services to county residents. Council districts map

LAKE BOTHELL FOREST SHORELINE PARK KENMORE WOODINVILLE DUVALL

SKYKOMISH 1 KIRKLAND

EDMOND YARROW R 4 HUNTS POINT POINT 3 CLYDE 6 CARNATION HILL MEDINA BELLEVUE BEAUX ARTS AMMAMISH 2 MERCER S ISLAND

ISSAQUAH NEWCASTLE SNOQUALMIE

RENTON NORTH 8 BURIEN BEND TUKWILA

NORMANDY SEATAC Vashon PARK Island 5 DES MOINES and KENT Isl Incorporated city y ur a APLE M COVINGTON M Major urban unincorporated VALLEY 9 community Unincorporated King County FEDERAL WAY AUBURN BLACK 7 DIAMOND Council district boundary ALGONA

MILTON PACIFIC

Major urban unincorporated areas ENUMCLAW East Federal Way East Renton Fairwood North Highline West Hill / Skyway

Contact information Online The King County Council meets on Wednes- Web: www.kingcounty.gov/council Which council district days at 10:30 a.m. on the 10th floor of the Facebook: www.facebook.com/ do I live in? King County Courthouse. All public meet- KingCountyCouncil Enter your address at ings held in chambers are available live on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KCCouncil King County TV (channel 22 Comcast and www.kingcounty.gov/ Wave in SD, channel 322 Comcast and 722 Clerk of the Council council/councilmembers/ Wave in HD). You can also stream meet- E-mail: [email protected] find_district ings at www.kingcounty.gov/KCTV. Agendas, Telephone: (206) 477-1020 minutes, and videos of past meetings are available on the council’s website. Dist. Councilmember Phone E-mail Mailing address 1 Rod Dembowski 477-1001 [email protected] Metropolitan King County Council 2 Larry Gossett 477-1002 [email protected] King County Courthouse 3 Kathy Lambert 477-1003 [email protected] 516 Third Avenue, 12th Floor 4 Jeanne Kohl-Welles 477-1004 [email protected] Seattle, WA 98104-3272 5 Dave Upthegrove 477-1005 [email protected] 6 Claudia Balducci 477-1006 [email protected] Telephone 7 Pete von Reichbauer 477-1007 [email protected] (206) 477-1000, Toll-free: (800) 325-6165 8 Joe McDermott 477-1008 [email protected] Fax: (206) 296-0198 9 Reagan Dunn 477-1009 [email protected] TTY/TDD: (206) 296-1024 Council’s standing and regional committees

The King County Council reviews proposed legisla- Vice Chair: Claudia Balducci tion through standing committees that oversee specific Members: Reagan Dunn, Larry Gossett government functions. Councilmembers work closely with elected officials from local jurisdictions on three Mobility and Environment Meets first and third Tuesdays at 1:30 pm regional committees that address common interests in Chair: Dave Upthegrove policy, transit, and water quality. They also serve as the Vice Chair: Pete von Reichbauer Board of Supervisors for the King County Flood Members: Claudia Balducci, Rod Dembowski, Control District, a special-purpose government. Addi- Kathy Lambert, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Joe McDermott tionally, individual councilmembers serve on a variety of external committees, boards, and commissions, such as the Board of Health and the Board. Regional committees For more information on the committees below, Regional Policy including descriptions, alternate members, and meeting Meets second Wednesday at 3:00 pm agendas, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/council/ Chair: King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer committees. Vice Chair: Bellevue City Councilmember John Stokes County Council Members: Rod Dembowski, Jeanne Council committees Kohl-Welles Committee of the Whole Sound Cities Association Members: Burien Deputy Meets first and third Mondays at 1:30 pm Mayor Austin Bell, Redmond City Councilmember Angela Chair: Joe McDermott Birney, Auburn Deputy Mayor Bill Peloza Vice Chair: Jeanne Kohl-Welles City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Debora Members: All councilmembers Juarez, Councilmember Kshama Sawant Budget and Fiscal Management Regional Transit Meets second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:30 am Meets third Wednesday at 3:00 pm Chair: Claudia Balducci Chair: King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci Vice Chair: Kathy Lambert Vice Chair: Redmond City Councilmember Dayle Members: Rod Dembowski, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, (Hank) Margeson Joe McDermott, Dave Upthegrove County Council Members: Joe McDermott, Dave Upthegrove Government Accountability and Oversight Sound Cities Association Members: Kirkland City Meets second and fourth Tuesdays at 3:00 pm Councilmember Dave Asher, Mercer Island City Coun- Chair: Pete von Reichbauer cilmember Bruce Bassett, Auburn City Councilmember Vice Chair: Larry Gossett Claude DaCorsi, Pacific Mayor Leanne Guier, Tukwila Members: Rod Dembowski, Jeanne Kohl-Welles City Councilmember Kathy Hougardy, Duvall Mayor Amy Ockerlander, Lake Forest Park City Councilmember John Health, Housing, and Human Services Wright Meets first and third Tuesdays at 9:30 am City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Lisa Chair: Jeanne Kohl-Welles Herbold, Councilmember Mike O’Brien Vice Chair: Dave Upthegrove Members: Claudia Balducci, Rod Dembowski, Regional Water Quality

Larry Gossett, Kathy Lambert Meets first Wednesday at 3:00 pm paper Printed on recyclable Chair: King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert Law and Justice Vice Chair: Pacific Mayor Leanne Guier Meets second and fourth Tuesdays at 1:00 pm County Council Members: Rod Dembowski, Reagan Chair: Larry Gossett Dunn Vice Chair: Kathy Lambert Sound Cities Association Members: Kirkland Mayor Members: Reagan Dunn, Joe McDermott, Dave Penny Sweet, Mercer Island City Councilmember Benson Upthegrove Wong, Lake Forest Park City Councilmember John Wright Sewer District Members: Sammamish Plateau Water Local Services, Regional Roads and Bridges District Boardmember Tom Harman, Southwest Suburban Meets second and fourth Mondays at 1:30 pm Sewer District Commissioner William Tracy Chair: Kathy Lambert City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Lisa Herbold, Councilmember Kshama Sawant Alternate formats available on request. available Alternate formats