Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts

Office of the State Treasurer, Compass Housing Alliance offer financial education workshop for veterans TODAY

Wednesday, May 31, 2023


SHORELINE, WA – The Office of the State Treasurer (OST) and the Compass Housing Alliance are partnering to provide a free ID Theft and Prevention Workshop at the Shoreline Veterans Center on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

The ID Theft and Prevention Workshop is a part of the Financial Foundations Workshop series provided by the Office of the State Treasurer, which is for adults looking to develop new skills in managing personal finances.

Compass Housing Alliance offers a variety of programs and housing that meet the specific needs of military Veterans and their families. Shree Vigil, the Program Manager of the Compass Veterans Center in Shoreline, connects local Veterans in need of housing with the resources and tools they need to achieve stability, growth, and community engagement goals.

“This will be the first time partnering with the Office of the State Treasurer, and we’re excited to offer this workshop as an additional opportunity for Shoreline area Veterans,” said Vigil.

In addition to managing public finances for the state, OST focuses on financial education as a part of its services to the public.

OST Financial Education Coordinator John McKenney regularly conducts workshops with the help of community partnerships like this one. He has experience working across the state as a facilitator for both in person and online financial wellness workshops to help financially empower Washingtonians.

"Financial education can be an invaluable tool for anyone in Washington thinking about their next steps and long-term personal finances,” said McKenney. 
“We’re honored to partner with the Compass Housing Alliance and Shoreline Veterans Center to provide this development opportunity for Veterans of our military,” he said.

Registration is not required to attend the upcoming workshop at the Shoreline Veterans Center, located at 1301 N 200th St, Shoreline, WA 98133. All Veterans are welcome to attend.

Contact John McKenney with questions about the Financial Foundations Workshops at john.mckenney@tre.wa.gov.



Read more...

Inslee signs budget into law

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

 
Gov. Inslee with legislators on May 16, signing the 2023–25
operating, capital and transportation budgets into law

Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed the new 2023–25 operating, capital and transportation budgets.

The final 2023–25 operating and capital budgets followed many of the priorities Inslee put forward last December, including more than $1 billion for housing and homelessness and urgently-needed funding for behavioral health services.

Inslee also signed the new 2023–25 transportation budget on Tuesday. While Inslee acknowledged important investments for projects such as the I-5 bridge over the Columbia, new climate-related investments to electrify the transportation sector, and full funding for legally-required removal of fish passage barriers, he was unequivocal about his frustration with the final budget.



Read more...

MoneyTalk for Couples: What is your credit score?

Monday, May 1, 2023

Stacey Black BECU Lead Financial Educator
When it comes to any relationship, aligning on money matters is important as it plays a pivotal role in every aspect of a couple’s life.

Although talking about finances may not be the most fun conversation to have, there’s no doubt it’s an important one that can have long-term impact.

To make defining your relationship with money easier as a couple, BECU Lead Financial Educator Stacey Black suggests that you continue the conversation with this question:

What is your credit score? 

Another important part of your financial future includes awareness of each other’s credit situations. 

Do you or your significant other have bad credit? Are they carrying large sums of debt, or have they defaulted on loans? 

A poor credit history could drastically hinder your ability to plan ahead and achieve your goals, so conducting this type of “financial background check” ahead of time is crucial.

Credit reports contain information about your credit activity and current credit situation such as loan paying history and the status of your credit accounts, but it also contains other information that is important for you to review together. 

This includes:
  • Identifying information: periodically, it’s important to review to make sure your name and address are correct. If not, it could be an indication of fraud.
  • Account history: this is the biggest section on your credit report and has information about each of your credit accounts, including how you’ve paid
  • Public records: this section includes negative financial information like bankruptcies, lawsuit judgements and tax liens
  • Credit inquiries: this section lists everyone who’s accessed your credit report in the past two years
For those without credit, a secured credit card provides the opportunity to start building credit responsibly. A secured card requires you to make a security deposit, which is used as collateral in case of default on the loan and can help people feel more invested to make payments.

