White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Announced by the King County Council:

The King County Council on Tuesday voted 5-4 to approve legislation to require retail businesses in unincorporated King County to accept cash. The measure, brought by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, is meant to ensure everyone has access to the economy, including people who cannot or choose not to access bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial tools.

“This legislation has been an important and sometimes challenging balancing act – trying to protect consumer access, support local businesses, and adapt to a changing world all at the same time,” Kohl-Welles said. “I am very pleased that the legislation as passed addresses this emerging equity issue in a way that is creative, proactive, and collaborative. Further, it signals that as technology continues to rapidly change as we appear to be moving to a cashless society, there is a place for everybody in our local economy.”

During and even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses in the Seattle area and beyond began shifting to cashless operations, leaving people who rely on cash with fewer options to purchase food and other essential consumer goods. Research, however, shows that cashless businesses most impact communities of color, seniors, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, kids, the houseless, and low-income communities.

At least 2.1% of Washington residents are unbanked, meaning they don’t have bank accounts, credit cards or other typical financial services, according to the 2021 FDIC Household Survey. Five-year estimates put that number even higher – at 3.1%. More than 17% of residents are underbanked, meaning they might have a bank account but often rely on alternative financial services, such as money orders, check-cashing services, and payday loans.

If applied to unincorporated King County, these figures mean more than 7,000 people could be unbanked and more than 42,000 people could be underbanked.

The ordinance requires that retail businesses in unincorporated King County accept cash, unless exempted, for most in-person retail food and consumer goods transactions, and to not charge higher prices than for another form of payment. The requirement would not apply to a number of situations, such as transactions by mail, phone or over the internet; those when an employee is not present, such as at a kiosk; for transactions in which a deposit is required or for over $200 in a single transaction; or to businesses providing a device to convert cash to a prepaid card. The Executive branch will be required to analyze enforcement and implementation mechanisms and make a recommendation to the Council on an enforcement mechanism and any other implementation measures by December 1, 2024. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025.

To acknowledge safety concerns raised during the committee hearings, retailers will be able to apply to the Hearing Examiner for an exemption from the requirement to accept cash based on the unique hardships a retailer faces, including but not limited to history of theft, distance to a banking institution, home-based businesses, and businesses with only one employee on site at a time.

It’s unclear how many businesses in unincorporated King County have gone cashless, but Kohl-Welles intends the legislation to serve as a proactive tool to protect consumer access as this trend continues.

Of those who still use cash for most purchases, the largest shares are people of color and those with the lowest incomes, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

The legislation garnered a wide range of community support, including endorsements from the ACLU; ARC of King County; Asian Counseling and Referral Services; Banchero Disability Partners; Be: Seattle; CAIR-WA; Chief Seattle Club; El Centro de la Raza; Faith Action Network; Indian American Community Services; King County Sexual Assault Resource Center; League of Women Voters; Low Income Housing Institute; MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network); Northwest Immigrant Rights Project; Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action; Purpose, Dignity, Action (Public Defenders Association); Rainier Beach Action Coalition; Real Change; Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness; Solid Ground; Transit Riders Union; UFCW 3000; and the White Center Community Development Association.

Legislation to address this issue has already been passed in New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and the states of Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. At the federal level, the bipartisan Payment Choice Act was passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives last year and has not yet been acted upon by the Senate. In addition to this Act, a similar Senate bill has also garnered bipartisan sponsorship.

“[Our vendors] ask you to allow [those] in unincorporated King County to buy a cup of coffee,” said Tiffani McCoy, Advocacy Director at Real Change. “To buy a bagel. To buy lunch. To buy diapers. To purchase whatever it is that they need.”

In response to the final action on the legislation, which included the addition of several amendments, Kohl-Welles said, “To produce meaningful change, compromise is often necessary, and contrary to the popular maxim, the perfect is not the enemy of the good. Even so, as amended, this legislation will promote the equity that our county holds to be its true north, helping real people, many of whom are too often overlooked, to live and engage in commerce in a way that works for them.”

Among those voting “no” was the Councilmember who represents this area, Joe McDermott.

Congratulations to longtime leader Sili Savusa for receiving a major award from King County – here’s the announcement:

(King County photo)

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott on Tuesday awarded Sili Savusa with the Martin Luther King Medal of Distinguished Service, an award that recognizes individuals whose work has answered the question asked by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “What are you doing for others?”

Savusa is the Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association, and has made a lifelong commitment to selflessly help, uplift, support and promote her community.

“Sili Savusa has been a force for positive change and community her entire life, and we’ve been so fortunate to have her bringing that skill and passion to White Center over the last decade,” said McDermott. “Sili’s impact in White Center has been undeniable – with thousands of families uplifted, businesses supported, and organizations buoyed by her leadership and friendship. I’m honored to call her a friend and inspiration, and am excited to see her continued success as she steps forward to make an impact on the entire state of Washington.”

