Norm Maleng Award

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Eastside Rail Corridor

On March 30 we celebrated one of the greatest treasures to be acquired by regional hands--the Eastside Corridor. Regional partners, through the work of the Regional Advisory Committee are working together to provide coordinated opportunities for our region’s future uses of the corridor.

Literally and figuratively, King County’s portion will not only provide a link to recreational opportunities between cities and our trail network, but it preserves the opportunity to connect people with jobs and services throughout the eastern side of the county.

There are so many people to thank for their role in making this moment possible, and many more to thank as we move forward.  We owe the Port of Seattle a booming “thank you” for making this corridor preservation possible. If they had not preserved the corridor, we would not be standing here today.  Also, it is important to recognize the partnership demonstrated by the cities of Kirkland and Redmond, Sound Transit, and Puget Sound Energy who are serving on a newly formed group that is working to coordinate planning efforts of the various owners along the corridor.    We also want to thank the cities along the corridor who have expressed a strong interest in working with King County and this new ownership group on all of our collective planning efforts.

I am excited about the importance and massive potential of this corridor. Let us move forward, together, as we and take full advantage of this resource for benefit of the region. The Eastside Rail Corridor preservation is crown jewel to celebrate both for today and for the tremendous benefits it will provide for generations to come.

The Regional Advisory Committee continues to meet.  Read information on upcoming meetings and agenda and meeting notes.

 Annual reorganization begins with appointment of Management Team, Committee Chairs

As part of its annual reorganization, the Metropolitan King County Council today gave its unanimous support to a 2013 Council leadership team that will be led by Councilmember Larry Gossett. Gossett, who will serve a third consecutive year as Council Chair, will be joined by Councilmember Jane Hague, who will be Vice Chair of Regional Coordination and Councilmember Julia Patterson as Vice Chair of Policy Development and Review.

“This Council is clearly placing an important emphasis on regional affairs by appointing me Council Vice Chair of Regional coordination,” said Hague. “In the spirit of the strategic plan, leading the charge on building lasting regional partnerships will be an exciting leadership role for me in 2013, especially my focus on long-term planning for the Eastside Rail Corridor.”

As the Council’s Management Team, the Chair and Vice-Chairs work together to set the agendas for meetings of the Council and Committee of the Whole and coordinate the referral and scheduling of legislation. Read more

Eastside Rail Corridor

The King County Council unanimously adopted legislation to purchase a large portion of the Eastside Rail Corridor (ERC) and establish an ERC Regional Advisory Council. The action brings to a close nearly a decade of regional collaboration to bring the corridor into public ownership.

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Donate Metro bus tickets to those in need

Chair Gossett joined me in a “Public Service Announcement” to ask residents to donate Metro bus tickets to those in need.  When you renew tabs for your car, your household will be eligible to receive eight Metro Transit bus tickets.  Please consider donating the tickets to support low-income residents.  you renew your tabs in person or on-line you will receive a form inviting you to donate your passes.  Fill it out and the tickets will be distributed to people who depend on buses for transportation.

Council unanimously adopts 2013 County Budget

After seven weeks, four public meetings, and over a dozen Budget Committee meetings, we have unanimously adopted the 2013 King County Budget—a spending plan that continues to meet the needs of County residents while making strategic investments for King County’s future.

The adopted $7.6 billion budget includes a $685 million General Fund Budget, of which 73 percent is directed toward public safety and criminal justice programs. Even as the County continues to feel the effect of the Great Recession, the adopted budget will maintain the County’s AAA bond rating by not using the County’s cash reserves or tapping the rainy day fund.

It incorporates the goals of the King County Strategic Plan, maintains a commitment to equity and social justice, and continues the County’s efforts to provide services in an efficient and cost effective manner. Read more

Read the adopted 2013 King County budget (PDF)

My focus this year was to see how all of the efforts we made county-wide for strategic planning were evident in the budget for 2013.  As a budget leadership team, we studied the Executive's proposal carefully and looked for positive changes to the budget based on public testimony. I'm proud to say that two words rose to the top, for me, in regards to this budget. They were: efficient and caring. When it came right down to it, in every budget line item we reviewed, we looked for what made sense - how things could be done more efficiently for the purposes of maximizing service to the residents of King County.  The other lens for viewing the budget was how the use of taxpayer dollars cared for people in our community.  Whether it is how well our system processes people through the criminal justice system or its how well we care for youth on the brink of being pulled into human trafficking-- this budget shows our value of caring for our community.

Above and beyond loggerhead elections, party politics, devastating storms and economic hardships - we are a community of people.  We are not only Americans; we are the residents of Bellevue, Seattle, Auburn, and Shoreline and beyond. We all live in King County but we have diverse needs.  And, as a community, we are only as strong as our most challenged member.  Like each family in our community, the decisions we have to make as elected leaders are difficult because resources are limited and we have to make tough choices between services.  Yet, often times when we have had to reduce or cut or add back a service in limited quantities, these decisions aren’t just numbers on a page – they are the faces of people in our community.