Of course, there are pros and cons of cosigning a loan or credit card for your significant other:
  • Pros: helping someone build good credit by cosigning a loan, for example, can change that person’s life for the better and have positive impacts on your relationship
  • Cons: 
    • As a cosigner, it’s your good credit that’s backing the loan. If your significant other misses a payment, that late payment history goes on your credit report.
    • When applying for credit cards or loans, credit card issuers and financial institutions look at what’s called your debt-to-income ratio to determine approval and the credit limit or loan amount for which you qualify. If you’re a cosigner on a large loan, that’s going to raise your debt-to-income ratio, causing some creditors to back away because they think you have too much debt.
The Shoreline BECU branch is located at Gateway Plaza at N 185th and Aurora.



Read more...

5 Tips to Stay Financially Fit

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Stacey Black, BECU
Lead Financial Educator
During busy seasons of life, it may be difficult to prioritize things like completing your annual physical, going to the gym or conducting a financial check-up.

However, just like training for a marathon, becoming financially fit doesn’t happen overnight – it requires ongoing discipline and regularly assessing your financial situation to ensure you understand the steps needed to set yourself up for success, both now and in the future.

Below are five tips to help you stay financially fit from Stacey Black, BECU Lead Financial Educator.

5 Tips to Stay Financially Fit

Tip 1: Take Your Financial Temperature
 
An important first step in your financial fitness journey is gaining a holistic view of your personal financial situation. This may include knowing how much you have in savings, understanding your general spending habits and seeing what debt you may owe (i.e., student loans, car loans, mortgages). Your financial institution can help connect you with a professional who is readily available to kick-off this conversation.

Tip 2: Set Your Financial Goals
 
Everyone’s financial goals are different. They may range from paying off student loans to buying a new car or saving for retirement. When creating short- and long-term financial goals, Black recommends setting milestones you can realistically achieve within a shorter amount of time, understanding that it’s okay to start small and build from there. Whether you’re simply getting into the habit of saving, building credit or considering debt pay-off strategies, make sure you write down your goals, understand when you want to complete them and prioritize them in order of necessity.

Tip 3: Gauge Your Spending Habits

A key aspect of financial fitness is being able to stick to a budget. A good place to start is to monitor your monthly spending to see how closely it aligns with your monthly expenses and income. If you’re spending more than you need to, identify what you’re buying and think of ways to cut back on unnecessary purchases. Also ensure you’re tracking your progress against your weekly and monthly goals, as well as your projected completion dates. And remember, unexpected moments in life aren’t a matter of if but when, so make sure your goals include building a savings account for unforeseen emergencies.

Tip 4: Check Your Credit Report

Your credit report contains information about the status of your credit accounts and your loan payment history. A good credit score is critical to qualifying for loans at the best possible rates. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends checking your report at least once a year to make sure it is up to date and correct. For more information, visit BECU.org.

Tip 5: Tap into Your Financial Resources

Check to see if your financial institution provides free financial education resources. For example, BECU offers free financial education articles, webinars, self-paced courses and member-exclusive resources like its Financial Health Check program. Bite-sized modules from EverFi are also available in a range of topics, depending on your personal financial goals.


Read more...

School board meeting draws hundreds as district ponders massive budget cuts

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

People lining up for the school board meeting. Photo by Tanner Phillips

By Diane Hettrick

The Shoreline School District is facing massive budget cuts as are many public school districts in the state. Districts are funded by the state based on the number of students enrolled in the district. Local special levies pay for technology, nurses, school advocates, construction and previously made up for some of the shortfalls in state budget funding.

During the pandemic, when schools had to reinvent their technology and teaching methods, first to remote learning and then to hybrid learning, many students left the district.

Some just dropped out. Others were enrolled in private schools, which stayed open during COVID-19. Others? No one really knows. And they didn't come back.


The enrollment in Shoreline has dropped enough that the district has a $16 million shortfall. The district is struggling with what to cut and everything not mandated is on the table.

Hundreds of people filled the Shoreline Room at the Shoreline Center for the school board meeting. Photo by Tanner Phillips


Hundreds of parents showed up at the school board meeting on Monday, April 3, 2023. Most were advocating for arts and music programs in the district.

