Your guide to the Metropolitan 2015

Councilmembers , , , , Council Chair Larry Phillips, , Larry Gossett, Council Vice Chair Jane Hague, and Council Vice Chair Joe McDermott.

As your Metropolitan King County Council, we oversee • Public health and human services; the second largest government and the most populous • Metro Transit bus service and county roads; county in State. With over two million • Wastewater treatment and solid waste management; residents, King County is the 13th largest county in the • Regional parks, open space, and trails; and United States in terms of population. There are more • Elections, records, and licensing. people living in King County than in14 states! At 2,134 square miles, the county covers more territory than the Each of the nine members of the King County Council states of Rhode Island or Delaware. represents a geographical district of about 224,000 residents. Councilmembers are elected on a Our dedicated employees provide quality regional non-partisan basis and serve four-year terms. services every day to county residents. We are also the local government for approximately 252,000 people The Council has four standing committees that oversee who live in our unincorporated urban and rural areas, specific government functions of county govern- and we provide services by contract to many of the ment and a Committee of the Whole that includes all county’s 39 cities. Councilmembers. Councilmembers also work closely with elected officials from local jurisdictions on three As the legislative branch of county government, the regional committees that address common interests in Council sets policies, enacts laws, and adopts budgets matters of policy, transit, and water quality. that guide an array of services for this region, including: The Council’s review of ordinances, motions, and • The criminal justice system of prosecutors and public budgets help ensure that county government defenders, District and Superior Courts, juvenile operates in an efficient, transparent, and cost-effective detention and adult jails; manner, with equal access for all county residents. • The King County Sheriff’s Office, which directly 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

Named after our nation’s Our current county population of two million people greatest civil rights leader, speak over 120 languages and represent many heritages King County remains one of and backgrounds. As our population becomes increas- the best places in the United ingly diverse, it is also importance to provide equal States to live, work, and opportunity for all residents. play. The mountains, waters, These are among the significant responsibilities and forests, and businesses that challenges facing our county government, overseen make this region great also by your directly elected King County Council. I am place upon us a responsibil- honored to have been chosen to chair the Council ity to take care of our envi- again this year by my colleagues. ronment and plan effectively for coming generations. As a Council, we continue to address growing demand Larry Phillips, Chair for county services, such as public safety, transportation, Our growing population and health and human services, while revenues decline. means that we need to Our success is dependent on the participation of our invest not only invest in our infrastructure, but also take constituents to advocate for the services our public bold steps to protect the quality of our air, water, and needs and the means to support them. land in the face of climate change and increasing demands on our natural resources.

Understanding the county budget The county budget is composed of two types of funds: dedicated funds and the General Fund. Dedicated funds are the largest portion at 84% of the total budget. By Where your property tax dollar goes 55 ¢ law, these funds are restricted to specific purposes, such as transit, sewage treatment, and voter-approved programs like the regional Medic One system.

The discretionary portion of the county budget is the General Fund, which amounts to 16% of the total 17 ¢ 17¢ budget. These funds pay for critical day-to-day services not supported by other revenues. Almost three 9 ¢ quarters of the General Fund (73%) goes to pay for 2 ¢ criminal justice and public safety, as mandated by the State. The remainder must fund other services, such as Port of Other King Cities & Schools Elections and human services (see pie chart). districts County Towns The General Fund is supported mostly by property tax, General fund expenditures sales tax, and fees. By law, the County collects property tax on behalf of all taxing districts within the county. However, the County receives only 17 cents of every Elections, Assessor, property tax dollar, with the rest going to other Health and human services, 11% agencies (see bar graph). Similarly, King County receives

1 Justice and 2 less than one cent of the 9.5 cents sales tax per dollar 3 4 5 safety, 6 Delivery of county collected in most of the county. 73% services, 13% Since Washington State enacted the one percent cap Physical environment, 0.5% on property tax increases in 2002, counties across Debt service, 3% our state have faced a gap between revenue and the cost of providing services. This structural gap has resulted in the General Fund being cut by $384 million For more information on the county budget, please visit during the past decade. The projected deficit for the www.kingcounty.gov/council/budget 2017-18 biennium is $45 million. King County Council districts map

