Rod’s Report – Vol. 2, Issue 5
Dear Friend,
It was an especially busy summer here at the King County Council as we debated the best path forward to fund Metro Transit while preserving as much service as possible, worked on our living wage policy, and prepared for the fall budget season. Updates on those items as well as reports on the progress of my Youth Action Plan, our work to clean up Thornton Creek, and a grant for the city of Kenmore are detailed below.
As always, I thank you for reading and I welcome your feedback.
County Council cancels transit service reductions
In the year and a half I have been in office, no issue has demanded more of my time and effort than preventing the proposed service cuts at Metro Transit.
With initial proposals originally set to slash 550,000 hours of service, it has been an uncertain time for the nearly 200,000 people who rely on Metro every day to get to work, school, and medical appointments.
I've reported to you on my work to save Metro service several times, and for the first time I feel like I can share good news. On September 29, the King County Council tabled any further reductions of Metro Transit service. This action cancels the proposed bus cuts and service changes slated for February 2015.
Rod discussing the proposed Metro service reductions with concerned citizens at a committee meeting in Renton. |
For the last five months I have been focused on following the clear message I heard from voters following the defeat of Proposition 1 – that Metro needed to do more work to ensure we have the most efficient transit division possible. As I reported to you in June, working with my colleagues, I put forward a plan to identify additional cost savings, efficiencies, and new revenue that could reduce Metro's annual budget shortfall, thereby significantly decreasing the number of transit service hours that need to be cut. I am happy to report that the plan is working.
We live in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and the demand for an efficient and reliable transportation system is higher than ever. I am pleased that there is now consensus among my colleagues to cancel further service cuts.
The Seattle Times and other local media have reported on the story in great detail and those stories can be found: here, here, and here.
My ultimate goal has been, and continues to be, to reform Metro such that we can grow the system to serve the significant unmet demand for transit.
Councilmember Larry Gossett, Chair Larry Phillips and Rod signing the "living wage" ordinance. |
Living Wage
After nearly a year’s work, a King County living wage ordinance is now a reality. I am proud to report that the ordinance, which I authored, passed the King County Council last Monday.
Read the Seattle Times Story on the Living Wage Ordinance.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson’s launch of the War on Poverty. While we have made many gains since 1964, there are still at least 233,000 King County residents living in poverty today. Of these residents, a disproportionate number are women and people of color. A disproportionate number of minimum wage workers are also women and people of color.
King County’s Living Wage ordinance will help us combat poverty and encourage work by requiring all county employees, and the employees of contractors who provide services to or for the County through contracts of $100,000 or more, to be paid a living wage.
The ordinance sets compensation levels and phase-in periods for large and small employers and takes into account whether the employer offers health benefits, similar to the new City of Seattle minimum wage law. You can read more about the legislation here.
Combating poverty and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to succeed is my top priority on the County Council. This legislation is an important tool in our renewed efforts to reduce poverty.
Youth Action Plan Community Meetings
Rod speaking to youth at a Community Conversation at Kamiakin Middle School in Kirkland. |
Today's kids deserve our best efforts to ensure that they have a fair opportunity to grow up healthy, safe, and ready to succeed in life. For this reason, I authored legislation last year calling for the development of a Youth Action Plan to set the County's priorities for serving our young people, from infants through adults.
A task force of 25 experts is responsible for drafting the Youth Action Plan. Their work these past several months is detailed in a report that was submitted to the King County Council, and you can find it here.
Currently the task force is soliciting public input to help inform the Plan and shape the future of youth in the County.
To date, there have been productive outreach meetings in Kirkland, Fall City, and Kent. There are still two opportunities to join us in shaping the future of youth and young adults in our region, a Community Conversation in Seattle and Shoreline:
South Seattle Community Conversation
October 25th, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Smilow Rainier Vista Club
4520 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
Seattle, WA 98108
Interpretation available for Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese speakers
Shoreline/North King County Community Conversation
October 28th, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Shoreline City Hall
17500 Midvale Avenue N
Shoreline, WA 98133
Hearing from you is crucial. The final Youth Action Plan will be used to inform a potential children's levy next Fall. Young people are welcome to join the community conversations in person, but if you have a young person in your home that isn't able to attend, they can still participate by completing this youth survey.