The Shoreline PTA Council posted an advocacy link to send alerts and updates to subscribers HERE

The district has several online information sessions scheduled

Thursday, April 6, 5:00-6:00 pm
Zoom link: https://ssd412-org.zoom.us/j/83671867560?pwd=WlJVa1diL3lENmNtd0xBWHNsalRoUT09
Webinar ID: 836 7186 7560
Passcode: 163959

Thursday, April 6, 6:30-7:30 pm - 
Presentation and Q.A in Spanish
Zoom link: https://ssd412-org.zoom.us/j/87511372042?pwd=dEV2dmhUcThNRVg3WEZwSnNVSThsUT09
Webinar ID: 875 1137 2042
Passcode: 116785

Monday, April 10, 7:00-8:00 pm
Zoom link: https://ssd412-org.zoom.us/j/87546703104?pwd=d1hOcnpiMnVjU2VUc29IaTRDMWRrUT09
Webinar ID: 875 4670 3104
Passcode: 577824

Black and Brown Town Hall: Tuesday, April 13, 5-6:00 pm
Register in advance for this meeting: https://ssd412-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcuCgqjwsGdWKr2-rjkVLCMed6rrWfMja
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The Black and Brown Town Hall will be hosted by the Department of Equity and Family Engagement. Questions can be submitted in advance of the meeting using this form: https://bit.ly/BBTownHallQs


Read more...

MoneyTalk for Couples: What are examples of red flags

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Stacey Black, BECU Lead Financial Educator
When it comes to any relationship, aligning on money matters is important as it plays a pivotal role in every aspect of a couple’s life.

Although talking about finances may not be the most fun conversation to have, there’s no doubt it’s an important one that can have long-term impact.

To make defining your relationship with money easier as a couple, BECU Lead Financial Educator Stacey Black suggests that you continue the conversation with this question:

• What are examples of red flags?

There are things you can pay close attention to if you’re early on in a relationship or at a point where you may want to dive into a next step, like marriage or moving in together. 

Black suggests watching out for “red flags” when it comes to your partner’s money habits that might point to a future of financial uncertainty.

For instance, pay attention if your partner absolutely doesn’t want to talk about money, or if you find out they haven’t been truthful about their finances. Another red flag is if you notice your partner consistently makes late payments on bills or has bad credit history. This could make getting loans together more difficult.
 
Finally, if you see that your discussion around financial goals yields different responses, they may be a warning sign as well. It’s imperative to have discussions and build guidelines around money management that work for both of you.



Read more...

Washington State Lottery names luckiest retailers of 2022 - and none are in Shoreline or Lake Forest Park

Thursday, March 16, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

The Washington Lottery just announced the ten luckiest retailers in each of its seven regions and none of them are in Shoreline or Lake Forest Park - or north Seattle, for that matter.

South county got more than its share, with Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood all on the list.

In case you want to go buy a ticket, here they are:

Luckiest Retailers of 2022
 
These retailers sold the most winning tickets valued at $1,000 or more in the North Puget Sound Region:
  • 7 Wins: Fred Meyer at 4615 196th St SW in Lynnwood
  • 6 Wins: WinCo Foods at 21900 Highway 99 in Edmonds
  • 6 Wins: Safeway at 4301 212th St SW in Mountlake Terrace
It might be worth driving a little farther north to Everett:
  • 12 Wins: Safeway at 7601 Evergreen Way in Everett (Made the Top 10 list in both 2021 and 2020)
  • 6 Wins: Fred Meyer at 12906 Bothell Everett Hwy in Everett (Has made the Top 10 list every year since 2018)


Read more...

MoneyTalk for Couples: How should you split up bills?

Sunday, February 26, 2023

BECU Lead Financial Educator Stacey Black
When it comes to any relationship, aligning on money matters is important as it plays a pivotal role in every aspect of a couple’s life.

Although talking about finances may not be the most fun conversation to have, there’s no doubt it’s an important one that can have long-term impact.