I am proud to say that despite these tough economic times, this council has always found a way to scrape together a few dollars to support victims of the most disruptive crimes; we have continued to support organizations that fight domestic violence, sexual assault and - this year in particular - human trafficking.  And so we have asked for performance measures and ongoing efficiencies, but we also asked for how we can care for our employees, and for the most troubled and abused in our county.  A great example of the financial common sense side of our work this year was to request that the Prosecuting Attorney to lead a cross-jurisdictional work group of county criminal justice agencies that will review how they work together and where they can find more savings. Another example is the detective we chose to fund in the Sheriff’s Office.  I look forward to these great minds coming out of their departments and spending focused time together to understand even more than they do, how they affect each other’s work and uncover ways to save money system wide.

We are all beginning to hear more and more about the massive worldwide problem that is human trafficking.  So, as we heard of the need for some more shelter beds for victims of human trafficking, we asked how coordination was occurring between private agencies, the county Sheriff, city police chiefs and the FBI.  We know that SeaTac is a major gateway to sneaking human trafficked youth to other countries where they are sure to be lost forever.  We found out that there was not one single point of contact in King County for all of these stakeholders and we decided to fund a detective in the Sheriff’s Office who would be solely focused on creating coordinated effort in King County to fight modern day slavery.  This is where we make a value judgment of caring for those who do not have a voice and are on the verge of or trying to escape slavery for life.

This year's budget leadership team recognized these needs, responded to requests in public testimony and maximized the resources available to meet as many needs as possible.  I believe this budget stands up to the test of fiscal responsibility and respect and care for all who reside within county borders. We are one King County. 

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This is not the time to raise rates beyond inflation

The Metropolitan King County Council on September 24 set a two-year rate for the county’s solid waste system. Council Vice Chair Jane Hague voted against the ordinance, saying now is not the time to ask ratepayers for increased fees.   “I did not support this increase as it is over 10 percent and significantly above inflation while tonnage has dropped by 20 percent,” said Hague. “It’s also a 50 percent increase over the last five years.” Hague supports the outreach efforts by the County’s Solid Waste Division when setting the rate but said cities in District 6 have concerns about this increase. Without further savings and long term planning efforts, she could not support the adopted increase.  Regarding another efficiency initiative between cities and the county, Hague is hopeful continued negotiations with the 37 cities that are part of the Solid Waste Interlocal Agreement will result in long-term savings for customers.

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Council’s Budget Leadership Team to develop a 2013 Budget that integrates King County Strategic Plan

Councilmember Hague speaks during a media advisory by the Budget Leadership Team, following the County Executive's Budget Address to the Council.

“This is the second year we have used the strategic plan. While the budget has only increased half of one percent we have economized, prioritized and reformed,” said Hague. “We will provide the same services much more efficiently-we own our problems and are doing something about it.”

In 2010, the County Council adopted the King County Strategic Plan (KCSP)—a comprehensive and collaborative approach to reform County Government. Later that year, the Council adopted its Fair and Just Ordinance integrating the equity and social justice programs—which are focused on eliminating long-standing and persistent inequities and social injustices into the operations of the County. The Budget Leadership Team is committed to ensuring that the 2013 Budget Councilmembers will vote on in November will be the first in which both are an integral part of the final proposal.

As the County continues its transition to biennial budgeting, County Executive Dow Constantine today proposed a hybrid annual/biennial $7.6 billion budget. The annual spending in the proposed budget is the same as the $4.4 billion 2012 budget. The proposed budget includes a $684 million General Fund budget, three-quarters of which is targeted for law, justice and public safety services.

Council Vice Chair Jane Hague will lead the General Government Panel, which will be responsible for General Fund budgets such as Assessments and Elections, and the County’s internal service funds like Facilities Management, Human Resources and Finance.

The panels will begin their review of the Executive Proposed Budget on Wednesday, October 3. All members of the County Council serve on the Budget Committee during the annual review and adoption of the County budget. Traditionally, the Council adopts the County budget before Thanksgiving.

Also starting on Wednesday, October 3, the Budget Leadership Team will host three evening public hearings on the 2013 Executive Proposed Budget:

• Wednesday, October 3- Maleng Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 3F, 401 4th Avenue North, Kent
• Wednesday, October 10 – Bellevue City Hall, City Council Chambers , 450 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue
• Wednesday, October 17 – King County Courthouse, County Council Chambers, 10th Flr, 516 Third Avenue, Seattle

The public hearings begin at 6:30 p.m. Day-after coverage of the public hearings will be available both online and on King County TV, seen on Comcast and Broadstripe Cable Channel 22. You can also sign up to follow and comment on the deliberations through the Council’s 2012 Budget web page, Facebook and Twitter (#KCBudget).