Savusa learned from childhood the power and importance of community. Her father, a Samoan Matais (chief), helped found the Samoan National Chief’s Council in the 1980s, and then started the chief’s council in Seattle as well. In her childhood home, her father brought people in for community meetings, ceremonies, organizing.

As an adult, Savusa has carried on that tradition. She established the first Samoan Pacific Islander Parent Teacher Student Association in the nation, successfully managed the multi-million-dollar Making Connections community change initiative for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and became the first woman of color elected to the Highline School Board. She previously served as the Family Center Coordinator for Southwest Youth and Family Services.

For more than 20 years, Savusa has also worked with The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, working to bring people together to establish relationships based on trust.

Sili, a longtime resident of White Center, has built a reputation as one of the most successful and prominent Samoan community leaders in the Northwest, and works each day to help uplift, support and promote her community and its needs.

This marks the eighth year that councilmembers have each selected someone from their district whose work embodies the spirit of King’s question.

What’s envisioned for your neighborhood in the next 10 years? King County is out with draft Comprehensive Plan updates, and a “virtual town hall” Thursday night brings you the first of two chances in the next two weeks to learn about and comment on it. Here’s the announcement:

Through July 15, King County residents have a once-a-decade opportunity to offer their input and make significant changes to the updates proposed for the Comprehensive Plan, a document that guides where people live, work, and play in unincorporated communities outside of city limits.

The Comprehensive Plan drives county decisions and planning for services in unincorporated areas such as where homes, offices, or stores can be built; how roads, buildings, and trees contribute to the look and feel of neighborhoods; investments in transit, sewers, and parks; protection of working farms and forests; and access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment. …

Since January 2022, when the initial scoping began, King County staff have received a record 10,000 comments from the public weighing in on their priorities for their neighborhoods. These priorities have been incorporated into the public review draft, which is now available for further input.

The Comprehensive Plan draft update contains a number of options King County is considering to build affordable housing, tackle climate change, and ensure social equity in our region:

Affordable Housing

-Middle Housing – Encouraging and streamlining the development of more naturally affordable housing such as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

-Inclusionary Housing – Creating an incentive program that would increase the supply of affordable housing by offering developers cost-saving measures if they voluntarily include some affordable units in the building.

Climate Change

Cleaner Energy & Wildfire Safeguards – Encouraging a reduction in fossil fuel use in buildings, utilities, and transportation, and promoting the use of renewable resources. Collaborating and planning with community partners to improve forest health and reduce the impacts of wildfires

Stormwater Improvements – Working with other jurisdictions on a regional stormwater system that will make the water cleaner, add more green space for people to enjoy, and protect against erosion from stronger storms and flooding

Social Equity

-Racially Disparate Impacts Report – Analyzing how past land use regulations, such as development decisions and neighborhood investments, have impacted Black, Indigenous, and People of Color households and identifying actions to repair these past harms

-Housing Stability – Supporting projects, strategies, and investments that promote housing stability and prevent people from having to leave their homes due to rising costs

-Climate Equity – Supporting climate solutions that distribute benefits equitably, particularly to frontline communities most impacted by climate-related harm

General Planning Proposals

-Transportation Investments – Investing in safe, equitable, and accessible transportation for people walking, biking, driving, using wheelchairs, or transit — with a focus on communities most in need

-Rural Development – Protecting the unique character of rural communities by limiting the impacts of resorts, materials processing sites, mining operations, and mixed-use developments in rural areas

In addition to providing feedback via a survey and email, there will be two opportunities to talk to King County staff to learn more about these proposals and offer feedback:

Thursday, June 8: Virtual Town Hall, 6:30 – 8 PM
Thursday, June 22: Open House, Southgate Roller Rink, 4 – 8 PM

County leaders say the tax system is broken and they’re facing a funding shortage. So they’re asking you for advice, via an online survey, before making cuts that could include some vital services including law enforcement. Here’s the announcement:

King County launched a community survey today asking for public input on prioritizing services funded by the County’s General Fund to inform looming budget cuts. The 2025-2026 General Fund is facing a $100 million revenue shortfall due to the state’s arbitrary one percent limit on property tax collections, which has not been updated in 20 years and now coincides with increased costs and high rates of inflation exceeding 9%.

To prevent deeper cuts in the next biennial budget and to provide time for affected programs to wind down, King County will be considering a budget in the fall that will include cuts to general fund programs.

“No enterprise, public or private, can be expected to provide the same services year after year with revenues arbitrarily capped below the increasing cost of doing business,” said Executive Constantine. “We are facing budget decisions that will affect the programs and services that people in King County depend on every day to keep them safe and healthy. These cuts will have real impacts on our residents, but we are left with no other choice given the legislature’s inaction. It’s important we hear directly from the public as to their priorities before I or the County Council make any decisions.”

“I look forward to hearing from residents what services and programs are their priorities and working with Executive Constantine and the King County Council as we move forward on these discussions,” said King County Council Chair Dave Upthegrove.