To make defining your relationship with money easier as a couple, BECU Lead Financial Educator Stacey Black suggests that you continue the conversation with this question:

How should you split up bills? 

If you and your partner are moving in together, it’s important to discuss how bills will be divided

Specifically, sit down and review your accounts and bills. Figure out how to divvy up bills before you and your partner move in together. Will they be split 50/50? Will the person earning a larger income contribute more? Asking these types of questions prior to cohabitating will lessen confusion in the long run.

Then, of course, there’s the age-old question when it comes to long-term couples: to combine finances or not to combine finances? 

There are many ways to do this, such as pooling your income into one account, keeping them strictly separate or some combination of the two. “I once worked with a couple where one person was a spender and the other was a saver. For this reason, I suggested they keep separate checking accounts but have one joint account solely for paying bills,” said Black.

Additionally, some couples ultimately choose to keep separate accounts so they feel financially independent in terms of where they can spend their money and save as much as they choose. 

“My ex and I each had our own spending account, and each had a set amount budgeted to spend however we liked,” said Black. “We had our main account for everything else, but we weren’t on each other’s spending accounts.”

Consider date nights focused on a financial check-in. 

This includes reviewing your savings account(s), financial goals and budgeting aspirations. "Pour yourselves a glass of wine or drink of choice, make a later dinner reservation or queue up your favorite movie. 

Having your financial check-ins bookended by a fun date night activity makes them feel less tedious and more enjoyable,” said Black. With or without the wine, Black recommends scheduling a financial review once or twice a month, and first touching on lighter topics like financial goals before diving into the nitty-gritty of things like debt.

See previous MoneyTalk article



Read more...

Fire board to hold virtual public hearing March 16 re 2023 Fire Benefit Charge

Tuesday, February 21, 2023


NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Commissioners of Shoreline Fire Department will hold a public hearing at the date, time and place specified below to hear citizen appeals to the 2023 Fire Benefit Charge.

DATE OF HEARING: Thursday, March 16, 2023

TIME OF HEARING: 5:00 p.m.

LOCATION:

Shoreline Fire Department Station 61
17525 Aurora Avenue North
Shoreline, WA 98133
enter from southbound Aurora

To attend the meeting online please use the below information:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84248066884?pwd=cnRLWXB5ZVYwYTIxTDBVeWhNRXdCZz09

Meeting ID: 842 4806 6884
Passcode: 069285
Dial by your location: #253 215 8782

The agenda can be retrieved on the Shoreline Fire Department website http://www.shorelinefire.com/

Notice posted by: Beatriz Goldsmith
Executive Assistant


Read more...

Shoreline Public Schools surveying families about priorities as they look to cut $19 million from 2023-24 budget

Friday, February 17, 2023

Shoreline Schools
[Ed. note: apologies for getting this out late. The survey must be completed by Friday, February 17, 2023]

Link to the survey (scroll down) Community members are welcome to participate.

Shoreline School District is expecting a budget shortfall of about $18-$19 million for the 2023-24 school year. More information about the budget outlook can be found here.
 
We are seeking your feedback about priorities to help guide planning for reductions to balance our budget. These priorities will also help us to make decisions about services to maintain when possible. Finally, your feedback will be helpful as our budget picture improves in the coming years and we make decisions about what to restore and when. We will share a summary of the survey results with our community in March.

As we consider our priorities, we keep our values of equity, safety, student growth, and student learning at the forefront when making decisions. We also believe in our individual and collective ability to create a system where a student's identity and ability are not predictors of success.



Read more...

Shoreline School District to hold community meetings about budget shortfall

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

School district headquarters at the Shoreline Center

Shoreline School District is engaged in proactive budget planning work in light of declining revenues and decreased enrollment in recent years.

Since a high point in 2019-20, the district student enrollment has decreased by more than 400 students due to COVID and other factors. The state allocates money based on enrollment.

Declining enrollment is generally anticipated in our near future, due to declining birth rates in King County and limited housing affordability. School districts both nearby and across the country have seen similar enrollment declines.

Along with a decline in enrollment, the District has experienced declining regionalization revenue (for areas that are expensive to live in) from the State at a time when costs have increased. Ultimately, like our families, with declining resources we must right-size our budget to live within our means.

