News from and about King County… from health updates to community news affecting our daily lives.

Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes news about the 89th Annual Sports Star of the Year Awards, the new Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network, a VSHSL Community Planning Session, the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, an overview of the Crisis Care Centers Levy Implementation Plan, 4Culture’s Public Free Access Grants, property taxes and health updates, and more.


Washington Trivia

This 13-year “war” between the American Army and British Royal Navy began on this island because of a pig. What island is this?

(Answer is at the bottom).




89th Annual Sports Star of the Year Awards

As someone who believes that sports bring people together at all levels of society, Seattle Sports Commission’s President & CEO Beth Knox and her team brought the region together again for the 89th Sports Star of the Year Awards dinner. K.J. Wright has a second career: MC.




Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network Launches in King County

Last week, King County and regional partners announced the launch of the new Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network, a regional partnership between King County and 11 of its cities – Auburn, Bellevue, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, and Tukwila. Funded by a voter-approved ballot initiative in 2015, the new digital system allows first responders, particularly police and fire, to better communicate and dispatch emergency and other government services countywide. It has improved coverage, and the ability to update the system and security over traditional analog radio systems. Read more here.


Community Planning Session: Community Supports for Persons with Disabilities

On March 6th, 1:30 – 3:00 PM, there will be a Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) virtual Community Planning Session on Zoom to share plans and provide feedback on an upcoming funding opportunity: Community Supports for Persons with Disabilities. This investment will provide system navigation and community building to promote and protect the rights of persons with visible or invisible disabilities reflecting the full diversity of King County. For access needs, please contact Marjan Didra at mdidra@kingcounty.gov by February 26th, 5:00 PM. Register here to participate.




Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Although the Seahawks were not in the Super Bowl this year, they were well represented nationally by Bobby Wagner, who earned the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, given to the player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition. Since its creation in 2014, Larry Fitzgerald, Charles Woodson, Frank Gore, Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Teddy Bridgewater, Matthew Slater and Calais Campbell have won the award. Congratulations Bobby! Read more here.


4Culture’s Public Free Access Grants Now Open

4Culture’s Public Free Access program aims to reduce the significant barrier that admission fees pose to many King County residents— particularly underserved communities—and visitors in accessing quality, relevant, cultural experiences. The grant is designed to support efforts to provide free and reduced cost admission to cultural experiences.

For this year, $300,000 in grant funds are available from King County’s lodging tax revenue. Grants may be used to support free and reduced cost participation in existing, new, or restarted arts, heritage, or preservation cultural experiences that meet the guideline criteria. For questions, please contact Bart Cannon at 206-263-1584 or bart.j.cannon@4culture.org. Deadline to apply is March 27th, 5:00 PM.




Seattle Property Taxes Among Top 5 Most Expensive in the Nation

Among the 50 largest cities in the nation, Seattle landed on the fifth-highest median property tax in 2022, with Seattle homeowners paying over $6,800 in 2022, an 89% increase in the median tax between 2010 and 2022. While Washington state limits the regular property tax rate to 1% of a home’s value, it does not include voter-approved levies, which have a major impact on the increase in property taxes. Read more in The Seattle Times article here.



Source: U.S. Census Bureau (Graphic by Mark Nowlin/The Seattle Times)


Property Tax Relief Programs

Property tax statements for 2024 were mailed on February 15th. For more information about payment options or to sign up for text and email reminders about your property taxes, click here. If you have not received a statement by March 1st, you may call 206-263-2890, email propertytax.customerservice@kingcounty.gov, or request a tax statement online.

Limited Income Deferral Program

Property owners who meet equity requirements, with an annual household income of $57,000 or less for the previous year, own the property for at least 5 years, live in the home as of January 1st of the current year and occupy the home for at least 6 months during the application year may apply for a limited income deferral. For more information, click here.

Tax Relief Programs for Seniors and People with Disabilities

In 2019, the State Legislature passed Senate Bill 5160, which expanded the qualifying income thresholds for the property tax exemption and deferral programs, subject to adjustment by March 1st every fifth year thereafter. In 2020, seniors and persons with disability with 2019 annual incomes below the $58,423 threshold (for King County) were eligible for property tax relief. If you applied for a property tax exemption in the past but didn’t qualify, please consider applying for 2024 since the allowable income levels have increased substantially to $84,000. For more information, click here.

• Visit the King County Assessor’s website
• Email exemptions.assessments@kingcounty.gov
• Call 206-296-3920 for exemptions or 206-263-2338 for deferrals
• You may also apply online at https://senior-exemption.kingcounty.gov

Alumni Corner

While our work is based on policies and programs, it is the people we work with who make the difference. Previously featured alumni included: Chris Cho, Tom Pierson, Bailey Stenson Gordon, Agnes Wooters, Jim Ferrell, Jackie Schneider, and Megan Rage.