Most of the general fund goes to programs mandated at the state or federal level, like jails, courts, prosecution, and public defense. Many general government functions – such as elections, property assessments, human resources, the Executive department, and County Council agencies – are functions that cannot be eliminated but will face budget reductions in the fall. Discretionary programming – programming that is not mandated by state or federal law – represents a small portion of the total General Fund and overwhelmingly includes programs and services that support the region’s health, safety, and vitality, such as:

-Public Health clinics that serve low-income residents in Auburn, Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Kirkland, Renton, Seattle, and White Center;
-Services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault;
-Support for crime victims, family law support, regional gun violence prevention, and alternatives to standard adjudication and detention;
-Job training and other services focused on low-income BIPOC youth;
-Support for small farmers and forest owners to manage their properties to achieve ecological benefits and sustain the rural economy; and
-Sheriff’s deputies and detectives in unincorporated and rural communities.

Because these discretionary programs face the possibility of complete elimination, the community survey focuses on these areas so that Executive Constantine and the County Council can better understand which programs are most valued by residents. In addition to reviewing responses to the community survey, budget proposals will consider other factors such as the number of people served by a program, collective bargaining agreements, legal obligations, impacts on the region’s health and safety, and consistency with the County’s values.

Background on property tax limitations
In 2001 a voter-approved initiative limited property tax increases to one percent plus the growth from new construction, but after the state Supreme Court found the initiative unconstitutional, the legislature reinstated the limit. While the law caps any increases by governments to one percent, property tax bills of homeowners and businesses may change by more or less than 1%.

In the two decades since the cap was instituted, the revenue sources of counties have been structurally insufficient, as counties don’t have the ability to impose business and utility taxes, unlike cities and the state. Since passage in 2001, King County’s population has grown 30%, while consumer prices have increased 70%, and inflation in recent years has been as high as 9.5%. Despite those increasing economic strains, property tax collections have grown only an average of 2.68% in recent years.

Next Steps
The community survey will be open until May 18th. Executive Constantine will use the input gathered to develop his budget which he will propose to the County Council in the fall. The public will have additional opportunities to engage in budget decisions when the County Council holds public hearings.

King County Local Services has announced who was chosen for the steering committee to oversee the next round of “participatory budgeting” and says they’ve already met once.

North Highline/White Center
Robert Baker
Ruth Contrearas Rodriguez
Justin Cox
Heather Patrick
Sarey Savy
Pat Thompson
Vannra Yan

As explained in the announcement – which you can read in full here – “Participatory Budgeting allows communities to identify, discuss, and prioritize public spending. Residents help decide how to spend money on capital projects (physical things that are bought, built, installed, or fixed up) or programs and services. The funds for the capital projects are backed by bonds. The funds for programs and services in North Highline/White Center and Skyway-West Hill come from King County’s general fund and are supported by marijuana retail sales tax revenue.”

Along with all the other planning that’s been happening, King County is working toward an official Comprehensive Plan update next year. Today (Friday, February 24) is the last day to offer early feedback as part of a survey, so here’s your reminder, if you haven’t already answered it:

King County is sharing early concepts for proposed updates to its 2024 Comprehensive Plan. This 20‑year plan guides how people will live, work, and play in unincorporated communities (those that are outside city limits). The planners want to hear from you – on whether these concepts are headed in the right direction. Please share your thoughts by Friday, February 24 so they can be used to help refine the proposals.

Find the survey here. You can find out more about the “early” proposals via the Comprehensive Plan website.

King County wants to see less food waste in the trash, and a new survey is a step toward that goal. Here’s the announcement we received:

What do you do when good food goes bad? Or when those dinner scraps aren’t suitable for the stock pot? While many in King County can throw their scraps in the compost bins, many do not use or have access to curbside compost pickup. It is currently estimated that more than 20% of what goes to King County’s landfill is food waste, creating potent greenhouse gas emissions when it decomposes.

To help get more food waste out of the garbage, King County Solid Waste Division is hosting an online survey that starts today and ends April 30. The survey will help the county better understand how residents in different parts of the county manage their garbage and food waste and help inform future policies to reduce food waste going to the landfill, protect the environment, and meet the needs of our communities.

The survey work is part of Re+, King County’s new initiative to reinvent the region’s waste system to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a sustainable economy. Some of the best opportunities for improvement are in food waste.

Businesses and households in King County in 2019 threw out enough edible food to feed everyone in Kirkland – about 92,000 people – for an entire year. Food production requires large amounts of resources, particularly water and energy, while creating significant greenhouse gas emissions. If food is not eaten and ends up at the landfill, its decay can create methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Go here to answer the survey.