A series of community information sessions will be held to bring awareness across the Shoreline and Lake Forest Park communities to the budget challenges the school district is facing. 

Interested residents, staff, families, and students may attend any session that works for their schedule. The first session was held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at Einstein Middle School.

Three more are planned in February.

Wednesday, February 1, 5-6:00 pm
Kellogg Middle School Commons
16045 25th Ave NE, Shoreline WA 98155

Friday, February 10, 12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://ssd412-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IGU9pvbDRw2WAJ5BGyDVUQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Wednesday, February 15, 6-7:00 pm
Shoreline Room, Shoreline Center (north end of the building)
18560 1st Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155

Superintendent Susana Reyes will share information about the financial situation of the district, the contributing factors, and our need to rebalance revenue and expenditures for the 2023-24 school year and beyond. Please join us. Your thoughts and questions are welcome.

If you would like to request an interpreter at one of our information sessions, please email kathie.schindler@ssd412.org no later than Friday, January 27.

Learn more about the 2023-24 Shoreline Schools budget outlook

Budget Advisory Team


The Budget Advisory Team (BAT) is a diverse group of parents/guardians, staff, students, and community members who represent a wide range of perspectives that is meeting to review the district’s current and projected budget challenges and the factors that influence school funding and spending. 

The BAT will work together to develop recommended budget priorities, adjustments, and reductions to present to the School Board in early spring.

Find meeting schedule, recent presentations, and other BAT resources

If you have a suggestion that you think the team should consider, please send it to: budget.advteam@ssd412.org



Read more...

MoneyTalk for Couples: What are your financial goals

Stacey Black, BECU Financial Advisor
By Stacey Black, BECU Financial Advisor

When it comes to any relationship, aligning on money matters is important as it plays a pivotal role in every aspect of a couple’s life. 

Although talking about finances may not be the most fun conversation to have, there’s no doubt it’s an important one that can have long-term impact.

To make defining your relationship with money easier as a couple, BECU Lead Financial Educator Stacey Black suggests that you kickstart the conversation with this question:

What are your financial goals? 

Black recommends that you don’t dive into a “money talk” that’s all about spreadsheets, budgets and paying your bills – that’s a recipe to stress both of you out. 

Instead, start with a broader conversation about your financial goals – do you want to buy a house? What type of lifestyle do you want to live? 

Then, create realistic goals you can both actually live by and make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to short- and long-term plans. This will open up broader conversations about money and also help to see if you are on the same page when it comes to short-term and long-term financial goals around saving, spending, budgeting and reducing debt.
 
For example, when creating goals around your emergency fund, Black recommends saving for at least three months of expenses. 

“However, for many people this can be overwhelming. Don’t get discouraged. What’s most important is to get into the habit of saving. Set goals you can actually achieve within a shorter amount of time,” said Black. 

In addition, each couple can start by learning about the 50-20-30 rule and tracking their spending each month. 

Here’s how the 50-20-30 rule works:
  • 50% of your income should go toward your everyday needs, including rent, utilities and other items like groceries and transportation.
  • 20% of your income goes toward your financial goals, such as saving and reducing debt.
  • 30% of your income is typically used for items you want versus need, such as outings or travel expenses.
Try creating a spending journal together to see how and where you’re spending your money and divide each spend into one of these three categories. Keep in mind that this approach is one general rule of thumb – you can always adjust to meet your collective budgeting goals.


Read more...

Let them unwrap the possibilities of education this holiday season

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

By Michael Meotti

Have you ever experienced anxiety trying to get that last-minute holiday gift for someone? It might have even been a Turbo-Man action figure or the coveted Tickle Me Elmo. While there is much joy in this season, there is often a degree of pressure to find the perfect gift for everyone in our lives.

If you’d like to beat the rush at the mall and the endless scrolling on Amazon, consider funding a 529 education savings plan instead.