This week’s featured D7 alumni is Thomas Efrem. Thomas worked in my office as a legislative intern in summers of 2017 and 2019 while he attended the University of Washington for his undergrad degree in Business Administration major in Finance.

When asked what he learned during his time in my office, he said, “I learned how local government is involved in our lives and how it’s important to reach out to your constituents to find out what their needs are in order to inform effective policy."

After he graduated from the University of Washington, Thomas moved to New York City to work in the J.P. Morgan Private Bank Chief Investment Office on the portfolio analytics team. In his free time, he likes to go to the gym, watch sports, try new food, and go to new places. Thank you, Thomas!


Teen Fentanyl Overdoses in WA Double Rate of the Nation’s Average

In a KIRO 7 interview with Special Agent David Reames, Seattle Field Division for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), he said the rate of fentanyl overdoses has been the worst thing he has ever seen in his 26 years as a DEA agent. The number of fentanyl pills seized in Washington by the DEA increased nearly four times from 917,383 to 3,604,408 just between 2021 and 2023. The DEA Seattle Field Division (covering Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho) also removed 9,304,559 fatal doses of fentanyl in 2023, compared to 2,795,725 in 2021.



In a report published by the New England Journal of Medicine in January 2024, it was found that teen overdoses occurred at double the national average in Washington, Arizona, and Colorado between 2020 and 2022, and that an average of 22 U.S. teens die each week from drug overdoses driven by synthetic opioid fentanyl. 19 hotspot counties across the U.S. have also been identified to have death rates higher than the national average.



According to DEA, criminals are using emojis to name the drugs they are selling. Between just 2021 and 2023, 25 patients were admitted to Seattle Children’s Emergency Department for complications related to the deadly drug.




Non-Profit Corner

South King County Non-Profit Organizations

Auburn Food Bank | Auburn Noon Lions | Auburn Valley Humane Society | Bloodworks Northwest | Eileen & Callie’s Place | Federal Way Kiwanis | Federal Way Lions | Federal Way Senior Center | FUSION Décor Boutique | Multi-Service Center Food Bank | Soroptimist International of Auburn | Rotary Club of Federal Way | The Salvation Army


Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Levy Implementation Plan Overview

At this month’s Regional Policy Committee (RPC) meeting, we took action on this year’s work program, and heard from the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) team about the Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Levy Implementation Plan. The DCHS team shared information on the CCC model, estimated implementation timeline, crisis response zones, siting process and requirements, and early investments. See below for additional information available to you. To view the complete presentation, click here. You may also watch the recorded meeting here.






Contacts

Code Enforcement Links: Auburn | Algona | Federal Way | Kent | Pacific | Unincorporated
Crime Maps: Auburn| Federal Way| Kent | all of King County
Law Enforcement Updates: Auburn | Algona | Federal Way | Kent | Pacific | KCSO Unincorporated

To report illegal street racing in your neighborhood, dial 911.

Vaccine Locator: To find COVID-19 vaccine appointments, visit Vaccine Locator. For more information, visit getting vaccinated or getting tested in King County.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat https://988lifeline.org/ to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

With best wishes,

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember




Washington trivia answer:

In 1859, a 13-year standoff between the American Army and British Royal Navy began after an American settler shot a pig owned by a British settler on San Juan Island, which was claimed by both nations at the time. This event was commonly known as the “Pig War” or the “Pig and Potato War” because it was triggered by the shooting of the pig. Charles McKay, an American resident of the San Juan Island at the time of the incident, recorded his version of the event.

One day a hog belonging to the Hudson Bay Company (British-owned) broke into [Lyman] Cutlar’s (an American resident) potato patch. Cutlar went to the Company’s agent and told him if he did not take care of this hog, he would kill him. The hog came and rooted all the potatoes. When Cutlar came home the hog was still in the garden. He got his gun and shot the hog. Then he went to the Hudson Bay agent and offered to pay for the hog, but the agent refused to take pay and said he would send for the gunboat and have him arrested and taken to Victoria.

According to Historylink, after several negotiations between Cutlar and Charles Griffin (owner of the pig), Cutlar claimed the British officials threatened to take him to Victoria for trial if he did not pay $100 for the pig. A series of complaints escalated the situation and resulted in the involvement of the U.S. and British forces. However, in 1872, a peaceful resolution was reached as it was decided that the island belonged to the United States, but the story of San Juan Island’s Pig War, whose only casualty was the pig, continues to captivate park visitors.



Photo source: NPS.gov (Capt. George E. Pickett's first camp was located just west of the Hudson's Bay Company dock. A Royal Navy midshipman painted this illustration while standing on the deck of HMS Satellite. The date on the back of the painting reads July 27, 1859 -- the very day Pickett landed. Yale University Beinecke Library)

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