Just out of the WCN inbox:

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced today the launch of the Economic Alliance Program, a collaborative effort between the Department of Local Services and community organizations in unincorporated King County. This new program will further help businesses and individuals recover and thrive as the region continues to emerge from the economic slowdown of the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The launch of the Economic Alliance Program is a critical step forward in our commitment to promote an equitable recovery for everyone in King County,” said Executive Constantine. “Partnering closely with community organizations throughout unincorporated King County will ensure the needs of businesses and individuals disproportionately impacted by the pandemic are better met and supported.”

The $5.25 million program, which was recommended by Executive Constantine and approved by the King County Council, was developed to address concerns voiced by unincorporated area business leaders and residents that local small businesses needed urgent help, particularly those owned by members of the BIPOC community, women, LGBTQ+, veterans, immigrants/refugees, low-income, limited-English speaking, and those living with disability who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

The Economic Alliance Program will focus on three main areas:

Career Connector: Low-barrier, highly supported workforce development and entrepreneurial training, living-wage career education, subsidized internships, and job placement for workers impacted by COVID-19.

Businesses Builder: Providing technical assistance for small businesses, including accounting, legal support, business planning, and more.

Community Innovator: Offer small business “incubation” resources, including networking opportunities, mentoring resources, and skills-based learning in disproportionately impacted areas of White Center/North Highline and Skyway/West Hill.
This month, Local Services turned to the community to help implement the program and its three elements by contracting with United for a Community Led Economy, a partnership co-founded by representatives of three groups that are embedded in the communities of their respective areas – the White Center Community Development Association, Skyway Coalition, and Comunidad Latina de Vashon.

The Economic Alliance programming that United for a Community Led Economy will foster in the coming months is designed specially to meet the needs and recognize the challenges of businesses and residents in unincorporated King County.

Local Services serves as the local government for residents and businesses in unincorporated King County, including areas such as Skyway, White Center, Vashon Island, East Federal Way, the Snoqualmie Valley, Fall City, Greater Maple Valley, and the Bear Creek/Sammamish areas.

To learn more about the Economic Alliance, visit www.publicinput.com/ukcalliance.

Application time if you’re interested in involvement with the county’s “participatory budgeting” process!

After a successful first round last year, Local Services is again using this innovative approach to community-driven public funding in the county’s urban unincorporated areas.

Community members who live, work, go to school, or worship in the areas listed below are encouraged to apply to serve on the new steering committee, which will meet virtually to help guide the process of nominating and choosing projects for King County to carry out in each area. Applications are open through Tuesday, February 21.

Eligible areas: East Federal Way, East Renton, Fairwood, Skyway, White Center/North Highline

Find the application link on the right side of this page, where you’ll also find reports on the results from last year’s round.

(Also published on partner site West Seattle Blog)

The first declared candidate for King County Council District 8 is currently on the Seattle City Council; now we have a second candidate, who’s currently on the Burien City Council. We’re frequently checking the state list of people registering election campaigns, and this afternoon it had an addition: Burien Mayor Sofia Aragon, registering a campaign for the County Council seat that Joe McDermott is leaving after a decade-plus. Burien’s mayor is chosen by fellow councilmembers; Aragon has held the title since last year, and has been on the council since 2020. Two years before that, she ran for 34th District State Senator, finishing fourth in a primary field of 11. The City of Burien website describes Aragon as “a registered nurse and attorney (who) worked in Olympia for over a decade to advocate for affordable and accessible health care, protecting public health, workplace safety, and ensuring differing opinions are included when developing public policy.” She currently is executive director of the Washington Center for Nursing (Burien city councilmembers serve part time). The field for the County Council race won’t be final until the official filing week in mid-May; the August 1st primary will send the top two finishers to the November primary.

(Also published at partner site West Seattle Blog)

(WCN/WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

After five years as one of the Seattle City Council‘s two at-large members, North Delridge resident Teresa Mosqueda says she feels a “pull” toward a different role in local government – that of King County Councilmember.

Mosqueda announced this morning that she is campaigning for the seat that District 8 County Councilmember Joe McDermott is leaving after more than a decade. The newly remapped district stretches from downtown Seattle to Burien, also including West Seattle, White Center, and Vashon and Maury Islands, among other neighborhoods (see the map here).

Mosqueda talked with us in West Seattle just before her announcement. She says she will continue with her City Council job – which isn’t up for a vote again until 2025 – while campaigning for County Council. (If she wins the new job, the remaining city councilmembers would have to appoint someone to fill the rest of her term.) Though the County Council represents three times as many people as the City Council, it toils in less of a spotlight, generally with far less pressure and scrutiny. Mosqueda wouldn’t mind: “Everyone asks, aren’t you going to be bored? I say, no!”

She says what’s “pulling” her toward the County Council are two issues in particular – health and housing. County government has “more purview over public health and behavioral health.” On the latter, she’s supportive of the behavioral-health levy the County Council just voted to send to voters in April. And she sees even more areas of the county in need of workforce housing, especially Vashon and Burien. She wants to work with the state legislators who have housing in the spotlight this session. The county also runs the major transit system – Metro – and “working families need round-the-clock transit – we need to reimagine that.”