Read more

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Regarding the arena, this is the first step of many

I voted “yes” on the current arena proposal as it is time to get started. This does not presuppose the final outcome, nor other mid-step votes--but this is a great opening salvo.

From the beginning I was concerned about the Port, our international trading partners and the impact of the agreement on our ability to maximize our port’s competitiveness.  Amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding that I sponsored or co-sponsored have built in early protections in the areas of freight mobility and economic vitality as well as road transportation for our residents, working people and businesses and, above all, in minimizing the financial risk for our citizens.

I sponsored an amendment that added a finding statement on the importance of regional partnerships and that committed us to collaborate with the Port of Seattle throughout the development and operation of the Arena.  It also encourages the City of Seattle and ArenaCo to do so.

Another amendment I co-sponsored requires ArenaCo to, at their sole cost and expense, to prepare an economic impacts analysis of the construction and operation of the arena including impacts to Port of Seattle economic activity and impacts to retail, commercial and freight transportation.  It will analyze changes in employment, wages, economic activity; effects on the region’s overall economy and plans; and the net effects on women and minority-owned businesses.  This study will be prepared by an independent consultant selected by the County and City with ArenaCo’s approval.

I also co-sponsored an amendment to clarify that a SEPA review which will result in a Final Environmental Impact Statement will incorporate a comprehensive traffic impact analysis including impacts to freight mobility and pedestrian connections between the Arena, the International District, Stadium light rail stations and Pioneer Square.

One other amendment I co-sponsored will help ensure that the county, city and ultimately our citizens look out for the interests of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Seattle Storm and their ability to play at either Key Arena or the proposed Arena.

This is the first step of many in a process that returns the agreement to the King County Council not only for final approval of the MOU but also for other required steps, including (SEPA), independent economic analysis and transactional documents.

As evidenced by the press conference and statements from Seattle City Council members, in order to “get to yes” there continues to be much work to do.  The bottom line is the door is still open on enhancing the details of this proposal--together

I remain steadfast in protecting the essential elements of this dialogue and the resulting final outcome.  Most importantly we cannot move forward at the expense of our region’s middle class jobs and its economic future.  Protecting the operation of our deep water port is critical.

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King County’s Strategic Plan

District 6 Council Member Jane Hague discusses taking the King County Strategic Plan from goals to reality with Sabrina Register on Comcast Spotlight.

Councilmember Hague and local elected officials highlight solutions to region's human trafficking problem

On January 11th King County Councilmember Jane Hague, Port of Seattle Commissioner Gael Tarleton, Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes, and Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess today recognized national Human Trafficking Awareness Day by joining together with community advocates and law enforcement leaders to announce new tools and solutions to prevent human trafficking locally. Read more

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County Council approves 2012 King County Budget

Meeting human service needs, protecting the public, addressing county roads

The Metropolitan King County Council on November 9th unanimously adopted a 2012 King County Budget that continues the Council’s proactive approach to reforming county government while protecting vulnerable populations and increasing the focus on county roads. The $5.2 billion budget includes a $650 million General Fund budget, of which 76 percent is directed toward public safety and criminal justice programs. Even in the midst of the Great Recession, the adopted budget continues to protect the County’s AAA bond rating by not using the County’s cash reserves or tapping the rainy day fund. Read more

Read more about this year’s budget process

Eastside transit speeds into the future as Metro’s RapidRide B Line debuts this weekend

Council Vice Chair Jane Hague joined other regional leaders at the Crossroads Mall on September 28th, 2011 to connect Bellevue and Redmond with a new form of fast, reliable transportation – Metro Transit’s RapidRide B Line. The B Line travels between the Bellevue and Redmond transit centers, both located in the downtown core of those cities.  The distinctive red-and-yellow buses are energy efficient, low-emission hybrid vehicles with low floors and three doors for easier, faster boarding.
Read more. View more photos.

Councilmembers Hague and Lambert create breakthrough agreement with Council to fund transit

Council Vice Chair Jane Hague and Councilmember Kathy Lambert, District 3, stood with King County Executive Dow Constantine as they announced agreement on a proposal to fund Metro Transit services for the next two years through a $20 Congestion Reduction Charge.  “This is a very different legislative package from what was initially proposed,” said Councilmember Hague.  “This deal offers real reform.  It cuts waste, creates jobs, and provides equity to the Eastside. It is important that we keep people moving while reforming Metro.”  Read more.
View PDF of original proposal vs. agreement.

Council adopts Operational Strategic Plan

The Council on March 14th approved an Operational Strategic Plan that will guide the Council for the next five years.  The adopted plan calls for the development of identifiable measures that can be monitored and presented in quarterly reports to the public.  Based on the framework of the larger Countywide King County Strategic Plan that was adopted last year, the top priorities are to protect and enhance the quality of life, financial stability, and accountability. Despite it only being the second year of implementation, we are already seeing results. The Council has made considerable strides towards fiscal sustainability and countywide operational improvements. Read more

Legislative update

Search for recent legislation I have sponsored