Showing posts with label king county council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label king county council. Show all posts

YouthCare is coming to Shoreline/LFP

Thursday, November 12, 2020

In partnership with the City of Shoreline, the City of Lake Forest Park and the Rotary Clubs of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, and with critical funding support from King County under the leadership of Rod Dembowski, NUHSA is working to bring a YouthCare Resource Navigator to Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.

This person will provide case management and connection to resources for homeless youth ages 14-22, including food support, health care services, behavioral health supports, legal assistance, educational support, employment/vocational resources, and more.

The position will be housed at the Teen Center in Shoreline and have an office at the Lake Forest Park Town Center but will work mostly out in the community to help youth navigate the complex systems for ensuring stability, safety and long-term success.

Please help fill this position! Share the application

Update: The City of Lake Forest Park and the Shoreline Rotary are also partners with NUSHA in this enterprise.



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Councilmember Dembowski: Kenmore Vote Center opens Saturday

Friday, October 30, 2020


From King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

Thanks to the record breaking numbers of you returning your ballots, voter turnout in King County is already around 64%! If you are not yet registered to vote, it’s not too late.

Six Vote Centers operated by King County Elections will open this Saturday, October 31, 2020. These six special Vote Centers are located throughout King County, and they are in addition to King County Elections headquarters in Renton.


Kenmore City Hall. Photo by Steven H. Robinson


I am pleased that North King County residents can visit a Vote Center located at Kenmore City Hall, beginning this Saturday from 10:00am – 4:00pm, then Monday from 8:30am - 6:00pm, and Election Day from 8:30am - 8:00pm. 18120 68th Ave NE, Kenmore 98028.


King County residents can visit a Vote Center or the King County Elections headquarters to register to vote up until 8pm on election day, update their voter records, and request and receive a replacement ballot.

Additionally, trained King County Elections staff and specialized equipment will be available to help voters with disabilities cast a private, independent ballot.

You can find a full list of Vote Centers and their operating hours here.



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Councilmember Dembowski: Important senior property tax exemption news

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

From King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

Too many senior homeowners struggle to pay their property taxes.

That’s why for years I’ve advocated for a change in the state’s senior property tax exemption law to allow more seniors to qualify for relief.

Beginning this year, folks 61 years or older, who own their home, and have an annual income of $58,423 or less in King County, are now eligible for property tax relief. In previous years, the threshold was fixed at an annual household income of $40,000.

The obvious good news here is thousands more King County seniors are eligible for property tax relief.

Unfortunately, thousands of senior homeowners who applied for the program have waited months for a decision from the Assessor’s office. I have been hearing from these seniors, who fear that as we approach November 2, when the second half of property taxes are due, they will be forced to overpay their taxes this year, and wait for a possible reimbursement next year.

In response to these understandable concerns, I authored legislation, that passed the County Council on September 29, to allow individuals with pending applications to extend their property tax payments until January 31, 2021, without penalty or interest. Taxpayers seeking relief should not have to pay a bill that may well not be owed.

If you have applied for the program, but your application is still pending, and you do not pay property taxes through escrow, you are eligible for an extension. To obtain the extension, opt in here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/assessor/TaxReliefExtension.aspx

This is a “clean extension,” meaning you will not have to pay any fees or interest, while the Assessor’s office continues to process your application and you receive a final tax bill. More information can be found here: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/assessor/news-room/NewsReleases/2020/Sept-29-2020.aspx

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my staff member, Elizabeth Evans at any time. Elizabeth can be reached at 206-477-0911 or Elizabeth.Evans@kingcounty.gov



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Councilmember Dembowski to hold Town Hall with Metro re restructuring transit in our region

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Rod speaking at an event highlighting Metro Transit's new and improved safety measures for operators and riders. Photo courtesy King County Council


From King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

I hope you can join me and Councilmembers Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Girmay Zahilay on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 6:00pm for a joint Zoom town hall with King County Metro. With three new light rail stations opening in north Seattle next year, Metro has the opportunity to improve and reimagine how you travel in north King County.

This is your opportunity to provide feedback to Metro on restructuring transit in our region. We will also discuss how Metro is adapting during the COVID-19 Pandemic and what to expect from transit service in the coming year.

The town hall will take place over Zoom and will be streamed on Facebook Live, and will include interpretive services. You can find more information on the North Link Connections Mobility Project and details on how to join our town hall at: www.kingcounty.gov/townhall. If you have limited access to the internet, please contact my office for additional options to participate in the town hall at 206-477-0911.



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Update from Councilmember Dembowski: budget deliberations, public meetings, COVID-19 response

Saturday, October 10, 2020



This week we started budget deliberations on the 2021-2022 biennial budget proposed by Executive Constantine. It is a $12.4 billion budget and I am serving as Vice-Chair of the budget committee, working closely with Chair Kohl-Welles to help the council complete its work.

I will be co-leading two budget panels - one with Councilmember Zahilay on law and justice issues and the other on regional services, including transit and environmental policy, with Councilmember von Reichbauer.