Those working families, Mosqueda continues, also need more access to child care and other support. She expresses admiration for the county’s voter-approved Best Starts for Kids program. She sees possibilities for “building on the work we’ve done in Seattle,’ recalling a tour of the West Seattle Junction four years ago, when a small-business owner told her more child care and housing would help their workers.

Beyond West Seattle, she mentions other parts of the city that are part of County Council District 8: “I have served these communities and know them.” But she says she’s no stranger to the non-Seattle areas of the district – her family gets health care in Burien, for example, and visits that community’s Seahurst Park. Her heart, however, is in the North Delridge neighborhood where she lives with her husband and their 3-year-old daughter – “this is the kind of walkable, livable neighborhood I want everybody to have.”

Mosqueda also observes that serving District 8 would be about serving a diverse population, with an increasing number of people of color as well as immigrants and refugees. Representation matters, she declares, noting she was shocked to learn that of the more than 130 people serving on county councils in the state of Washington right now, only three are people of color. During and before her city work, she says she has fought for those who aren’t (yet) at the table.

Veering off the issues she cites as those about which she’s most excited, we ask about others – public safety, for one. She first mentions work that the county has done on diversion, and touches on community-safety work aside from law enforcement, though she also mentions respect for the King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Chief Ted Boe, “who’s gotten a lot of praise for working on restorative justice.”

In the nuts and bolts of governing, we also ask what she’s learned as the City Council’s budget chair. “It’s been my goal to really change the culture of how we approach budgeting,” and Mosqueda feels she and her colleagues accomplished that through increased scrutiny including “deep analysis.” She also mentions looking further into the future, taking a closer look at a six-year projection that she says had previously been buried in the information councilmembers would get and mostly ignored.

Might she try to do something like the JumpStart tax on a county level? No specific proposals planned but she is interested in legislative action giving local governments more flexibility.

Regarding a District 8 topic that hasn’t been discussed much lately but remains unresolved – North Highline annexation – Mosqueda says she wants to talk with residents about their needs, “hear from folks what they want to see, whether it’s self-determination or annexation or …” Bottom line, she thinks job 1 is to find out if people feel they’re being appropriately served by the county.

She plans to start conversations with potential constituents immediately and already has meetings planned tomorrow in Burien; she expects to “front-load” her City Council responsibilities during the week whenever she can so she can be out campaigning Fridays through Sundays. She thinks she can win people over by showing up on doorsteps and promising to make change on their behalf. “If folks are excited about a workhorse, a listener, someone who takes action …” then, Mosqueda says, she’s their candidate.

WHAT’S NEXT: Mosqueda is the first announced candidate in this race. The field won’t be final until the official filing week in mid-May. Voting for the August 1st primary will start in July.

From the office of County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, a proposal that would affect White Center and vicinity if passed:

King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles on Thursday introduced legislation to require businesses in unincorporated King County to accept cash. The measure is meant to ensure everyone has access to the economy, especially people who don’t or can’t access bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial instruments.

“When I am out and about, I am finding that more and more businesses are only accepting payment by credit cards or smart phones rather than cash,” Kohl-Welles said. “I believe the trend in this direction is highly problematic as it will prevent many people in our community who do not have bank accounts from participating in the economy. And this isn’t just a novel problem – it has the capacity to further hurt our most marginalized communities from accessing the goods and services they need to survive.”

During and even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses in the Seattle area and beyond began shifting to cashless operation, leaving people who rely on cash with fewer options to purchase goods and services. Research, however, shows that cashless businesses most impact communities of color, seniors, people with disabilities, undocumented residents, refugee and immigrant and communities and low-income communities.

At least 2.1% of Washington residents are unbanked, meaning they don’t have bank accounts, credit cards, or other typical financial services, according to the 2021 FDIC Household Survey. Five-year estimates put that number even higher – at 3.1%. More than 17% of residents are underbanked, meaning they might have a bank account but often rely on alternative financial services, such as money orders, check-cashing services and payday loans.

If applied to King County, these figures mean approximately 67,000 people could be unbanked and more than 380,000 people could be underbanked.

It’s unclear how many – if any – businesses in unincorporated King County have gone cashless, but Kohl-Welles intends the proposal as a tool to anticipate a future issue as this trend continues.

“While it is true that this legislation will only pertain to unincorporated King County, I believe that King County is a trend- and example-setter,” Kohl-Welles said. “I am confident that if this ordinance is approved, we will bring attention on this burgeoning issue to a much wider audience.”

Of those who still use cash for most purchases, the largest shares are people of color and those with the lowest incomes, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

A shift to more cashless businesses would leave these people with fewer and fewer options to make purchases, including for food and essential services.

The legislation would require businesses in unincorporated King County to accept cash for most retail transactions, and to not charge higher prices than for another form of payment. It would allow for retailers to only accept up to $250 in cash payment for single transactions larger than that amount. It would allow for civil actions to be brought by someone whose cash payment was refused.

