Winter 2008

Greetings! It is my sincere hope that you are enjoying a peaceful, safe, and fulfilling holiday season, and that the new year brings new opportunities.
Here is information you may find helpful regarding your Metropolitan King
County Council.

Larry Gossett
King County Council Chair

2008 budget passed by King County Council

On Monday, November 19, 2008, I, and my fellow Councilmembers unanimously passed the 2008 budget. Our constituents expect fiscal integrity, responsibility, and accountability, which we believe we’ve provided, since our total budget of $4.9 billion is $40 million less than the Executive proposed budget. We were able to achieve these expenditure levels without reducing the amount of funds earmarked to support intervention and prevention programs that keep people out of the King County Jail.

However, there were challenges. In late summer it was announced that we could anticipate a $40 million shortfall in revenue over the next two (2) years. This shortfall was in part caused by State initiatives limiting our ability to create revenue through property taxes, limited revenue sources for our County government to access, less new construction than originally anticipated, rising healthcare costs for County employees, rising fuel costs, and keeping pace with our growing region. Read more

Black-on-Black Crime Coalition update

As you may recall, I, and a group of community activists hosted a Town Hall Meeting, on June 19th, in order to solicit community input on the rise of black-on-black violence in Seattle and King County. Throughout the summer, a very dedicated group of individuals met on a weekly basis to develop grassroots strategies designed to address this crisis. Choosing the date of June 19th – or Juneteenth – was significant, since the date marks the anniversary of the implementation of the day that slaves were freed in the state of Texas. Tragically, due to institutional racism, hopelessness, a distorted cultural self-concept, poverty and disenfranchisement, many of our youth have internalized a diminished worth of their own lives to such an extent that they have no guilt about shooting and hurting each other. Our coalition has been organized to reduce this senseless violence.

While violence is not limited to the African American community by any means, statistic show a devastating overrepresentation among black youth and young adults in community homicides, incarceration, fatherless children, oppressive images and treatment of women, and academic underachievement. While the causes are historic and complex, we believe that our communities are called to take a lead in addressing this nationwide, catastrophic phenomenon. Read more

King County Council passes mental illness and chemical dependency sales tax

I am pleased to announce that on Tuesday, November 13, 2007, the King County Council enacted the one-tenth of one cent sales tax increase to fund King County’s Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan. This important measure will add one penny to a $10.00 purchase, and is expected to generate $46 million per year for services involving the mentally ill, chronically homeless, and chemically addicted who are often recycled through our emergency medical service and criminal justice systems. Read more

$3 million in private donations for Children’s Health Initiative

On December 10, 2007, the Metropolitan King County Council passed legislation for the County to accept $3 million in current and future donations for implementation of programs as part of the King County Children’s Health Initiative aimed at guaranteeing adequate health and dental care to all children in Martin Luther King Jr. County. As I have often said, protecting the health of all our children is a goal that transcends politics. The many groups who have contributed to this effort understand that healthy children grow up to be healthy adults. Read more

Councilmember Gossett in the community

On Monday, November 26th 2007, I, along with Mayor Greg Nickels, Seattle City Councilmember Richard Conlin and other contributors and participants, spoke at the daylighting of Madrona Creek. I was instrumental in obtaining funding for the Friends of Madrona Woods to bring this project to reality. Madrona Creek will allow baby salmon to migrate from Lake Washington to Puget Sound.		Three Bryant Elementary School students are showing me a safety hazard on their playground. As a result, I provided funding for their playground to be refurbished, providing a safe, fun, and modern play area on the grounds outside of where our children learn.

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If you have any questions or comments, please email me at
larry.gossett@kingcounty.gov.