Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Veterans and Human Services Levy Renewal!
The primary election results are in, and King County voters demonstrated their continued support for providing critical services to our veterans and others in need by renewing the Veterans and Human Services Levy. With nearly 340,000 ballots counted, the Veterans and Human Services Levy received overwhelming support – almost 69 percent.
As the author of the original Veterans and Human Services Levy in 2005, renewing the Levy was one of my top priorities for this year. I worked to build a strong coalition of support, bringing together my colleagues across the political spectrum as well as urban, suburban, and rural leaders from around the county. With their help, we were able to demonstrate to voters how important the levy renewal is.
As the Seattle Times noted in its editorial supporting the Veterans and Human Services Levy, “The levy's impact vastly exceeds the pennies a day it costs homeowners.” You can read the entire Seattle Times editorial here.
Half of the revenue from the Levy is dedicated to serving veterans, military personnel, and their families, and the other half is for other individuals and families in need. You can read more about how the Levy has helped improve lives here.
As I met with many veterans and families during the renewal process, residents shared personal stories about why they strongly believe that it is important for veterans to get the support they deserve. In many cases, people expressed their support of renewing the Levy because they had personally served or, like me, had people close to them who served. My late father was always proud of his service in the Navy, my grandfathers were veterans, and eight of my uncles served in WWII. As someone who comes from a family of veterans, it is important to me that veterans get the support they deserve, and I am thankful King County voters feel the same.
New Veterans Treatment Court in King County – We are on our way!
In my previous e-News, I highlighted the national emergence of veterans treatment courts. These courts address the unique circumstances and characteristics of veterans who find themselves in the criminal justice system. The courts provide links to treatment and benefits, leveraging the existing resources of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
As Chair of the Council’s Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee, I have been leading a conversation with the committee about the best way to bring a veterans treatment court to King County. Most recently, the committee was briefed by the Honorable Brett Buckley, Presiding Judge of Thurston County District Court about that county's Veterans’ Court – the first in Washington State. You can watch video of the briefing and get additional information here.
I have sponsored an ordinance to move forward implementing a veterans treatment court in King County. The legislation has received bipartisan support at the Council as well as support from the King County Executive. You can read more about these efforts here.
Successful Reforms in Criminal Justice
I am pleased to share the good news that the Council recently approved two important criminal justice reforms that I have been working on as Chair of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee:
Critical Infrastructure Investment for the Prosecuting Attorney: The Council approved a critical technology investment to replace the obsolete and cumbersome case management system in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. I sponsored the effort to replace the system because this one-time investment will drastically improve the administration of the more than 10,000 criminal cases filed by the Prosecutor each year. You can read more about this issue here.
Greater Accountability in Pre-trial Release: I have been working diligently to improve accountability in our pre-trial release programs that provide alternatives to jail for low-risk defendants as they await trial. Most recently, the Council approved new eligibility criteria for participation in one of the County’s pre-trial alternatives to detention programs. Now, convicted violent, sex, and domestic violence felons currently facing charges for a similar offense are ineligible for the telephone-reporting program. You can read more about this issue here.
Council Acts to Save Bus Service
As you probably heard, the Council recently voted 7-2 on a package of reforms and new revenues to save bus service throughout King County.
As a regular bus commuter, I understand the importance of transit, and I was pleased to join Councilmembers Gossett, Hague, Lambert, McDermott, Patterson, and Phillips in voting “yes” on saving transit service by:
Enacting a two-year $20 Congestion Reduction Charge on vehicle licenses;
Phasing out the $2.5 million subsidy for the Downtown Seattle Free Ride Area by 2013;
Offering car-owners incentives to ride the bus by issuing 8 bus tickets per household when they renew their vehicle licenses; and
Providing additional dollars for ensuring transit access for low-income families.
Our region cannot afford to lose the vital transit service that workers, families, and employers rely on every day. I appreciate Executive Constantine’s collaborative work to create this bipartisan agreement that was supported by a broad coalition of regional leaders, including Microsoft, the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Bellevue Downtown Association, Transportation Choices, King County Conservation Voters, the University of Washington, and the King County Labor Council.
You can read more about the agreement and the action taken by the Council here.
Bob’s Bus Books
One of the things I enjoy most about taking the bus to work is that it allows me to read during my commute. On the suggestion of a constituent, I just began reading Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming by Jonathan Shay. The author is a staff psychiatrist in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Boston. In the book, Shay uses the classic Greek story of a soldier’s homecoming, The Odyssey, to illuminate the pitfalls that trap many veterans on the road back to civilian life.
Out & About
The Council was in recess for the first two weeks of August, and it was great to spend some time with my wife, Colleen, and our twins, Jack and Kate.
I recently spoke at an event hosted by HealthPoint in Bothell in observance of National Health Center Week. When budget shortfalls threatened to close the health center in Bothell, I pressed the county to find a way to keep it open. King County and HealthPoint joined in an innovative partnership to keep the center open, making sure people in need have access to care.
I had the pleasure of attending the recent membership appreciation BBQ for the Latina/o Bar Association, which represents the concerns of the Latino legal community as well as the broader Latino community in Washington State.
I attended the annual Maple Leaf Summer Social with Colleen and the kids. It was a great event, featuring lots of ice cream, kids’ activities, and music. As Maple Leaf residents, we never miss the Summer Social!
The primary 
As you probably heard, the Council recently voted 7-2 on a package of reforms and new revenues to save bus service throughout King County. 
One of the things I enjoy most about taking the bus to work is that it allows me to read during my commute. On the suggestion of a constituent, I just began reading 
I recently spoke at an event hosted by