May 2010

Dear Neighbor,

Last month I asked you to tell me what County services you value. Over 200 people responded and a majority - 52 percent - felt that criminal justice services are most important to you. See all the results.

King County has been faced with budget shortfalls for several years. The Council is now projected to need to cut $60 million for 2011, with many of the cuts directed at public safety and criminal justice services.

This week, the Council rejected two proposals that would have given voters the opportunity to save criminal justice programs that would otherwise be cut. The first was a 0.2% increase in the sales tax. The second was a boost to the property tax by offsetting other taxes. As Chair of the Budget & Fiscal Management Committee I will continue to work hard to ensure we find a reasonable solution to protect these services and keep people safe.

In the rest of this e-news, I’ve also shared some exciting news about transportation, potential flooding in the Green River Valley, and events in your neighborhood

Happy Spring!

Julia Patterson, King County Councilmember - District 5

May was a big month for transportation. Not only was it “Bike to Work Month,” but the Puget Sound Regional Council (the region’s federally designated planning organization) also adopted our region’s long-term transportation plan.

So this month I want to hear how you get around -- whether it be by bus, bike, car, or foot.

TAKE THE SURVEY

King County Councilmember
Julia Patterson
www.kingcounty.gov/patterson
julia.patterson@kingcounty.gov

Find me on:

Green River flooding update

On May 5th, I traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby federal officials for their assistance in repairing the Howard Hanson Dam. I was joined by Governor Gregoire, Executive Constantine, and the mayors from the cities of Kent, Renton, Tukwila and Auburn. A week later we learned that our efforts were well received as Senator Patty Murray announced that she had secured $44 million that would be necessary for an interim fix. Read more.

The future of transportation in our region

On May 20th, the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) General Assembly took bold action by adopting the region’s new 30-year transportation plan, Transportation 2040. Transportation 2040 addresses mobility, congestion, environmental concerns, and the need for new transportation revenue. Read more.

NEW on my website

Find it in District 5! You can now find community events happening in South King County and around your neighborhood on my website.

Send me a request to post your events too at Julia.Patterson@kingcounty.gov