“Tens of thousands of King County residents are unbanked, especially low-income seniors,” said Katie Wilson, general secretary of the Transit Riders Union. “Already they’re locked out of so much in our high-cost region just because they can’t afford high rents or expensive meals. At the very least, everyone deserves to be able to buy the things they can afford. That’s why TRU supports this important legislation, to make sure that people don’t walk into a store and find out that their cash doesn’t count.”

The proposal (ordinance number 2023-0027) will be referred to the Local Services committee.

The next update to the King County Comprehensive Plan – a road map for future change and growth – is proceeding through the system, and the county has sent an update on its recent survey:

In September, we reached out to get your input on the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan update (2024 Update). We heard from thousands of people from across King County – community members who shared their thoughts on social equity, affordable housing, and climate change in our region.

We’re currently processing and translating all of the survey results Today we’re excited to share the preliminary survey results. We’ll share additional data as it becomes available.

King County will use the results to guide the 2024 Update. As set in the Scope of Work, the update will focus on actions to address social equity, affordable housing, and climate change.

Upcoming 2024 Update engagement opportunities

In February 2023, the County will release a summary of the proposals currently being contemplated for the 2024 Update. At that time, you’ll have the opportunity to see the direction the update is going in and let us know if it is on the right track. Your feedback on those proposals will help inform the additional development and refinement of the 2024 Update.

Additionally, a Public Review Draft of the entire 2024 Update is anticipated to be issued in June 2023 for public review and comment, along with a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. More opportunities for public review and feedback on the update will also occur during King County Council review of the proposals throughout 2024.

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed a nearly $16 billion budget for 2023-2024. The announcement focused on areas including these:

Investing in our environment

-Converting Metro’s bus fleet to zero-emissions: $180 million to purchase battery-electric buses and $43 million in zero-emissions infrastructure to ensure that Metro’s 1,400 coach bus fleet is zero emissions by 2035.

-Restoring fish habitat: $28.5 million in capital investments to remove blockages to fish passage habitat. King County will restore access to 50 percent of fish passage habitat by 2032.

-Expanding access to heat pumps and solar panels: $1 million to expand the Energize pilot program, which installs high-efficiency heat pumps in homes occupied by residents with low and moderate incomes in White Center and Skyway, to include solar panels. The County will also invest $1.9 million to provide private lenders with more flexibility to offer better financing options to higher-risk homeowners for home upgrades that also improve the environment.

Affordable Housing & Homelessness

-Building affordable housing near transit: $45 million in bonds backed by lodging tax revenues will be issued in 2023 to fund affordable housing near transit stations.

-Supporting housing operations: Up to $30 million to fund operations, maintenance, and services for existing and new supportive housing sites.

-Make homelessness rare, one-time, and brief by supporting the King County Regional Homelessness Authority: $96 million to continue funding a coordinated crisis response to homelessness led by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

Justice & Safety

-Preventing Gun Violence: $9 million to support 52 Regional Peacekeepers Collective, trusted messengers delivering a community-led approach to gun violence prevention including critical incident response, hospital-based referrals, and hot spot remediation activities.

-Ensuring safety for transit riders and staff: $21 million to support 140 Metro transit security officers providing support and visibility on Metro buses, transit centers, and stops. An additional $5.1 million will support Metro SaFE Reform Initiatives, including a new partnership with the Department of Community and Human Services and community-based organizations to connect people in crisis on and near Metro transit with resources and services.

-Implementing body-worn cameras: $5 million to provide all Sheriff patrol deputies with body-worn cameras. Deployment of cameras and associated training will begin immediately and phased in over the next three years.

-Expanding treatment programs for people in or being released from King County jails: $6.3 million to maintain and expand jail-based opioid treatment programs and services for people being released from the jail with substance use disorder or other behavioral health conditions.

Anti-Racism & Pro-Equity

-Funding participatory budgeting: $10 million for a second round of participatory budgeting for residents of urban unincorporated King County. The first round of participatory budgeting concluded successfully in August 2022, with residents selecting 45 capital projects to fund in their communities.

-Supporting community-led diversion programs: $11.9 million to continue the Restorative Community Pathways program and the Community
Diversion Program to provide community-based accountability and services for youth and adults outside the court system.

-Vacating drug convictions: $2 million to community groups to build awareness about options to vacate drug convictions and provide services that address the needs of individuals affected by the collateral consequences of contacts with the criminal system and drug convictions, such as persistent barriers to housing and employment.

Behavioral Health

-As a part of this budget package, Executive Constantine is transmitting a proposal for a new levy to fund behavioral health and pending passage by the King County Council will be presented to voters for their approval this spring. Over the next nine years, King County will invest, build, and transform the way people in our community care for one another.

The Crisis Care Centers levy would make a generational investment of nearly $1.25 billion to:
-Create a network of 5 crisis centers

-Stop the loss and expand by nearly half the number of residential treatment beds

-Deploy more services even before the new centers open, and

-Recruit and retain an outstanding and representative workforce to serve the people of King County.

