Councilmember Larry GossettCouncil District 2 516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-1002 Toll Free: 800-325-6165 TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024 Fax: 206-296-0198 Serving the communities of the Central Area, Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, the Rainier Valley, Seward Park, Skyway, UW, Fremont, Ravenna, and Laurelhurst.
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2010 King County Budget On September 28, the King County Council will begin our deliberations on the County’s 2010 budget with the delivery by the County Executive of his proposed budget. As Chair of the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, I want to encourage your participation in this budget process.
We are facing an unprecedented economic crisis in King County government. Due to the economic climate and the decrease in sales revenues, King County is facing an almost $60 million deficit in our general revenue fund, $210 million deficit in the transit fund over the next two years and financial distress to one extent or another in every county fund from parks, solid waste fund and emergency medical services fund.
Unfortunately, this economic crisis is compounded by a potential for significant and devastating flooding as a result of structural problems with the federal Howard Hansen Dam and the beginning of flu season with H1N1 (swine flu) – both of which requires increased funding and vigilance. The challenges we face with the 2010 budget and future years will require sacrifices from all of us. I especially want to commend King County employees for the continuance of excellent services in this time of crisis and for their sacrifices in addressing this deficit.
As Chair, I am committed to constructing a budget that prioritizes the health and safety of all King County residents and to protect the most vulnerable in our communities while addressing our duties mandated by our County Charter.
Click here for more information on the basics of the King County budget.
I encourage you to come to our four budget community forums and give us your suggestions and ideas on the 2010 budget
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King County’s Health Care Plan - Effective and Saves MoneyAs our nation debates the healthcare crisis in the U.S. and how to develop an effective policy, King County is implementing a cost effective approach that is resulting in a healthier work force. I invite you to read the Seattle Times editorial on this issue that Councilmember Julia Patterson, Chair of King County’s Board of Health, and I wrote. |
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Stemming Youth ViolenceAs many of you may recall, I hosted a town hall meeting on Black-on-Black violence on Juneteenth (June 19th), 2007 at Rainier Beach High School. I joined other community groups to take on this issue because the instances of violence committed by, and against Black people, had reached epidemic proportions in our region. Shortly after the town hall, the Black-on-Black Crime Prevention Coalition (BBCPC) was formed to develop a grass roots effort to organize our community in response to this issue.
Since 2007, the BBCPC has undertaken some very important work. The BBCPC played an important role in the formation of the City of Seattle’s Youth Initiative. During the last two summers, in conjunction with grants from the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods, volunteers from BBCPC have held four week-long African American Male Cultural Reeducation Academies for youth and young adults who are either gang-involved, or at high risk for gang involvement.
The academies studied issues such as distorted sense of cultural identity, internalized self-hatred, the true history of African Americans in the United States, education, entrepreneurship, cultural healing of our traumatic past, the healing between males and females in order to restore the Black family and the devastating impact of the media on the cultural self-concept of Black people. Not surprisingly, the youth participants stated that they learned things about themselves and their history that were never covered in school or any other venue.
I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers of the BBCPC for their grassroots efforts in addressing the senseless violence that continues to impact far too many of our people and communities. However, this work is not finished, and we, as a community, must continue to work to end Black-on-Black violence and other forms of violence in our region.
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2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. March and Rally Martin Luther King, Jr. County is home to one of the largest and oldest community events celebrating our national holiday in honor of Dr. King’s birthday. For over 25 years, the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, composed of dozens of grassroots, labor, business, minority, and progressive community organizations and volunteers from throughout the Puget Sound region, organizes our community's largest tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you are interested in working on this community wide event, please attend the organizing committee meetings. All meetings are held at CAMP, 722 18th Avenue (18th & Cherry) from 7-8:30 p.m.
October 6, 20
November 4, 17
December 1, 15
January 5, 12, 14
For more information contact my office at (206) 296 1002 or www.mlkseattle.org
If you have any questions, please contact my office. |
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