529 plans make it easy and affordable to plan ahead for the cost of higher education. They can be used for nearly every level and type of schooling you can think of - from a four-year college or university, to technical or trade school and community college. Use it on tuition, books, computers, room and board, or even the costs associated with an apprenticeship. Regardless of your child or grandchild’s changing interests, saving in a 529 plan can give you peace of mind.

Here in Washington, you have two outstanding options. One is the Guaranteed Education Tuition program, known for nearly 25 years as GET. GET is a prepaid tuition program, where you purchase tuition units at today’s price, and those units can be used years down the road, no matter what type of education your student chooses to pursue or how costs change in the future. With tuition rates rising over time, locking in current rates now offers predictability and certainty for you and your student.

The other option we offer Washington families is the DreamAhead plan
. This plan offers a selection of investment portfolios that you can tailor to your student’s age and your risk tolerance. You can start an account with a contribution as small as $25. From there, your investment has the opportunity to grow through interest and appreciation. Once you’re ready to use it, the money can be applied to almost any education-related expense.

However you choose to save, keep in mind that a contribution to a student’s 529 plan makes a great gift suggestion to doting family members and friends.

We hope you consider a 529 as part of this year’s gift-giving. A contribution to an education savings account is a gift that will keep on giving for years and years to come. Visit 529.wa.gov to learn more.
--
Michael Meotti is the Executive Director of Washington Student Achievement Council, a state agency committed to increasing educational opportunities and attainment in Washington.


Read more...

Volunteers are needed for United Way of King County’s Free Tax Prep Program

Sunday, November 20, 2022

United Way of King County needs volunteers now to help us fight poverty with our Free Tax Preparation Program.

United Way of King County’s Free Tax Preparation program is in its 20th year! 

Funded by United Way, the IRS and the City of Seattle, the Free Tax Preparation program runs from January through April and helps people take advantage of earned income tax credits, the nation’s most vital anti-poverty measure.

Volunteers are fully trained and IRS certified to help people keep more of what they earn by leveraging some incredible anti-poverty tax credits and preparing their taxes for free.

We have both in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities, which include: 
  • In-Person Tax Preparation Specialists: Prepare tax returns at one of our locations across King County. All specialists are trained to obtain Advanced IRS Tax Law VITA certification.
  • Community Intake Specialists: Assist at our tax sites by maintaining client waitlists, answering questions, and connecting clients to important community resources.
  • Virtual Tax Preparation Specialists: Prepare tax returns and interface with clients online via the Free Tax Preparation Campaign’s end-to-end case management tool.
Note: All locations will exercise strict COVID-19 protocols and CDC guidelines for safety. 

You do not need any prior knowledge or training to volunteer, though if you are interested in a virtual opportunity, you MUST have a high degree of computer literacy, a stable internet connection, and be willing and able to communicate with clients by phone. 

In general, it is important that our tax volunteers have a friendly attitude, a willingness to be flexible, have general computer experience, and are willing to commit to three to six hours of service a week.

The ability to speak another language is helpful, but not required. Languages in high demand include Spanish, Amharic, Vietnamese, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Russian, Ukrainian, Somali, and Tagalog. 

Interested in volunteering? Please click here. Questions? Email us at  freetax@uwkc.org


Read more...

Massive investments in public safety, transit, and housing headline approved 2023-2024 King County Budget

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

County Councilmember Rod Dembowski
The King County Council on Tuesday approved a $16.2 billion budget to fund King County for the next two years. 

The 2023-2024 biennial budget includes funding for clean energy, affordable housing, public transit, protecting the environment, improving community safety, behavioral health and more.

Councilmember Rod Dembowski: "I'm proud of the work we have done to adopt a budget that reflects our values and priorities: safer communities, housing our unsheltered neighbors, protecting our environment and responding to the needs of those most impacted by COVID. 
'The budget is balanced, protects our financial reserves, and helps ensure we maintain our top-tier bond rating, which saves taxpayer dollars. It's been a privilege to serve on this year's Budget Leadership Team and I thank the public and my colleagues for their thoughtful engagement in our budget work."