The King County Council now starts its work on reviewing and amending the budget – watch for public hearings in the weeks ahead.

After an event last night in Skyway, King County went public with the list of who’s getting what after the first-ever “participatory budgeting” vote in the unincorporated urban areas, including White Center/North Highline. Here are the local organizations/projects chosen, in two groups of recipients (the second for programs/services to be funded by a share of cannabis-tax revenue):

White Center/North Highline

White Center Food Bank “New Location Renovation Fund” ($875,000)
White Center Community HUB “Construction Fund” ($750,000)
Khmer Community Temple Support ($750,000)
Spray Park/Outdoor Cooling Center; Cool Me Down – White Center ($725,000)

White Center/North Highline (Funded by Marijuana Tax Revenue)

Gifts of Hope ($175,000)
Nepantla Cultural Art Programming ($150,000)
Acts on Stage – Programming ($75,000)
Green Education – New Start ($66,000)
Mental Health – Grief Support ($32,500)
White Center Heights Elementary School – Family Resource Center ($25,000)
Wolverine Select – Funding ($16,500)

Between North Highline and other urban unincorporated areas, $11 million of spending was decided in this first-ever round of “participatory budgeting.” The county says more than 2,600 people voted. Here’s the full announcement, including the list of funded projects/programs in other areas.

P.S. The new spraypark is planned for Steve Cox Memorial Park.

As mentioned last week, the county’s Participatory Budgeting vote is on right now – you have today and tomorrow to vote online and help decide how to spend $3+ million. One of the contenders is the White Center Food Bank, which says it has found a new location in downtown WC (but isn’t saying exactly where yet).The WCFB needs money “to renovate and transform our space into an innovative food bank for all who need it.” You can vote here.=

The county’s been talking for a while about “participatory budgeting” – you decide how to spend public dollars – and now it’s time to vote, including an in-person event in White Center tomorrow. Here’s the announcement:

In a first for King County, residents of five urban unincorporated areas can vote on which proposed community projects should receive public funding Aug. 2-10. Residents can cast their votes online or in person at one of several community events.

It’s time to vote! Five urban unincorporated communities will get the chance to decide which proposed community projects will happen as part of King County’s first Participatory Budgeting process.

From Aug. 2-10, anyone who lives, works, owns a business, receives services, goes to school, or worships in the following unincorporated areas can cast their vote to fund projects in their community — projects that were proposed and developed by community members.

East Federal Way
East Renton
Fairwood
North Highline/White Center
Skyway/West Hill

Community members will be able to vote online or at one of several in-person community events.

HOW TO VOTE

Votes may be cast in one of two ways:

Online (publicinput.com/yourvoiceyourchoice)

At an in-person event (see schedule below)

Tuesday, Aug. 2
White Center: 6-8 p.m., Greenbridge (near Dubsea Coffee)

More on participatory budgeting 

In 2021, the King County Council approved Executive Constantine’s new approach to community investment – one that’s centered on racial equity. It gives people who live, work, play, or worship in the county’s five urban unincorporated areas the chance to directly choose how more than $11 million is spent in their communities.

Participatory budgeting allows communities to identify, discuss, and prioritize public spending. Residents help decide how to spend money on capital projects (physical things that are bought, built, installed, or fixed up) or programs and services.

The Community Investment Budget Committee, a group of appointed residents from King County’s urban unincorporated areas, met virtually to create the framework for the new participatory budgeting process.

Where does the money come from? The funds for the capital projects are backed by bonds. The funds for programs and services in North Highline/White Center and Skyway-West Hill come from King County’s general fund and are supported by marijuana retail sales tax revenue. 

Learn more: publicinput.com/yourvoiceyourchoice

In North Highline, your vote involves what to do with $3.6 million – and how to split it among some or all of these projects:

Final Project List – Capital Improvement Projects:

White Center Food Bank – New location renovation fund
White Center Community HUB – Construction fund
Acts on Stage – Building Renovation fund
Acts on Stage – 250-Seat Public Performing Arts Theater
Khmer Community Temple – Sidewalks
Spray Park/Cooling Center “Cool me down – White Center”
Community Garden/P-Patch – “Food in my backyard” – Grant fund
Final Project List – Marijuana Tax Revenue Funds (Programs/Services) Projects:

Acts on Stage – FREE After School/Summer youth programming
Green Education – New Start High School
Youth Drop-In Center @ Log Cabin
Voter Education Bond Levy
Wolverine Select Youth Basketball – Funding
Nepantla Cultural Art – Capacity/Community Building
White Center Heights Elementary School – Family Resource Center
Documentary Film “Gentrification in White Center”
Gift of Hope – Capacity/Community Building support
Salvation Army – Workshops
Gameshape – FREE Youth program
Mental Health / Grief Support
Parent Education / Advocacy Support

We’ve reported before on new King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall‘s plan to create community advisory groups as part of her vision of the office’s future – and that’s part of an announcement from the sheriff and executive on Friday:

Executive Dow Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced new plans and updates for the vision, structure, and community engagement of the King County Sheriff’s Office, including the creation of a community advisory board.

