October 14, 2002

2003 Budget Challenge: Closing the Budget Gap
Council must determine what services people need, and how to pay for them

For information contact: Larry Phillips  (206) 296-1004
                                   Jane Hague (206) 296-1011

Facing its greatest budget challenge in a generation, the Chair of the Metropolitan King County Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee says councilmembers must answer two simple questions.

“As we search for ways to make the $52 million in cuts that must take place this year, what services, beyond the ones we are mandated by law to provide, do we need to provide, and how will we pay for them?” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “How we answer those questions will set the tone for how we will deliver services into the next generation.”

“The reality is, this budget is the start of the restructuring of county government, and there are some very difficult choices involved in this process,” said Councilmember Jane Hague, Vice-Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. “Some of that work has already begun with efforts such as the Adult Justice Operation Master Plan, but we must also search for ways to reduce our growing structural gap. We have built-in costs of $30 million a year that are escalating faster than the cost of living. These are our labor overhead and internal services. We must rethink those issues if we are ever to get our checkbook balanced.”

The next step in the budget process for the Council will be the formation of two panels, the Capital Budget Panel and the Budget and Development Analysis Panel, for a thorough review of the Executive Proposed Budget. Councilmember Phillips will chair the Capital Budget Panel, with Councilmember Kathy Lambert as Vice-Chair. Councilmember Hague will head the Budget and Development Analysis Panel, and Councilmember Dow Constantine will be the panel’s Vice-Chair.

“Now more than ever, we need the input of our citizens as we tackle this budget crisis, because we can’t simply rearrange our finances in order to save County services. We have to cut. We have to reduce,” said Phillips. “We’re facing additional general fund shortfalls in 2004 and 2005, so the next few years will be crucial in determining county support for law and justice programs, human services, parks and pools.”