King County Executive Ron Sims today personally thanked the King County Council for its collaborative, cooperative approach used in adopting the annual operating budget for 2003. The budget, he said, deals with the difficult financial times in which counties across the state find themselves, and does so, as he proposed, within existing revenue limitations.
"Although we faced a $52 million revenue shortfall, Council Budget Chair Larry Phillips and Vice Chair Jane Hague worked closely with my office and Executive departments in crafting a responsible spending plan for next year. The cuts were difficult but necessary, and the challenges will be worse next year, when we face an additional $24 million shortfall, and another $24 million in 2005.
"The Council was faced with significant pressure to make major reductions in criminal justice spending. I appreciate that they are taking a more cautious approach to reductions in the County's adult detention facility, balancing good management with protection of public safety," said Sims. The King County Council proposed a $6.1 million cut to the jail, however, they have placed $2 million in a "population reserve" to address any sudden increase in jail utilization.
"Next year, you will see a great deal of attention and effort from the Executive, the Council, the Prosecuting Attorney and the courts to continue aggressively implementing the Adult Justice Operational Master Plan and reducing our criminal justice expenditures. I am particularly optimistic about the efforts of the newly proposed Community Corrections Division within our Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.
"With respect to voter initiatives and state laws that limit county revenues, counties statewide are having to reduce discretionary services in things like parks and human services, as difficult as that may be," said Sims. "The Council has presented me with a balanced budget created in cooperation with my office, and I will sign this budget."
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King County Executive Ron Sims, at the podium in council's chambers before the budget was passed, thanking members for their bipartisan work in adopting the annual operating budget for 2003.
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