Executive Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced the first big steps the Sheriff will be taking as the agency rethinks how public safety is delivered across King County. These updates, released just two months since Cole-Tindall was named Sheriff, focus on four main areas of action, including revising the mission, vision, and values of the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), reorganizing the structure to improve service, creating a strategic framework, and establishing a standing community advisory board.

“The health of our community depends on the ability of every person to live a safe and productive life, and Sheriff Cole-Tindall’s new plan for the King County Sheriff’s Office shows exactly how we can rethink and reimagine the delivery of public safety for the people of King County,” said Executive Constantine. “The Sheriff understands that we must move away from broken structures when they aren’t working for our community and toward sensible reforms that bring about systemic change, and her commitment to this is conveyed throughout these new ideas and actions.”

“Our work must always be centered around the vision and values of the communities we so proudly serve,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “I am honored to lead an organization of public servants who share my commitment to implement new and contemporary approaches that enhance trust and public safety.”

At the core of the new strategy is a renewed partnership with community. This commitment is reflected in the revised mission, vision, and values that incorporate policing with compassion, showing and leading with grace, and treating everyone with respect and kindness.

It is also incorporated into the reorganization of the office, which will create two new divisions – Community Programs and Services, and Special Operations – in recognition of both the evolution of the criminal legal system and the need to improve how public safety is delivered.

With the adoption of a new strategic framework and the creation of an advisory board, KCSO will be able to ensure accountability, increase transparency, encourage innovation, and have a forum for trust-building between law enforcement and the community that allows for advisement on policy concepts and implementation.

Sheriff Cole-Tindall and KCSO leadership will begin implementing these new changes in September 2022.

From King County:

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services and Department of Local Services are partnering with community advisory group members to host a second virtual community meeting on Tuesday, June 21st, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., to discuss specific follow up items: Community Preference implementation and metrics and evaluation ideas from the Skyway-West Hill and North Highline Anti-displacement Strategies Report. This report analyzed potential anti-displacement strategies for the Skyway-West Hill and North Highline communities and, after an extensive community process, recommended ten actions.

Click here to sign up to join us for this meeting!

At this virtual community meeting on Tuesday, June 21st, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., participants will be asked to consider a proposal for defining elements for the Community Preference Program. This is one of the near-term actions identified from the report. A Community Preference Program prioritizes applicants with a connection to community for a percentage of units in new affordable housing developments. We will be looking for feedback on ideas for what criteria will count towards being considered a person with a “connection to community.” In addition, the team will present proposed metrics to track implementation of the ten anti-displacement strategies recommended in the report. Click here for more info and to sign up to join us for this meeting!

To familiarize yourself with content prior to our meeting, review the Skyway-West Hill & North Highline Anti-displacement Report summary.

We hope you will join us for this important meeting and please share this opportunity with other folks who live and work in Skyway-West Hill and North Highline!

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact Alice Morgan-Watson, Planner & Community Engagement Analyst, at Alice.MorganWatson@kingcounty.gov.

How can our community grow and change without leaving people behind? That’s the topic of a discussion to which you’re invited on Saturday. Here’s the invitation:

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services, the Department of Local Services, and Skyway-West Hill & North Highline community leaders are hosting a virtual community meeting on Saturday, June 11th, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, to discuss next steps from the Skyway-West Hill and North Highline Anti-displacement Strategies Report. This report analyzed potential anti-displacement strategies for the Skyway-West Hill and North Highline communities and, after an extensive community process, recommended ten actions. Registration will close on June 10th at noon, after that anyone interested in joining the meeting will need to email: alice.morganwatson@kingcounty.gov for access info. Click here to sign up to join us for this meeting.

At this meeting participants will be asked to consider a proposal for implementation details for the Community Preference Program. This is one of the near-term actions identified from the report. The Community Preference Program will prioritize applicants with a connection to Skyway-West Hill or North Highline for some of the units in new affordable housing developments in these neighborhoods funded by King County. We will be looking for feedback on:

-the criteria to determine who is eligible for the preference,
-what documentation will be required to demonstrate a connection to the community, and
-how to reach community members who are interested in new affordable housing leasing and purchasing opportunities.

In addition, the team will present proposed metrics to track implementation of the ten anti-displacement strategies recommended in the report. Click here to sign up to join us for this meeting.

To familiarize yourself with content prior to our meeting, review the Skyway-West Hill & North Highline Anti-displacement Report summary.

We hope you will join us for this important meeting and please share this opportunity with other folks who live and work in Skyway-West Hill and North Highline!

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact Alice Morgan-Watson, Planner & Community Engagement Analyst, at Alice.MorganWatson@kingcounty.gov.