Vision

King County: a diverse and dynamic community with a healthy economy and environment where all people, businesses, and  organizations have the opportunity to thrive.

Mission

King County government provides fiscally responsible, quality-driven local and regional services for healthy, safe, and vibrant communities.

Guiding Principles

Equitable and Fair - Address the root causes of inequities to provide for equal access to opportunities for all

Financially Sustainable - Align funding, policy and operational goals of King County government

Regionally Collaborative - Engage with partners, stakeholders, and public and private organizations to achieve goals

Quality Local Government - Provide effective, efficient local governance and services to unincorporated areas

Goals and Objectives

Mobility - Deliver a safe, reliable, and seamless network of transportation options to get people and goods where they need to go, when they need to get there*

1.  Increase integration between transportation modes and all service providers

2.  Preserve and optimize the mobility system

3.  Ensure the safety and security for customers and employees using the mobility network

4.  Provide more equitable mobility access and reduce historic gaps

Safety and Justice - Provide for a safe and just community through proactive law enforcement and an accessible and fair justice system, while implementing alternatives to divert people from the criminal justice system.

1. Enhance community safety

2. Reduce disproportionate minority representation in the criminal justice system

3. Increase diversion of young people from the criminal justice system and minimize the harmful effects of incarceration on youth

4. Reduce overall incarceration rates in County jails for individuals who do not pose a public safety risk

5. Support a safe, accessible and fair justice system by developing long-term, sustainable funding solutions

Health & Human Services - Improve the health and well-being of all people in our community.

1.  Ensure that babies are born healthy and establish a strong foundation for lifelong health and well-being

2.  Provide equitable opportunities for all children to progress through childhood safe and healthy, with academic and life skills to thrive in their community

3.  Reduce disparities and improve overall health and personal well-being to create thriving communities  

4.  Improve the outcomes and lower the costs of care in King County by focusing on prevention and recovery from health and social problems

5.  Improve health, social outcomes, and experience of care while lowering County costs for high utilizers of jail with mental health and/or substance use conditions 

Economic Vitality - Increase access to family wage job opportunities throughout the County.

1. Add and retain jobs in King County, prioritizing sectors that lead to family-wage jobs

2. Improve job pay and benefits for the lowest wage workers

3. Provide opportunities for people in low-wage jobs to move up career ladders

4. Prepare all youth to achieve self-sufficiency and be contributing members of society

Accessible, Affordable Housing - Increase access to quality housing that is affordable to all.

1. Improve services to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time 

2. Provide targeted affordable housing resources to communities and individuals that meet their specific needs 

3. Increase housing stability for low-income families

4. Seek innovative partnerships to expand the supply and funding of affordable housing

Healthy Environment - Preserve open space and rural character while addressing climate change.

1. Maintain rural character by focusing new growth in urban areas

2. Protect and support healthy and productive farms, forests, and open spaces  

3. Reduce countywide greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030  

4. Integrate climate preparedness into County operations and provision of public services

Efficient, Accountable Regional and Local Government - Ensure that County government operates efficiently and effectively and is accountable to the public.

1. Develop a highly engaged, diverse, culturally responsive, and high-performing workforce 

2. Align funding, policy, and operational goals of King County government with community priorities

3. Optimize County operations through innovation and continuous improvement  

4. Deliver consistent, responsive, equitable, high-quality services to residents, cities, and districts  

5. Exercise sound financial and risk management and build King County's long-term fiscal strength

*Revision pending approval by King County Council