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

Contact information Online Web: www.kingcounty.gov/council The King County Council meets Mondays Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Which Council district at 1:30 p.m. on the 10th floor of the King KingCountyCouncil do I live in? County Courthouse. You can watch all Twitter: http://twitter.com/KCCouncil Enter your address at meetings held in the chambers live on King www.kingcounty.gov/ County TV, cable channel 22, and online at Clerk of the Council council/councilmembers our website. Agendas, minutes, and archived E-mail: [email protected] video of past meetings are also available Telephone: (206) 477-1020 online at www.kingcounty.gov/council. Dist. Councilmember Phone E-mail Mailing address Metropolitan King County Council 1 Rod Dembowski 477-1001 [email protected] King County Courthouse 2 Larry Gossett 477-1002 [email protected] 516 Third Avenue, 12th Floor 3 Kathy Lambert 477-1003 [email protected] Seattle, WA 98104-3272 4 Larry Phillips 477-1004 [email protected] 5 Dave Upthegrove 477-1005 [email protected] Telephone 6 Jane Hague 477-1006 [email protected] (206) 477-1000, Toll-free: (800) 325-6165 7 Peter von Reichbauer 477-1007 [email protected] Fax: (206) 296-0198 8 Joe McDermott 477-1008 [email protected] TTY/TDD: (206) 296-1024 9 Reagan Dunn 477-1009 [email protected] Council and regional committees and special government

The King County Council reviews proposed legisla- Chair: Rod Dembowski tion through a number of standing committees that Vice Chair: Jane Hague oversee specific government functions. Councilmem- Members: Kathy Lambert, Joe McDermott, Larry Phillips, bers work closely with elected officials from local juris- Pete von Reichbauer, Dave Upthegrove dictions on regional committees that address common interests in policy, transit, and water quality. In addition, Regional committees Councilmembers serve as the Board of Supervisors for Regional Policy a special-purpose government, created under authority Countywide policies and plans on issues such as human provided by the State Legislature. services, criminal justice, and solid waste management. Second Wednesday at 3:00 pm Council committees Chair: Pete von Reichbauer Vice Chair: Woodinville Mayor Bernie Talmas Committee of the Whole Members: Larry Gossett, Kathy Lambert Legislation and policy issues of interest to the entire Council. Sound Cities Association Members: Redmond City First and third Wednesdays at 9:30 am Councilmember Hank Margeson, Auburn City Council- Chair: Jane Hague member Bill Peloza, Kirkland Mayor Amy Walen Vice Chair: Joe McDermott City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Sally Clark, Members: All Councilmembers Councilmember Kshama Sawant Budget and Fiscal Management Regional Transit Policy direction for the County budget, recommendations on Countywide plans and policies pertaining to King County structural funding gap and capital and operating budget Metro Transit services. appropriations. Third Wednesday at 3:00 pm Second and fourth Wednesdays at 9:30 am Chair: Reagan Dunn Chair: Joe McDermott Vice Chair: Redmond City Councilmember Kimberly Allen Vice Chair: Kathy Lambert Members: Jane Hague, Joe McDermott Members: Jane Hague, Rod Dembowski, Dave Upthegrove Sound Cities Association Members: Kirkland City Councilmember Dave Asher, Mercer Island Mayor Bruce Government Accountability and Oversight Bassett, Kent City Councilmember Dennis Higgins, Algona Efficiency, cost effectiveness, and performance of county Mayor Dave Hill, Tukwila City Councilmember Kathy government; enhancing oversight, accountability, and Hougardy, Auburn City Councilmember Wayne Osborne, transparency. Lake Forest Park City Councilmember John Wright Second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:30 am City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Mike O’Brien, Chair: Pete von Reichbauer Councilmember Tom Rasmussen Vice Chair: Rod Dembowski Members: Reagan Dunn Regional Water Quality Countywide policies and plans for water quality and sewer Health, Housing, and Human Services services, capital facilities, rate policies, and facilities siting. Policy relating to public health, human services, and housing First Wednesday at 3:00 pm programs. Chair: Dave Upthegrove First and third Tuesdays at 1:30 am Vice Chair: Lake Forest Park City Councilmember Chair: Dave Upthegrove John Wright Kathy Lambert Vice Chair: Members: Jane Hague, Larry Phillips Larry Gossett, Joe McDermott Members: Sound Cities Association Members: Shoreline City Law, Justice, and Emergency Management Councilmember Doris McConnell, Auburn City Council- Policy relating to public safety, criminal justice, and emergency member Wayne Osborne, Renton City Councilmember management. Ed Prince Second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays at 1:30 pm Sewer District Members: Cedar River Water/Sewer Chair: Kathy Lambert District Commissioner Walter Canter, Southwest Suburban Vice Chair: Larry Gossett Sewer District Commissioner William Tracy Members: Rod Dembowski, Joe McDermott City of Seattle Members: Councilmember Jean Godden, Councilmember Kshama Sawant Transportation, Economy, and Environment Oversight of public transit, passenger ferries, county roads, Special-purpose government environment, resource lands, and water quality; policy King County Flood Control District relating to growth management and the economy. Second Monday of April, July, and October at 1:30 p.m. First, third, and fifth Tuesdays at 9:30 am www.kingcountyfloodcontrol.org