Council approves $178 million supplemental budget, with funding to address housing, gun violence, traffic patrols, more

July 16, 2024

The King County Council on Tuesday approved a $178 million supplemental budget, with funding for housing assistance, increased traffic patrols, addressing gun violence, food security, transportation and more.

Sponsored by Council Budget Chair Girmay Zahilay, it marks the third supplemental budget of the current budget cycle, with the council expected to take up a new full budget for 2025 this fall.

“My goals as Budget Chair are to ensure King County delivers the best possible services while abiding by smart budgeting principles that allow us to navigate a general fund shortfall and economic uncertainty,” Zahilay said. “I think our Council struck the right balance with this supplemental budget. We won’t be spending beyond our means, but we will also be supporting critical services and infrastructure projects that benefit residents of King County. We will be investing in public safety, housing, workforce development, and critical resources for our neighbors in need. I am grateful for the thoughtful proposals that initially came from Executive Constantine and his team, and for my colleagues and staff on the Council for their work in uplifting every corner of our region in this budget.”

Key council initiatives in the budget include:

• Providing rental assistance to people on the verge of eviction
• Housing for unhoused neighbors in East King County, North King County, and beyond
• Supporting apprenticeship programs in Auburn and Federal Way
• Increasing traffic patrols in rural King County
• Addressing gun violence around the region
• Investing in resources for survivors of sexual assault
• Food security for seniors

The budget also funds several other key initiatives, including:

• $14 million for Metro Transit to test hydrogen fuel cell buses as a component of its zero-emission conversion
• $12 million to the Climate Office for grant-funded work, including solar and heat pump programs and regional climate preparedness coordination
• $73 million to implement the first year of the Doors Open Program
• $5 million in funding from the state for transitional and long-term housing support for unsheltered, recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers

The full budget staff report and other documents can be found here.

Additional quotes:

King County Councilmember Sarah Perry: “I am grateful to have worked with my Council colleagues as well as with Executive Dow Constantine, in passing our 2024 Supplemental Budget. At a time when resources are limited, this budget continues to invest in the areas where our communities need it most, including a focus on public safety, parks, housing, permitting, and the environment. I’m pleased to see the much needed investment in our Permitting Division which will reduce permit wait times and keep costs down. We are also making critical investments in finding ways to support our farmers in King County through a minimum wage study that identifies what is really needed to support this critical industry. Finally, we secured $1 million for Acres of Diamonds — a non-profit that provides transitional housing for moms and kids experiencing homelessness — to purchase a long-term facility. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact of these investments for years to come!"

King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski: “I want to thank Chair Zahilay for leading a transparent and collaborative supplemental budget process that focused on key priorities, making important investments while protecting our county’s fiscal health. I’m thrilled that working together, we were able to secure funding to open a new senior women’s shelter in Kenmore and fund a study to re-connect the Interurban Trail at the King-Snohomish line.”

King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda: “This supplemental budget makes a down payment on strategies to support health, housing stability, and workforce in King County. It tees us up for future conversations about how we can best support our communities in the fall budget and beyond. I’m thrilled about the inclusion of priorities I sponsored, including funding for a labor-led worker dispatch program that will position our region to produce a legacy of long-term economic benefits from hosting the World Cup with living-wage jobs; and investments in rent assistance to help keep vulnerable households stably housed as continued pandemic impacts and rising costs make it harder to make ends meet. Thank you to Budget Chair Zahilay for your leadership and vision, and to Executive Constantine for your collaboration throughout this process.”

King County Councilmember Jorge L. Barón: “Even as King County contends with a budget facing a constrained General Fund and the end of federal funds that have been instrumental in preventing the worst impacts of the pandemic, I’m proud to join my colleagues in passing this supplemental budget that includes supports for residents, such as gun violence prevention and efforts that will help people stay housed, and infrastructure, including for King County Elections. It’s vital that we continue to pursue new strategies that will strengthen the county’s fiscal situation to prevent harmful cuts in future budgets.”