King County Council approves $20 billion budget focused on public safety, shoring up basic needs

County Council Members taking public comments at hearing on proposed budget
Photo courtesy King County

The King County Council on Tuesday voted to approve the next biennial King County budget, a $20.16 billion spending plan that avoids cuts to public safety, shores up basic needs in response to federal cuts and boosts government accountability.

“With passage of the County’s 2026-2027 biennial budget, I’m thankful for the meaningful progress we’ve delivered for the people of King County,” said King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who chaired the budget committee. 

“The Council worked to protect essential public safety investments, strengthen our commitment to combating hunger, and increase accountability for how public money is spent. I’m grateful to Executive Braddock for her leadership and to my Council colleagues for their thoughtful collaboration.”

The Council’s Budget Leadership Team built on the Executive’s proposal to boost funding for food security, housing and homelessness, accountability and more.

Key highlights of the budget include:

Public Safety & Criminal Justice

• $175 million to protect sheriff’s deputies, prosecutors, and support staff; maintain courthouse patrols; preserve services that reduce gun violence, support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and provide reentry education.
• $30 million to expand juvenile probation officers, public defenders, and court interpreters; recruit sheriff’s deputies; preserve homeless shelter services; and grow behavioral health and victim support programs. 
• Council adds: $18 million for behavioral health, including crisis response, restoring MIDD cuts, and stabilizing mobile crisis providers.
• $2.3 million for sexual assault and domestic violence services, including Harborview’s Abuse and Trauma Center, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, CASA survivor services, and MIDD behavioral health initiatives.

Housing, Homelessness Response & Health

• $5 million to keep the SoDo shelter open through 2027; $3 million for 80 new shelter beds in Federal Way; and $3 million for families, youth, and young adults facing housing insecurity.
• Council adds: $3.2 million for Kenmore and Reclaim shelters, three tiny home villages, and youth providers; $3 million for rental assistance, with potential for $3 million more in 2026.
• $4 million to expand food access across the region.
• Council adds: $9 million more for food banks, including capital funding, VSHSL levy support, bus tickets for residents affected by grocery closures, and programs in unincorporated King County.
• $31 million from hospital tax funds to protect health care against federal cuts, plus $8 million contingency for behavioral health.
• Council adds: Potential $3 million for Continuum of Care from 2025 underspend to be used in 2026.

Transit

• More than 400,000 hours of bus service to restore suspended routes and meet demand.
• Investments in Link light rail, Dial-a-Ride, Access paratransit, water taxi, and Metro Flex.
• Extended transit security, Metro Transit Police staffing, and SaFE Reform initiative.
• Council adds: Continued Juanita Metro Flex and Seattle waterfront shuttle; plan to move to cashless fares; restroom pilots at Shoreline and Burien transit centers; bus route security report and consultant support for Transit Safety Task Force.

Accountability & Best-Run Government

• $10 million to strengthen financial management, internal controls, and contract oversight at the Department of Community and Human Services.
• Council adds: $500,000 for internal audit; required risk assessments for grant-issuing departments; quarterly and semiannual reporting on grants and contract management; behavioral health system audit; and regular briefings on wastewater capital projects.
• $3 million to develop a countywide Artificial Intelligence policy and innovation fund to protect privacy, prevent bias, and promote responsible use.
• Efficiency measures to modernize technology, bring services in-house, and reduce costs.

Other Council Adds

• $1.6 million for immigrant and refugee services, including $1 million for NWIRP and $250,000 for Mujer al Volante driver training and license assistance.
• $1.4 million for housing, including pre-development for the Youth Achievement Center and Bellevue Family YMCA, plus Home and Hope program support.
• $350,000 for LGBTQ+ community services.
• $3.85 million for workforce development, including $800,000 for pre-apprenticeship programs in Federal Way and Auburn.