Highlights of funding in the budget include:
  • $220 million to convert Metro to all-electric buses by 2035
  • $166 million to fund affordable housing near transit centers, supportive housing operations and coordinated crisis response efforts to homelessness
  • More than $50 million to fund environmental improvements and protections, including restoring fish passage habitat, removing nitrogen and chemicals from wastewater, and expanding access to heat pumps and solar panels for homeowners in unincorporated King County
  • $55 million for community safety, including efforts to reduce gun violence, new Metro transit security and community engagement staff, body worn cameras for King County Sheriff’s deputies, creating pathways away from jail for our youth and more

Building on the strong initial proposal put forth by Executive Dow Constantine in September, councilmembers worked to ensure the budget added key funding for pandemic recovery, public safety, and human services. Council changes added roughly $76 million to the original proposal of $16.14 billion. 

Some of council’s added provisions include:
  • $35 million Equitable Recovery Initiative, including funding for supportive housing, homelessness support and behavioral health and economic recovery.
  • $6.2 million to safeguard against inflation increases for human services providers, including those providing homelessness, housing and gender-based violence services.
  • $3.6 million for Metro to serve riders now, improve rider experience, clean transit centers, enhance community safety and expand neighborhood engagement.
  • $1.1 million to increase the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight staffing by 55% to ensure robust accountability investigations and community engagement
  • $950k funding for youth programs in detention centers: provide behavioral health, skill-building and safety-enhancing services and staffing for juveniles in detention, including a gang intervention specialist, community-led programming, group and individual therapy sessions, staff trainings and other behavioral health services.
  • $1.8 million in MIDD programs including sexual assault and domestic violence services, art mental health therapy, Naloxone distribution, and RADAR.
  • $24.7 million in new capital investments, including the Little Saigon Community Center, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation Canoe House, Muslim American Youth Foundation Community Center, Children’s Home Society of Washington Resource Center, Fall City Community Center, Hanwoori Garden in Federal Way, and more.
Full budget documents can be found here.


Read more...

Executive Constantine: King county's budget reflects our values

King county executive Dow Constantine
King County Executive Dow Constantine released the following statement after the King County Council passed a $15.8 billion biennial budget that adopts major investments in his priority areas focused on:
  • battling the climate crisis and 
  • restoring our environment, 
  • ensuring every person has a home, 
  • building a community where every person is safe, and 
  • uprooting racism and racial disparities:

“This budget is a map of King County’s values – prioritizing investments in our environment, in prosperity, and in communities and populations farthest from opportunity, access, and justice – to make ours a welcoming community where every person can thrive.

“Thanks is due to the King County Council, and especially Budget Chair Joe McDermott, for thoughtful deliberation these past eight weeks since I delivered my proposed two-year budget. I also want to thank and acknowledge all the community members who participated in the budget process to have their voices heard.

“This budget allows us to not only continue transforming the way government operates, to solve problems, and to deliver services to all our residents, but also to show the way for others, regionally and nationally – whether improving quality of life, working for a just society, or ensuring the survival of our planet.

“The collaborative process led by Council Budget Chair McDermott, Council Chair Balducci and others showcases that, together, we can take on the extraordinary challenges of this time and build the future our children deserve.”



Read more...

City of Lake Forest Park Notice of Budget Public Hearing on November 10, 2022

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

City of Lake Forest Park Notice of Budget Public Hearing on November 10, 2022, 7pm

2023 – 2024 Biennial Budget, 2023 Property Tax Levy, 2023 User Fees, 2023 Surface Water Utility Rate AND TAX, 2023-2024 Sewer Utility Rates AND TAX, 2023 TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT SALES TAX AND VEHICLE LICENSE FEE

The City of Lake Forest Park City Council has been reviewing the proposed 2023 Biennial Budget, including the proposed increases for the 2023 Property Tax Levy, 2023 User Fees, 2023 Surface Water Utility Rate and Tax, 2023-2024 Sewer Utility Rates and Tax, Transportation Benefit District Sales Tax, and Vehicle License Fee. The proposed budget can be found on the city’s website at www.cityoflfp.com.

The public hearing will be conducted during the City Council’s regular meeting on November 10, 2022. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm, and the public hearing will commence thereafter. 

