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King County
Executive Office
Ron Sims, King County Executive 701 Fifth Ave. Suite 3210 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-4040 Fax: 206-296-0194 TTY Relay: 711
Image: King County Exeutive Ron Sims, News Release

March 29, 2007

Citizen task force supports renewal of levy, investments in King County Parks system

King County Executive Ron Sims today welcomed the final report of a citizen task force convened to look at ways to strengthen the financial health of King County's park system. The task force offered resounding support for renewing the King County Parks levy that expires at year's end, and restoring routine maintenance improvements. It also recommends investing in important open space projects to help ensure the region's environmental health and water quality.

In the report, the Parks Futures Task Force, convened in November to explore options for funding and securing the future of King County's budget-challenged parks system, recommended two modest property tax levies for an August ballot. The first is aimed at renewing Parks' operating levy with additions designed to restore maintenance levels and park infrastructure to 2002 pre-budget crisis levels. A companion levy would provide additional money to preserve open space and to provide more recreational opportunities.

"A budget that simply keeps parks' gates open is not enough," said task force co-chair Gene Duvernoy. "These recommendations are all about ensuring that our wonderful parks remain open, are better maintained, and that critical open space and trails that enrich our region's quality of life and protect water quality are preserved and expanded to meet future growth."

Sims welcomed the report's findings and thanked the task force for its careful analysis. He announced that he would transmit a similar, albeit slightly downsized, proposal to the County Council.

Sims followed the task force's lead in recommending two separate levies to the voters. The first, a six-year operating levy renewal, would levy five cents per year on every $1,000 of assessed valuation. Because some budget projections showing declining parks revenue in out years may or may not materialize, Sims reduced the seven-cent recommendation supported by the 19-member task force, while offering his commitment to the task force that he would identify alternate sources of replacement funding should incoming revenues slip in the future.

"I am committed to making sure our parks are maintained and our protected natural habitats and open spaces are expanded, but I am also concerned that we do not ask for more than we need from the taxpayers of King County," Sims said. "Each levy will cost the family residing in a typical $400,000 home $20 per year. That is a reasonable request considering the importance of our regional environment to our quality life here in the Central Puget Sound."

Sims went on to praise the stellar work of the Parks Division in recent years.

"King County and the Parks Division have worked hard to keep faith with voters since the budget crisis of 2002," said Sims. "Through our Parks Business Plan, we have been innovative in finding new funding sources to keep our parks clean, safe and open. It's extraordinary how King County Parks has reduced dependence on taxpayer support and become a national model by forging new partnerships with businesses and community groups."

Partnerships have been formed via naming rights and entrepreneurial activities with such industry leaders as Starbucks, Group Health, Cirque du Soleil, and U.S. Bank. And community partnerships have helped bring world class amenities to King County facilities at little to no cost to King County taxpayers.

"Despite its accomplishments, it is evident that the division cannot become self-sustaining anytime soon, that its traditional funding sources are diminishing and that it will need public support to ensure that our parks system remains world class," Sims said.

Sims is recommending a five-cent, six-year levy to replace King County Parks' current 4.9-cent operating and maintenance levy that expires at year's end. The levy would not only keep parks open, but also would restore maintenance to pre-2002 budget crisis levels.

The Executive likewise endorsed a companion five-cent levy that would enable King County Parks to protect and preserve shrinking stretches of unspoiled open space and to acquire and develop trails. The companion levy includes matching grant money for open space and trails within King County cities and some funding support for Woodland Park Zoo to expand environmental education and capital programs across the county and for green space enhancements on zoo grounds.

The task force had recommended a seven-cent maintenance and operations levy, which included 1.7 cents to help offset projected tax revenue decreases from housing market slowdowns and annexations. In removing the 1.7 cents from his proposal, Sims said he will work with his budget office to keep Parks funding whole if real estate revenue losses begin to take hold. A further .3 cents in savings came from updated inflation and tax base data since the task force convened last fall.

"The task force was adamant that King County Parks must restore maintenance to pre-2002 budget crisis levels, or risk eroding public support for the system, lessening the safety of those using the system, and incurring greater costs in the future resulting from deferred maintenance," said co-chair Ron Sher.

""We are strongly recommending that the next operating levy go beyond the bare-bones level of maintenance made possible under the current levy and that we build upon the legacy of county parks by encouraging interconnectedness with other local park systems," said task force member Louise Miller, a former King County Councilmember.

Both Sims and the task force are recommending the Aug. 21, 2007, primary ballot for the levies.

Voters approved a reduced 4.9-cent, four-year operating levy in 2003 to keep parks open. That levy, which funds more than 55 percent of the parks' operating budget, expires at the end of 2007.

King County owns and manages more than 25,000 acres of parks and open space and 175 miles of trails — one of the largest systems in the country – but it experienced a major funding crisis in 2002. With its parks and facilities threatened with closure, the Parks Division embraced extraordinary change and innovation and now partially pays its own way (about 24 percent of the division budget) through partnerships, increased user fees and entrepreneurial ventures.

The budget crisis led to significant maintenance reductions, transfers of some parks and facilities to other jurisdictions, and a shift in focus to regional parks, open space and the regional trail system.

Co-chair Scher said annexations of urban areas are expected to result in the loss of more than half the parks system's major maintenance and capital funding in the next five to six years.

"Our parks are still at risk unless we come together to take prudent steps now to ensure adequate funding in the future," Scher said. "These two small levies will accomplish that."

"Along with revenue losses, population growth will also bring pressure on our county parks. More than 280,000 more people are expected to move to King County by the year 2025," added Duvernoy.

Duvernoy also co-chaired the 16-member Metropolitan Parks Task Force in 2001 that helped draft recommendations and inspired the new Parks Division Business Plan. The plan has since won national awards for innovation, and yet the challenge of finding a long-term funding source to stabilize King County's nationally-acclaimed parks system remains.

"I want to thank the citizen task force for their hard work on this challenging funding issue," said Sims.

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  Updated: March 29, 2007