Over the next seven weeks, the Council will host several virtual public meetings to do its work, and seek your feedback and input on the proposed budget. Especially in these challenging times, this budget is a reflection of our values as a government and a community. If you have comments or questions, please consider providing your thoughts on the investments and cuts this budget will make to services across King County. More information on the budget and how to have your voice heard, can be found here.

We continue to work every day to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the economic fallout. I am disappointed that the federal government’s second stimulus negotiations have stalled and fear the impacts King County residents, workers, and employers will face if more is not done at the federal level to aid in the recovery. 

Meanwhile, work on a fifth supplemental COVID response budget is set to begin soon, the task of restructuring Metro transit service across northwest King County remains on track for fall 2021, and King County Elections is hard at work preparing for a General Election with the potential for record voter turnout.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my staff member, Elizabeth Evans at any time. Elizabeth can be reached at 206-477-0911 or Elizabeth.Evans@kingcounty.gov



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Senior and disabled property owners waiting on approval of tax deferral or exemption can opt for extension

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Seniors, people with disabilities, and others with qualifying conditions who applied for property tax exemptions or deferrals but are still waiting for a determination will be able to extend payments until January 31, 2021.

Affected property owners will be contacted, and will need to notify the Assessor's Office via the web at kingcounty.gov/taxreliefextension, call 206-296-3920 or email exemptions.extension@kingcounty.gov to opt in to this program.

The statutory deadline of November 2 remains in effect for all other property taxpayers. Seniors seeking property tax payment extensions must have mailed or filed an application on or before October 19.

In 2019, King County Executive Dow Constantine and Assessor John Wilson sought legislation, ultimately passed by the state legislature, to expand the qualifying income thresholds for the property tax exemption and deferral programs for low-income senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, and veterans, beginning with taxes levied for collection in 2020. It also lowered the disability rating necessary to qualify as a disabled veteran.

As a result, the King County Assessor's Office reported that applications for property tax exemptions increased by 400 percent this year.

This surge, combined with remote work requirements in the Assessor's Office due to COVID-19, staffing challenges, and computer software – managed by King County Information Technology – which proved insufficient to handle the volume of applications, created a backlog of 4,400 unprocessed applications.

Legislation sponsored by Councilmember Rod Dembowski, supported by King County Treasury and Assessor’s Office, and passed by the King County Council today, provides the Assessors Office more time to process applications. Treasury will be sending notices out this week with information.

"King County has led the way in seeking expanded property tax relief for modest income seniors and disabled veterans. But when seniors and veterans applied for this benefit, the process has been too challenging and taken far too long," said Councilmember Rod Dembowski. 
"I'm pleased that we are taking action today to extend deadlines and enhance staffing to get people the answers they deserve on their applications. Especially during this pandemic, King County must do everything we reasonably can do to ensure that seniors and veterans aren't living in fear of having to leave their homes because tax relief isn't promptly implemented."


To qualify for an exemption, property taxpayers need to meet the following criteria:

Age/Disability
  • Born in 1958 or earlier or
  • Disabled and unable to work in 2019 or earlier or
  • Retired because of disability or
  • Military veteran with a 80% service-connected disability or
  • Widow(er) or state-registered domestic partner of at least 57 years of age whose spouse or partner had an exemption at the time of death
Ownership/Occupancy
  • Own the residence as of December 31, 2019
  • Occupy the property as a primary residence at least nine months each year
Income
  • Annual household income earned in 2019 must not exceed $58,423, including Social Security and other sources

To qualify for a deferral, property taxpayers must be 60 years old or older, or retired because of physical disability. They must meet an equity requirement, live in the home at least nine months in a calendar year, and have an annual household income of $67,411 or less for the previous year. Deferred taxes plus accumulated interest become a lien on the property until the total amount is repaid.

For more information about property tax exemptions or deferrals, visit kingcounty.gov/assessor/seniors or call 206-263-2338.

For information about property taxes, contact King County Treasury at 206-263-2890, email propertytax.customerservice@kingcounty.gov, or visit kingcounty.gov/PropertyTax



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King County Council passes historic investments to improve educational outcomes

Friday, September 4, 2020

On Tuesday, the King County Council unanimously passed the implementation plan for the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA), which will invest approximately $318 million over 15 years to improve educational outcomes for King County students. 

“Education and early learning are critical to our children’s success, but too many miss out on opportunities because of persistent, systemic inequities due to race and income,” said King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci. 
“This fund, carefully crafted with both expert educators and community partners, will provide early learning facilities, K-12 educational supports, and a Promise program to launch students into post-secondary learning and careers.”


The implementation plan guides how the funds will be invested across three strategies:
  1. early learning facilities,
  2. the King County Promise, and
  3. K-12 community-based organizations. It also provides recommendations for governance of the funds and evaluation of the outcomes.

Early learning facilities will receive 52% of the funding and will fund construction and renovations of early learning and early intervention facilities, as well as home based childcare services.

The King County Promise will receive 38% of the funding and will provide services that support young people starting in high school through postsecondary acceptance and completion. 

K-12 community-based organizations will receive 10% of the funding and will initially fund a pilot called “Love and Liberation”, where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organization will provide programs to youth in their communities that focus on positive racial and ethnic identity development.

“I’m particularly proud of working with former Councilmember Larry Gossett to draft language that allows funding to go to Love and Liberation, a groundbreaking pilot that will explicitly empower organizations with staff and leadership that have relevant lived experience or expertise in this area, and reflect the communities to be served,” Balducci said.


PSTAA was created by the Washington State Legislature as an amendment to the 2015 State Transportation Revenue Package. It directs that a portion of Sound Transit-related funds be used for educational services to improve educational outcomes in early learning, K-12, and post-secondary education. The funds are allocated to counties located within the Sound Transit district who then decide how to allocate them for educational purposes.

King County’s decision-making process began with a July 2017 special King County Council Committee of the Whole meeting in Kent. Since then, the Council has engaged in careful deliberation and an extensive community process. 

In December 2017, the Council passed Motion 15029, sponsored by Councilmember Balducci, to study the educational needs in King County and possible strategies to meet those needs. In August 2019, the Council passed Motion 15492 deciding how the funding would be allocated across the three strategies.

A broad, diverse set of community stakeholders provided input throughout the three-year process. The Committee of the Whole considered each motion, meaning all nine councilmembers were involved and worked together to find consensus at each stage of the process.




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Chief Carmen Best receives recognition at King County Council

County Council recognizes retiring Seattle
Police Chief Carmen Best



Outgoing Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best was the recipient of an official King County Council recognition on Tuesday afternoon.

The recognition, which was introduced and sponsored by Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer and co-sponsored by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, honored Chief Best’s 28 years of service to the Seattle Police Department and the city of Seattle.

“If we want to ensure that our law enforcement agencies reflect our communities, we need more people like Carmen Best involved in law enforcement, especially as leaders,” said von Reichbauer. 
“Chief Best got involved 28 years ago, worked her way up through the ranks, ascending to the highest level of achievement through her enduring commitment to service, equality and justice. 
Carmen was a trailblazer, and her leadership will be missed by many in our region.”

Chief Best worked her way up through the ranks of the Seattle Police Department to become the first Black woman to head the department.

While there, she was tasked with helping to implement federally mandated reforms to address excessive force and biased policing, and she worked hard to cultivate relationships with communities of color. She submitted her resignation in August.



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County Council sends seven charter amendments to November ballot for voter approval

Thursday, July 30, 2020

With the approval of three more measures on Tuesday, the King County will now send seven county charter amendments to the November ballot for a public vote to approve or reject them.

The Charter Review Commission recommended 11 amendments in its final report last year, though it wasn’t expected that all the amendments would be considered by voters in the same year.

The following amendments will now appear on the November ballot:
  1. Specify that inquests should be performed for deaths in the county’s jails and provide the family of the deceased with legal representation during the inquest process.
  2. Include subpoena power for the King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight to aid in its investigations.
  3. Make the King County Sheriff an appointed rather than elected position.
  4. Remove the Charter impediment to the sale of county-owned property below market value for affordable housing purposes, in accordance with recent amendments to state law.
  5. Update the Charter to change references to “citizen” to “resident” or “public” depending on the circumstances. This change would address several references in the Charter to the concept of citizenship being necessary to access certain aspects of county government.
  6. Prohibit discrimination in county employment and contracting based on someone’s status as a family caregiver, military status, or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or discharged solely as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“I am pleased to give the voters the opportunity to decide on these amendments to the way our county is governed,” said Council Chair Claudia Balducci.

7. The seventh amendment set for a vote in the fall was not a recommendation of the Charter Review Commission, but instead was a council-proposed amendment. This amendment would allow the Council to establish the duties of the Sheriff’s Office. Those duties are currently set by the charter.



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County council approves Kohl-Welles’ amendment to keep gun stores away from schools

Jeanne Kohl-Wells represents
Seattle District 4 on the County Council

The King County Council on Friday approved an amendment that will keep new gun stores at least 500 feet away from schools. 

Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles brought the amendment forward to be included in an extensive update of the Comprehensive Plan, which was approved as amended.

“The hard truth is there is little we can do at the county-level to enact thoughtful measures pertaining to firearms and gun violence because of federal and state preemptions,” Kohl-Welles said. 
“But we have to be creative. When the recreational use and sale of marijuana was legalized at the state-level, we added buffer zones to help ensure children and youth would not have easy access to the drug – for their protection.
“I’m sponsoring this amendment under the same principle. If we consider it a priority to protect our kids from marijuana establishments, we should do the same for gun stores – especially considering that guns are a greater public health threat in our county.”

Any new businesses selling firearms that have open hours and signs or advertising would fall under the requirement. Businesses established before June 30 would not be impacted.

The Comprehensive Plan update includes subarea plans for six rural communities and five urban unincorporated areas, as well as several other midpoint updates to the plan. You can read a full staff report on the update HERE.



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King county to create pandemic response plans for future events

Sunday, July 12, 2020

King County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been lauded across the nation for being speedy and effective. 

While that success was guided by past planning, much was learned along the way, and it’s that new information that will help drive even better preparation for future outbreaks.

It’s with that in mind that the King County Council voted unanimously to create a new county-wide pandemic response plan to guide the County’s response to any future viral outbreaks.

The County will also update all relevant emergency plans to include a pandemic response plan incorporates new information from the COVID-19 outbreak. The legislation creating these pandemic response plans was sponsored by Vice Chair Reagan Dunn.

“I hope King County will never see another viral outbreak like COVID-19, but we should absolutely be prepared for one,” Dunn said. “By working now to preserve the lessons of our COVID-19 response, we’re ensuring that we are poised to fight a viral outbreak in the future and get our County back on its feet as soon as possible.”

Dunn’s legislation tasks Public Health – Seattle & King County with creating a new pandemic response plan that builds on the existing Pandemic Influenza Response Plan. In addition, King County’s Office of Emergency Management will update all other emergency plans that touch on pandemic response, including the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, Regional Coordination Framework, Regional Recovery Plan, and the King County Continuity of Operations Plan.

The updated plans will include an outline of options for keeping King County operations and services active throughout various phases of these pandemics, and identification of infrastructure or resources needed to respond to various pandemics.

An interim report will be presented to the King County Council by September 1, 2021, and the pandemic response plans are due by September 1, 2022.



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Dembowski: town hall Monday on King county criminal legal system

Friday, July 10, 2020



Our criminal legal system is perhaps the area most in need of reform. It is a major function of King County government and consumes about three-fourths of our general fund budget every year.

Starting with the laws that we as legislators pass, and continuing through their enforcement in the community, through the courts and into the jails and re-entry programs, there is work to be done from top to bottom. 

With millions of people around America demanding attention and action, I am hopeful about the opportunity to make material progress on many of the issues that I’ve been working on during my time at the County Council.

I hope you will join me and my colleagues at a town hall we are hosting on Monday, July 13, 2020 12noon to 1pm to discuss some of the changes we will be tackling in the next few weeks. Submit questions for the Councilmembers by emailing Graciela.NunezPargas@kingcounty.gov.

Join live on Facebook (no Facebook account required). Facebook.com/KingCountyCouncil



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County Council passes new protections for King County renters during COVID-19 crisis

Thursday, June 25, 2020

The King County Council on Tuesday passed new legislation protecting tenants who are unable to pay their rent due to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The ordinance, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Claudia Balducci, Girmay Zahilay, and Jeanne Kohl-Welles, extends protections to residential tenants, including manufactured homeowners, and small commercial tenants in unincorporated King County.

When Washington closed all non-essential businesses in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, many King County residents suddenly found themselves without a job. King County residents filed over 398,000 new unemployment claims between March 1 and June 13. While Gov. Jay Inslee signed an eviction moratorium to prevent immediate loss of housing, tenants and advocates have expressed fear of a wave of evictions when the moratorium ends.

“While the governor’s moratorium headed off an imminent avalanche of evictions, we are still at risk of hundreds or thousands of families losing their homes once the moratorium ends,” Balducci said. 
“The intention of this ordinance is to give people impacted by COVID-19 an opportunity to catch up on rent and stay in their homes. Along with the additional funding for direct rental assistance we passed today, this measure will help keep families from sliding into homelessness due to forces beyond their control.”

Modeled on similar legislation already passed in the city of Seattle, the ordinance provides residential tenants with a defense to eviction if an unlawful detainer (eviction) action is based on the tenant's failure to pay rent, if the nonpayment was because of circumstances occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The defense to eviction will be available to residential tenants if the eviction was initiated because of unpaid rent that was due before or by March 1, 2021. The second protection allows a residential or small commercial tenant who fails to pay rent due before or by March 1, 2021 to pay the overdue rent on a reasonable repayment plan if the nonpayment was because of circumstances occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an additional defense to eviction if a landlord does not offer a reasonable repayment plan.

“This ordinance centers on the principle that housing is a human right and as such it’s an important measure in protecting that right” Kohl-Welles said. 
“This legislation is critical in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic with many of our residents not having adequate resources to pay their rent. 
"However, we have many more steps to take to ensure King County residents have accessible, affordable and stable housing. 
"I look forward to continuing this important work with my colleagues and community partners that have been advocating and organizing on these issues long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.”


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County Council approves payment plan for King County property taxes

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Categories for applying for reduced taxes
but in the meantime, the county will offer payment plans

More financial aid is coming to King County property taxpayers affected by COVID-19. On Tuesday, the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously approved a new form of property tax relief, sponsored by King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn.

“I believe it’s an act of leadership for the County to shoulder a share the financial burden that many of its residents are struggling with during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dunn said. “This is good policy that offers a little leniency to folks who are stretched thin and not able to pay their bills.”

Dunn’s legislation gives the King County Treasurer the task of designing and implementing a payment plan for 2020 property taxes. Once it’s in place, the Treasurer will reach out to those who are delinquent on the first half tax bill to offer a payment plan. 

The King County Treasurer will also look into the feasibility of covering the fees of third-party vendors that cover the cost of payment administration. The goal of the plan is to help property taxpayers who are suffering financial hardship specifically caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 30, King County extended the due date for the first half of 2020 property taxes from April 30 to June 1, 2020. Since then, economic activity in King County has plummeted and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to 15.8%, according to the Employment Security Department’s April report. 

As of June 11, 46,000 people were delinquent on their 2020 property tax payments, which amounts to a 28% increase from 2019.



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COVID-19 response prompts another $86M in emergency funding from county

County councilmember Rod Dembowski

The King County Council has approved a third round of emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Councilmember Rod Dembowski stated “This supplemental budget prioritizes emergency health, housing and food security investments in response to COVID-19. 
"I thank our federal delegation for its hard work to secure these funds. They have proven essential to combat the pandemic and address its economic impacts.”

Adopted unanimously Tuesday afternoon, the $86.2 million supplemental omnibus budget provides funding for a variety of programs, headlined by a $12 million increase for food security, rental assistance, homeless services and a variety of measures to boost social programs and address structural racism.

The budget also includes millions to support digital equity in K-12 schools and further invest in behavioral health issues that have skyrocketed during the pandemic. The proposal also includes a provision to supply Metro buses with face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19. A full copy of the budget is attached.

“Because of COVID-19, families, communities, workers and businesses across King County are hurting health wise, emotionally and financially,” said King County Council Budget Chair Jeanne Kohl-Welles. 
“This spending package is aimed at providing relief to their urgent needs and from the economic fallout caused by the pandemic. It also will help position our County to bounce back once the crisis is behind us. 
"And, importantly, the funding is targeted to support historically disadvantaged communities that have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic – an important step to take if we are to dismantle and disrupt racism in our communities once and for all.”

The Council first approved $27.4 million in the first COVID-19 emergency funding measure in March and another $62.9 million was approved in mid-May. As with prior measures, King County expects much of the emergency spending to be reimbursed by state and federal funds.



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Dembowski delivers potatoes and onions to the Senior Center

Saturday, May 16, 2020

County Councilmember Rod Dembowski and Senior Center
Director Theresa LaCroix with potatoes and onions
Photo courtesy Senior Center


King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski delivered 600 lbs of potatoes and onions to the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center through the USDA Program coordinated with Frog Farmer in Woodinville.

Center Executive Director Theresa LaCroix says "This helps keep our Community Dining program going to feed seniors staying home and staying safe!" 

The Senior Center is currently preparing, packing, and delivering hot meals on a daily basis and weekly bags of groceries with breakfast meals and staples for shut-in seniors.



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County budget update from Councilmember Dembowski

Monday, May 4, 2020

King County
Councilmember Rod Dembowski
County Budget Update
From newsletter of Councilmember Rod Dembowski

As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, please know that we are working diligently to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on our health and economy. 

The County budget is not immune to the economic downturn created by COVID-19, but federal funds and creative use of some of our dedicated funds will provide us with some flexibility to support our residents, businesses, and service providers. Here is a brief update:

  • King County has spent over $50 million on acquiring, siting, leasing, and constructing emergency response facilities
  • The County is seeking partial reimbursement of the $50 million through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State funds 
  • The County anticipates receiving $262 million in Federal CARES Act funds, and the County Council and County Executive are working together on a plan for how to disburse these funds 
  • The Council is also partnering with the Executive on emergency supplemental appropriations for grants to:
    • tourism, arts, science, live music, arts education, and youth homelessness by accelerating distribution of lodging tax funds*
    • small businesses
    • outreach to organization serving populations on the frontlines of the outbreak
  • The County’s Budget Director Dwight Dively reports that the County’s investments are doing well and the County has had no defaults and sees no current risk of defaults 

*The lodging tax is a dedicated fund authorized by Washington State. It allows counties and cities to impose an excise tax of two percent on the sales of or charge made for the furnishing of lodging for periods of less than 30 consecutive days. 

The tax is applied to a variety of lodgings, including motels, RV parks and summer camps. Also known as the hotel/motel tax, in King County, this revenue has most recently been used to fund regional sports stadiums, housing, and arts and culture.

With the last of CenturyLink Field debt paid off by 2020, by ordinance, King County can use the funds to also support tourism promotion and programs that help homeless youth. 

Investing in the region’s tourism industry, to help it bounce back after the health crisis has passed, will ensure the hotel/motel tax revenue remains strong in the future. It is essential to protect this source of revenue so the County can continue to invest funds in much needed housing.

The County’s Budget Director is providing regular updates to the Council. You can watch his April 21 update here.


Rob Dembowski represents north end cities on the King county council, including Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, portions of north Seattle



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Dembowski: Property tax deadline extended to June 1

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Property tax deadline extended to June 1

From King county councilmember Rod Dembowski:

In response to the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, individual King County property taxpayers will have extra time to make their first-half property tax payments in 2020. 

King County extended the first-half property tax deadline to June 1 for individual taxpayers; specifically, the order applies only to individual residential and commercial taxpayers who pay property taxes themselves. 

Banks and other financial institutions that pay property taxes on behalf of their customers must still meet the April 30 deadline. Taxpayers with questions about their property tax bill or payment options can email King County Treasury or call 206-263-2890.

Earlier this month, I joined a broad coalition of King County leaders requesting such an extension. I will continue to look for ways to mitigate the financial hardship caused by this pandemic. 

If you missed any of my earlier updates, please know we have been compiling resources to help people with financial needs during this unprecedented time. You can find all of the resources on the King County Council website, including options to download each page as a PDF if you would like to share it with others or keep it handy.

Rod Dembowski represents north end cities on the King County council, including Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.



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COVID-19 update from County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

Tuesday, March 24, 2020


Rod Dembowski represents north end cities on the King county council, including Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore


As the COVID-19 emergency continues, I wanted to share with you highlights of the work King County is doing, the impact on our operations and opportunities for assistance. There are a number of updates below on these issues. 

Additionally, we received more news Monday during Governor Jay Inslee’s news conference. You can watch the livestream here or read his statement here

I’ve been working to identify locations in North King County to site additional Isolation, Treatment and Recovery Centers. The most notable site has been in Shoreline. In partnership with the City of Shoreline and the school district, I identified a workable field hospital site last Monday. In one week, King County has constructed temporary structures that will support a 200 bed facility. 

The Shoreline Area News has additional details here and here is the letter I wrote to constituents asking for their support for the field hospital. The county has a goal of bringing 3000 beds online to relieve pressure from our hospitals, making sure that we have capacity for those most in need.

I’ve also been working on efforts to support small businesses and individuals who have lost their sources of income. Many elected leaders throughout the region joined my letter to the Governor asking for enhanced unemployment benefits, cash assistance, and support for small businesses. Some of these measures have already been implemented.

Along with my colleagues, we are partnering with the tourism and cultural sectors, which have been especially devastated by the necessary public health orders. We are working hard to ensure that our cultural, arts, and heritage institutions survive this unprecedented situation, and that our tourism businesses will be ready to rebound.

Thank you for doing your part to combat this infectious disease by staying home and respecting recommended distances from others when you need to head out.

If you need help, please reach out.

Best wishes,
Rod Dembowski
King County Councilmember

METRO AND SOUND TRANSIT FARES DISCONTINUED AND CHANGES TO SCHEDULES
Metro and Sound Transit ended fare collections on Saturday, March 21st. This means riders will not be required to pay fares when riding any King County Metro or Sound Transit service. Passengers will also now be directed to board and exit at rear doors, reserving front door access for customers using mobility devices or who require use of the boarding ramp.

Metro and Sound Transit have reduced service on some routes. You can find out more information about the changes here.

As the new schedules roll out, buses may be running less often, during fewer hours, and/or be canceled. As such, Metro is encouraging riders to text their bus stop ID # to 62550 for to find out when the next bus will arrive.

WHITE HOUSE DECLARES MAJOR DISASTER IN WASHINGTON STATE

On Sunday, Gov. Jay Inslee shared that President Trump had declared a major disaster in Washington as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The declaration grants the state’s request for assistance with crisis counseling and training to address the impact of the outbreak on the mental health of affected Washingtonians. Other disaster assistance programs requested in Inslee’s letter remain under review by the White House, including expanded unemployment assistance and basic food benefits.

GOV. INSLEE NAMES STATE DIRECTOR FOR COVID-19 HEALTH RESPONSE MANAGEMENT

Gov. Inslee also announced Sunday that he had named retired Navy Vice Admiral Raquel C. Bono as Washington state director for COVID-19 Health System Response Management. Bono is currently a senior fellow with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. As the former chief executive officer and director for the Defense Health Agency, Bono led a joint, integrated support agency that enabled all branches of the U.S. military medical services to provide health care services to those engaged in combat. She is the first woman surgeon in the military to hold the rank of vice admiral.

WASHINGTON CAMPGROUNDS CLOSED

Various state agencies on Sunday announced the closure of all state campgrounds across Washington to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Campgrounds, which include cabins, yurts and vacation houses, will remain closed through April 30.

Day-use areas and trails remain open, but due to the volume of people visiting Washington’s ocean beaches, the state is asking the public to avoid those areas. People should continue to practice social distancing when recreating outdoors.

HARBORVIEW HALL NOW A RECOVERY CENTER

King County has joined with Harborview Medical Center to plan for opening an isolation and recovery center in the county’s Harborview Hall building, located at 326 Ninth Avenue.

Harborview Hall, which is across the street from Harborview Medical Center, will be repurposed to serve as a recovery site primarily for people who do not have a home to rest and recover and who may have other health needs requiring a level of monitoring. This location will offer a very vulnerable population a safe place to recover, with onsite clinical support provided by medical center staff.

These isolation and recovery locations are all part of our continuing effort to slow the spread in our community and to preserve critical hospital beds for those with the most acute healthcare needs.

PLAYGROUNDS AND SPORTS COURTS CLOSED

King County and City of Seattle has announced we are closing playgrounds and sports courts. The closure includes playground equipment, picnic shelters, basketball and tennis courts, ballfields, and other active recreation locations. Playfields, however, remain open for walking and other non-team activities.

Parks, natural lands, regional trails, backcountry trails, and beaches where social distancing can be maintained remain open.

GET A PEEK INTO THE KENT QUARANTINE FACILITY

Thanks to a donation of food and supplies from Amazon, King County's Kent quarantine facility will now begin serving community members who can't isolate at home. Our staff produced a video about it. Get a look inside the center here.

FEDERAL TAX DEADLINE MOVED TO JULY 15th

Individual and business taxpayers will have an additional three months to file their taxes this year, as the federal government took more steps to help workers and business owners during the continuing coronavirus crisis. President Donald Trump on Friday directed the U.S. Treasury to move the filing deadline from April 15 to July 15. Filers will have the additional time to file and make payments without any penalties or fees.

REMINDER: STILL FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS FORMS

The 2020 Census is ongoing during the pandemic. The decennial count of all people residing in the United States is used to allocate public resources over the next decade along with representation in state and federal government.

People are encouraged to respond to the census by mail, phone or online. The more people respond via these options, the fewer workers will be sent out into the field later this year to conduct in-person counts. More information here: https://2020census.gov/

SPECIAL GROCERY HOURS FOR SENIORS, AT-RISK SHOPPERS

Many grocery stores across King County—including Safeway, Whole Foods, Target, and Uwajimaya—have announced special times of day where only seniors and at-risk people can shop. My staff has compiled a partial list of participating stores and hours on our website.

NEW STATE CORONAVIRUS WEBSITE

We just received word of a brand new website launched by the state that can be considered the definitive, comprehensive source for information on coronavirus. You can find links to official information from a wide range of trusted sources, including government and community services. Visit the site here.

FREE INTERNET ACCESS AND HOTSPOTS

We just learned that Comcast Xfinity WiFi hotspots across King County will be available to anyone who needs them for free. A map of free hotspot locations and info on how to connect is here. There are thousands of these hotspot locations across King County.

The company is also offering 60 days of free internet access for low-income families. To sign up, applicants can visit their website.

CULTURAL RELIEF FUND

I have been so inspired by all the artists, organizations, and individuals finding creative ways to respond to this crisis. At King County, our cultural funding agency 4Culture will be offering a Cultural Relief Fund of $1 million. Full details and timeline are not yet finalized, but I encourage visiting their COVID-19 site for details. They have also compiled a resource list for cultural organizations and practitioners which will be updated daily.

SEATTLE CHILDREN’S NEEDS DONATED MASKS

Yesterday I learned that Seattle Children’s is actively working to acquire more protective equipment for its providers, patients and caregivers. If you have access to any style of basic isolation masks they could use them.

They can accept curbside drop off of unopened boxes or bags of masks between 9am-3pm M-F at the Seattle Children’s Guild Association Office. That is located within the Seattle Children’s Administrative Building located at 6901 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

After you drop off they will get these items to the hospital; please do not drop off supplies at the hospital. Please call 206-987-7000 when you arrive and they will come out to your vehicle.

RESIDENTIAL EVICTION MORATORIUM

The Governor announced Thursday afternoon that he has instituted a statewide moratorium on residential evictions for 30 days. You can read more details on the moratorium at on Inslee’s Medium page but know that the City of Seattle has already instituted a ban on evictions, and the King County Sheriff’s Office has said it won’t enforce evictions during the continuing outbreak.

UNEMPLOYMENT WAITING PERIOD WAIVED

Inslee also announced that the state is waiving the one-week waiting period for out-of-work employees to collect unemployment benefits, retroactive to March 8.

ACTION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

To help businesses impacted by the crisis, Inslee said that up to $5 million of the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Funds will be made available as small grants to small businesses across the state to help prevent closure due to COVID-19. The state will also be able to waive penalties and late fees for certain late business tax payments, and a number of tax fees will be waived for both business owners and residents.

ESJ GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE

Locally, the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice released criteria for community-based organizations to apply for grants up to $25,000 to fund outreach, education, and community engagement in these critical areas: language access, health literacy, cultural sensitivity, community and ethnic media outreach, and anti-bias and stigma resources.

The grants are funded by $1 million that I voted to approve as part of emergency funding for the county’s COVID-19 response. You can read more information on the program here.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

If you missed any of my earlier updates please know we have been compiling resources to help people with financial needs during this unprecedented time. You can find all of the resources on the King County Council website, including options to download each page as a PDF if you would like to share it with others or keep it handy.



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From Councilmember Dembowski: Frequently Asked Questions about Isolation and Quarantine facilities in the county

Wednesday, March 18, 2020


Frequently Asked Questions – Isolation and Quarantine


What is isolation?
Isolation is used for people who are currently ill and able to spread the disease and who need to stay away from others in order to avoid infecting them.

What is quarantine?
Quarantine is for people who are not currently showing symptoms, but are at increased risk for having been exposed to an infectious disease.

Who is likely to be temporarily housed in Isolation and Quarantine sites?

Examples of people who may occupy the facilities:
  • First responders and health care workers
  • Travelers
  • People who can’t safely self-isolate or quarantine at home, e.g., a student living in a congregate dorm room
  • People experiencing homelessness

Why do we need this action?

It is critical to do all that we can to 1) reduce the spread of the illness; and 2) keep our hospital beds available for people with acute healthcare needs. Public Health has been clear that isolation and quarantine help keep the community safe by containing illness.

How many beds are available at each location?
  • Kent: 30 rooms initially. Total capacity is 84.
  • White Center: Eight modular units with four separate rooms per unit. Total: 32
  • Aurora: Six modular units with four separate rooms per unit. Total 24
  • Interbay: Room for 72 persons.

Can people bring their pets to the Isolation and Quarantine facilities?

No, but King County has made arrangements to board any pets at the Regional Animal Services of King County for the duration of a person’s stay in isolation and quarantine.

How will we decide who stays in these facilities?

Public Health-Seattle and King County will triage calls to the King County COVID Call Center and assess individual need for isolation or quarantine. They will make a determination of the need for self-isolation at home or assignment to a facility. A referral will be made by PHSKC.

How will they get there?

Transportation to and from will be provided by the most appropriate source, including ambulances or other contracted transportation providers.

How will you monitor the health of those in the facilities?

Isolation and quarantine is a proven Public Health practice, giving people a place where they can go to wait out their exposure and keep their family members safe. In most cases, isolation and quarantine monitoring is handled via regular telephone contact. Trained health and, where appropriate, behavioral health professionals will speak regularly with each person in I&Q and monitor any changes in health status and any need for additional care.

Will there be onsite medical assistance?

In most cases, health and behavioral health care will be closely monitored by phone. As the situation in our community changes, it may be necessary to make changes in our response, including the possibility of adding an onsite medical or behavioral health component.

Will there be onsite security?

Yes, there will be 24/7 onsite security at all locations and an on-site manager.

How will people get their other needs met - food, water and other supplies?

Staff will check in with every patient multiple times per day to identify any needs, including food, water, or other requests. Supplies will be delivered to their door. There will be no person-to-person contact between patients and delivery persons.

Who will provide the food?

King County is contracting with FareStart and possibly other food delivery outlets. Dietary restrictions, allergies and cultural needs will be addressed through the food options.

Will the individuals be allowed to leave the premises?

Isolation and quarantine means that you stay away from the general public. Every person will have a phone number they can call if they need anything, or if their condition changes. In addition, staff will check in with every patient multiple times per day to identify any needs. Supplies will be delivered to their door. They will have no need to go out to get anything.

Who decides when they get to leave? Will they have transportation upon departure?

Medical staff will monitor each person’s condition and make an individual determination as to when it is safe for the individual to leave the isolation and quarantine site. They will receive transportation to return to their home or shelter when they have been cleared to leave by PHSKC staff.

Why were communities not consulted in advance of siting?

Executive Constantine signed a proclamation of emergency, enabling the County to take swift measure to find locations that could house people in isolation and recovery, to maintain the effectiveness of our overall health system. In an emergency, swift action is key. The County’s real estate people identified and moved on properties that met the requirements of Public Health. We are communicating with communities in Kent, White Center, and Seattle, the first locations announced. 

We are meeting with community-based organizations, local businesses, and residents to explain the unfolding situation and to gather their questions and respond. The Executive Office and the Department of Local Services have been leading this work. We are absolutely committed to ongoing communications with our communities and our residents.

King County is in negotiations on additional properties throughout the region. This is a countywide emergency. It is not contained to one city or neighborhood, but is an emergency for our entire region. Subsequent announcements from the City of Seattle and King County have identified additional sites on land owned by the city or county. King County is continuing to explore additional sites countywide.

How will you get information to people who speak languages other than English?

The Public Health website has information available in multiple languages on the COVID-19 outbreak, including what to do if you suspect you have been exposed to the illness or are experiencing symptoms. The King County emergency appropriations ordinance includes funding for language access services, community engagement and outreach/education pertaining to the COVID-19 response.

What is the future use of these locations?

We are focused on the public health emergency and creating spaces for people to safely isolate and quarantine. Future use of any of the emergency community services locations being created now is a conversation for a future time.

How does community connect to ask questions about sites?

If there are questions that are not included in this FAQ sheet, please contact our ‘contact us’ via the dedicated subcategory on this issue at (https://blue.kingcounty.gov/about/contact/)



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