The public hearing will be held in person at the City Council Chambers and virtually. Instructions for how to participate in the virtual public hearing may be found on the agenda for the meeting. Written testimony will be accepted prior to the meeting and distributed to the City Council, and verbal testimony will be accepted during the public hearing.

Written comments should be submitted to City Clerk Matt McLean at mmclean@cityoflfp.com no later than 5:00pm local time on the date of the hearing. Any person wishing to provide oral testimony at the hearing is encouraged to register via the Remote Public Comment Sign-in Form on the City’s Hybrid City Council Meetings webpage (https://www.cityoflfp.com/615/Hybrid-City-Council-Meetings) by 5:00pm on the date of the meeting. 

Persons who have not signed up on the online public hearing sign-in sheet will be called upon to raise their hand through the Zoom meeting webinar feature and will be added to the speakers’ queue by the City Clerk to be called upon by the Meeting Chair or designee. A request to speak can also be made by phone directly to the City Clerk at (206) 368-5540 prior to 5:00pm on the date of the meeting.

Matt McLean
City Clerk



Read more...

Op-Ed: NUHSA strongly encourages a YES vote on Shoreline's Prop 1

Monday, October 31, 2022

OP-ED
From Heidi Shepherd, Board President NUHSA

Ballots have been mailed, and Shoreline voters now must vote on Prop. 1, the maintenance and operations levy for public safety and community services. The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) strongly encourages a YES vote!

The pandemic has had severe consequences for many in our community, and families are still struggling. From mental and physical health challenges to food scarcity and a lack of stable housing, residents have relied on the critical support Shoreline has provided during the pandemic and the infrastructure that the City has carefully built in partnership with area providers and agencies.

State law limits an increase in tax revenue unless authorized by a vote of the people, and because funding for basic City services (including that of human services) has not kept pace with rising costs, approval of Prop. 1 is essential to simply maintain current services. 

This includes critical community services funding for seniors, youth, and families in need, along with homelessness response services and staffing for the successful RADAR program that provides mental health professionals with police to assist community members in behavioral health crises.

If the proposed levy replacement does not pass, the City will be forced to reduce or eliminate services to balance the City’s budget, as required by law - and first on the chopping block will be those programs the City is not legally required to provide. 

At risk is support for human services, such as the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center, the Teen Center and programs for children and young families, in addition to neighborhood services, community events, homelessness outreach, communications, parks maintenance, recreation programs, and cultural programming.

Renewing the levy is absolutely critical for maintaining the health and human services residents expect and ensuring a strong and vibrant community for everyone. Vote YES on Prop. 1!



Read more...

Application site for student debt relief is still open

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Rep. Pramilia Jayapal is encouraging people who are eligible for student loan debt relief to apply on the federal website.


The site, Federal Student Aid (an official website of the United States government) has this statement:

Application is open, but debt discharge is paused.
As a result of a court order, we are temporarily blocked from processing debt discharges. 

We encourage you to apply if you are eligible. We will continue to review applications. We will quickly process discharges when we are able to do so and you will not need to reapply.

See previous article here



Read more...

Student loan debt forgiveness program blocked by the courts

Friday, October 21, 2022

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash
According to reporting the The Washington Post (reprinted in The Seattle Times), a Federal appeals court has blocked the immediate cancellation of student loans to consider a request filed by six Republican-led states to stop the program.

A federal appeals court on Friday evening blocked the imminent cancellation of federal student loans under President Joe Biden’s debt relief program, days after millions of borrowers began applying for up to $20,000 in forgiveness.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit granted an administrative stay while it considers a request for an injunction filed by a coalition of six Republican-led states seeking to block the forgiveness program.

Yesterday we published information on the loan program from our Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit will make a decision on whether or not to lift the stay but the timeline is unknown. 22 million people have already filed for relief.

Read The Seattle Times article here



Read more...
ShorelineAreaNews.com
Facebook: Shoreline Area News
Twitter: @ShorelineArea
Daily Email edition (don't forget to respond to the Follow.it email)

  © Blogger template The Professional Template II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP