The Metropolitan King County Council unanimously adopted a County budget for 2008 that supports critical services for Bothell and Kenmore citizens, responds to regional priorities voiced by citizens earlier this year and stays within the property tax limits of Initiative 747.

The budget, adopted on November 19, reduces the executive’s overall budget, proposed at just over $5 billion, by $40 million. It also reduces the executive’s proposed general fund expenditures by $1.8 million.

“The Council exercised fiscal restraint when crafting a fiscally prudent budget that maintains the financial policies that have earned the County the highest possible credit ratings,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, chair of the Operating Budget Committee and lead for the Council’s budget negotiation process. “We delivered a budget that reduces the Executive’s overall proposed budget and reduces his proposed general fund expenditures while maintaining current levels of services, increasing general fund reserves and anticipating future and emergency needs. The budget also respects the property tax limits of Initiative 747.”

The Council was guided in its work by the “Priorities for People” heard from citizens through the Council’s extensive citizen engagement process conducted earlier this year. The process, spearheaded by Ferguson, gave the Councilmembers a framework to develop countywide priorities including:

• Elections Operations: Creates a new Elections Division as a stand-alone operation to allow the Elections Director to focus solely on management of important elections systems.

• Mental Health and Chemical Dependency: Establishes revenue to fund expanded programs for treatment of citizens with mental illness and substance abuse issue.

• Law Enforcement Oversight and Criminal Justice: Ensures continued implementation of the Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations for the Sheriff’s Office, and increases staffing in District Court to address rising caseloads and improve court customer service.

• Metro Transit Service and Security: Funds more than 160,000 new Metro bus service hours and eliminates advertising wraps over bus windows. Also adds transit police officers to increase police presence on buses and at passenger facilities.

• Rainy Day Reserve: Creates a permanent rainy day reserve that insulates essential county services from the effect of catastrophic loss or a severe downturn in the local economy.

• Elections Oversight: Creates a new Elections Division as a stand-alone operation within the Department of Executive Services to allow the Elections Director to focus solely on management of important elections systems. Funds 12 regional voting centers to accommodate people with special needs and enable them to cast secret ballots.

• Open Space and Regional Trails: Implements the voter-approved parks expansion levy to provide funding to acquire land and develop missing links to regional trails, and for cities to expand their trails and open space.

Ferguson was pleased by the fiscal integrity of the 2008 budget which also includes funding for the following specific Northshore projects:

• Northshore Family Center: Supports the purchase of a new building for programs for families, including early-learner classes, English and Spanish classes, and after school activities.

“The timing of this funding could not have been better. The Center for Human Services plans to begin providing services at our new Northshore Family Center early 2008, and this funding will allow us to remodel the building,” said CHS Executive Director Beratta Gomillion. “The largest piece of the project will be the conversion of the basement to make it an appropriate and safe space for Children’s Programming. This funding will turn an aging building into a fun and safe place where low-income families can participate in parenting classes, early childhood education groups, English Language Learner classes, out-of-school programming for youth, and much more.”

• Northshore Senior Center: Supports services and activities for over 7,000 seniors.

“With the expanding population of seniors in the Northshore area, it’s great to have Council’s support in our mission to promote the well being of seniors,” said Center Director Lee Harper. The funds will be used to provide Adult Day Health services for seniors and people with disabilities and fill a transportation gap for seniors. It also responds to an unmet need-seniors with early stage memory loss-through an innovative Pilot Program ‘The Brain Fitness Group.’ Thank you Councilmember Ferguson for investing in Northshore seniors!”

• Cascadia Community College: Supports completion of design phase for construction of new Wetlands Interpretive Center to educate citizens and students about sustainable building practices and about wetland ecosystems.

• Northshore Performing Arts Center: Supports community programming and maintains affordable ticket prices.

“Based on one of King County Council's Priorities for the People, which is to enhance the quality of life by creating and encouraging vibrant cultural and recreational opportunities, Councilman Ferguson supported an award of $50,000 for the Northshore Performing Arts Center Foundation,” said Vicki Opsata, President of the Northshore Performing Arts Center Foundation. “The Center is less than two years old, and these funds will ensure that we have a stable ground for continuing to build a successful performing arts program that will enrich, entertain, educate, and enliven our communities. Our NPACF Board is very grateful for King County's support.”

Read the full text of the Council ordinance adopting the 2008 King County Budget