Metropolitan King County Council
516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-296-1000
Toll Free: 800-325-6165
TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024
Fax: 206-296-0198

council@kingcounty.gov
Banner with councilmember headshots

Budget Process

Development and Adoption of the King County Budget

As a government that sets priorities and funds programs consistent with those priorities, the King County Council works year-round to develop the annual King County Budget.

After the Council receives the Executive Proposed Budget in mid-October, all nine Councilmembers begin meeting as the Annual Budget Committee and hold four public hearings on the Executive's proposal. For six intensive weeks, Councilmembers and staff scrutinize the details in budget proposal to find the greatest efficiencies and ensure the public's priorities are met.

The final Council spending plan, frequently referred to as the "budget striker," strikes out the language of the Executive's proposal and replaces it with the final ordinance the Council intends to adopt. Final Council adoption usually occurs on the last Monday before Thanksgiving.

BUDGET TIMELINE

July

County departments and general fund agencies submit their budget proposals to Executive's Budget Office

Council transmits Citizen Budget Priorities to Executive

August

Executive and his budget staff meet with agencies to resolve outstanding budget issues

September

Executive makes final decision on budget proposals for departments and general fund agencies

mid-October

Executive presents his proposed budget to Council

mid- to late-October

Council holds four public hearings on Executive Proposed Budget

early November

Council Budget Committee thoroughly examines and amends the budget proposal

mid-November


late November

Budget Committee prepares final Council budget ("budget striker")

Council adopts King County Budget (usually the Monday before Thanksgiving)

December

Executive signs  King County Budget

Supplemental budgets
Four times a year, in the normal course of business, the Council and the Executive revisit the current year's adopted budget to make mid-course corrections, whether to shift monies from one fund to another to provide for the unexpected, to make supplemental appropriations as needed, to provide authority to spend funds that are carried over from previous years, or to simply make technical corrections. These quarterly actions, when adopted by the Council, are known as omnibus ordinance.