More information about the events and the Youth Action Plan can be found here. If you have any other questions, or would like more information about the ordinance, please feel free to contact me at 206-477-1001 or rod.dembowski@kingcounty.gov.
King County Budget Hearings
Rod and his colleagues listening to public testimony at the first 2014 budget hearing in Fall City. |
We are currently working on the County budget for the 2015/2016 biennial. My focus is on preventing harmful cuts to Public Health and ensuring that we reform and grow Metro Transit.
The Council is holding public hearings in various locations throughout King County to hear from the community before final adoption of the budget in November.
We would like to hear from you at one of the two remaining meetings:
Thursday, October 23, 2014 – KENT
Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 3F
401 Fourth Avenue N, Kent, WA
6:30 pm.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014 – SEATTLE
King County Courthouse, 10th Floor, Council Chambers
516 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
6:30 p.m.
There are several difficult decisions facing the Council this budget season. My focus will continue to be diligently protecting taxpayers, by keeping a close eye on expenditures, while making sure County services are provided as efficiently as possible.
Update - Thornton Creek Clean-up
Rod and Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw touring Thornton Creek. |
Nearly 60 years after Jim Ellis began the effort to clean-up Lake Washington, it is unacceptable that pollution is still so prevalent in one of the lake's major tributaries - Thornton Creek - which empties into the lake at Matthews beach.
I have prioritized clean-up of our urban streams – an essential part of King County's Wastewater Treatment Division's mission. Thornton Creek is a prime example of the work that remains to be done to improve water quality and minimize exposure to pathogenic disease, particularly where there are nearby swimming beaches. This is a task I've taken on with a great partner, Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.
In late September, Councilmember Baghshaw and I toured the flood control and salmon habitat restoration project at the confluence of the north and south forks of the creek at Meadowbrook, known as the Thornton Creek Confluence Project. This project is jointly funded by the King County Flood Control District and Seattle Public Utilities.
The goal of the project is to reduce impacts to roads and streamside properties from flooding, increase water quality, and improve salmon and wetland habitat. I am happy to report the project is progressing well. Regular updates on the project can be found here.
The clean-up of the creek will be a multi-year undertaking. I will continue to update you on our progress in future editions of my e-news.
Flood Control Grant for Kenmore
I am pleased to report that, working closely with Kenmore Mayor David Baker, I helped secure a substantial King County Flood Control grant to the City of Kenmore for the replacement of the 192nd Street Culvert Replacement Project. Little Swamp Creek regularly exceeds the capacity of the existing culvert and floods over the roadway of 192nd Street in Kenmore. The City will replace that existing culvert with one of greater capacity. In addition, the new culvert will now meet the fish passable standards of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The $330,000 grant awarded to Kenmore is one of the largest of the 15 flood control grants awarded this year by the Flood Control District.
Ballot Boxes Will Soon be Open in Your Area
The General Election ballots are due by 8 PM on Tuesday, November 4th. 24-hour ballot drop boxes are available throughout King County. View the locations of the drop boxes here. Any ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by November 4th.
Ballot drop vans will be stationed throughout the county at scheduled dates and times for voters' convenience. To view the locations and hours of these vans, click here. Residents who may have difficulty filling out their ballots, but wish to vote privately and independently, may vote in person at accessible voting centers; those locations can be found here.
In the District
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Rod joins Bothell Mayor Joshua Freed, Bothell Deputy Mayor Del Spivey, Councilmembers Tris Samberg and Bill Evans, State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe and State Representative Luis Moscoso and other officials in celebrating the completion of the 522 realignment project through downtown Bothell. |
 Rod and colleagues listening to a presentation on economic development at the King County Council's Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee meeting at 21 Acres farm in Woodinville in August. |
 Rod presents a $10,000 grant that he was able to secure for the Northshore Performing Arts Center Foundation to president Suzette Hart and boardmember Rep. Luis Moscoso. |
 Rod and Shoreline resident Krista Tenney at the Shorecrest High School dedication in September. |
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