Budget briefsYou will find good, factual information here to set the record straight about the 2009 budget process that will help the Executive write his final 2009 budget proposal in October. We’ll make periodic updates here about how we are dealing with the projected $86.5 million budget deficit. Aug. 8, 2008The Budget Director today responded to statements made by the Sheriff in a memo to her employees. Aug. 5, 2008The worsening economy has had a very negative impact on King County's budget. In light of new information from the federal and state governments, the Budget Office now forecasts a $86.5 million deficit, up from the $68 million projected earlier this year. Read the Budget Office's 2nd Quarter report to the County Council (pdf).
July 10, 2009All departments have been given budget cut reductions
Some news stories about target budget reductions in the Sheriff’s Office erroneously state that other county departments have not been asked to make cuts. In fact, non-criminal justice departments have been asked to take on a bigger share of the projected $68 million deficit in 2009 and their targets equal or exceed the Sheriff’s targets. For example, Public Health and Community and Human Services have been asked to cut 33 percent of their general fund budgets. Criminal justice takes up 71 percent of the general fund but was asked to make reductions that will cover only 56 percent of the deficit. The other agencies that make up only 30 percent of the general fund have been asked to cover 46 percent of the deficit.
June 27, 2008How much has the King County workforce grown in the last few years?
The workforce has been at or slightly more than 13,000 Full Time Equivalents (FTE) since the year 2000. Most years saw a combination of FTE reductions in some departments and additions in others, depending on work programs. For example, in 2002 and in 2005 a majority of departments took a cut in FTEs. However, in 2005 Public Health, Transportation and Community services increased FTEs. In 2008 the county budgeted for 13,998 FTEs, an increase of 638 FTEs from 2007 authorized levels. A majority of the increase is an additional 343 FTEs to expand transit service after voter approval of the Transit Now sales tax, 95 new FTEs in Public Health; 38 new FTEs in Adult and Juvenile Detention; 38 new FTEs in the Sheriff’s Office and 33 FTEs for the new Flood Control District. Two departments had cuts in FTEs in 2008: the Department of Development & Environmental Services (DDES) and Internal Support and Grants. The workforce at DDES decreased seven of the last eight years and is now at 231 FTEs compared to 374 FTEs in 2000. June 19, 2008
Jail update—Great work going on in Adult and Juvenile Detention where managers have proposed generating new revenue to replace some of the $8.9 million potential cut from their budget by renting jail beds to the state. This would include money to add 26 new corrections officers in addition to the 32 officers being added now in 2008. The department will not lower standards for a safe and secure facility so is exploring innovations that help meet the budget target while maintaining their core standards. Managers are working with the prosecutor and judges to review and streamline processes to ensure that the expensive jail beds to protect public safety are used in the most efficient manner. Although the overall budget development work is still underway, early projections call for very few employees to be cut among other staff. Regarding a radio advertisement paid for by the Corrections Officers Guild, there is no current shortage of jail beds and the county is in discussions with the cities about how to address jail space needs after 2012.
Executive warnings of structural deficit—Some news stories have included the allegation that the Executive “should have seen this deficit coming.” In fact, he did and warned about the structure deficit in his budget speeches for 2006, 2007 and 2008 and asked the council to join him in fiscal restraint. He also spoke of need for help from the legislature and the importance of annexations to relieve the county of unsustainable costs for urban services to residential unincorporated urban areas. The Executive and the Council jointly made additional funding from the state their legislative priority and in fact the county was successful in securing additional state funds and some help with annexations.
Why don’t we cut (fill in the blank) programs/service—Small, one-time cuts this year will not solve the structural budget problem faced every year by all counties in the state. Cutting any one program or service will not solve the on-going crisis created by a national economic downturn and a statewide cap on property taxes that prevents counties from covering costs of inflation. See a state study on funding crisis for counties. We are already a lean operation after making $137 million in cuts in the early part of this decade. We need a statewide solution for all counties. Public safety not compromised—Innovations at the jails that would not produce any public safety risk include working with our criminal justice partners (the Prosecuting Attorney, the Office of Public Defense, the Superior Court and the District Court) to collaborate and collectively work to review and streamline processes and communication to continually use the expensive jail beds to protect public safety in the most efficient manner.
Corrections Officer overtime—It is unfortunate that we’ve had to use mandatory overtime to keep the jails adequately staffed. The County Executive added 32 corrections officers to the 2008 budget to reduce the need for overtime. Because hiring of police and corrections officers is highly competitive here and across the nation, we are engaged in an unprecedented, aggressive recruitment strategy to get qualified candidates. Some officers are already hired but we will not lower our standards just to fill the other positions. The Executive plans to add another 26 officers in 2009 if negotiations with the state to rent another 200 inmate beds are successful.
Do we pay royalties for the new MLK logo—No. Some people are under the mistaken belief that we pay money to the King Family for the new King County logo. We do not. The logo is original artwork commissioned by the county and the county is not using the image for commercial purposes, therefore, we do not pay any royalty fee for the logo. In the past we have paid a few hundred dollars to use copyrighted images of Dr. King for the national holiday celebrating MLK’s birthday.
Public safety is a priority—The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention and the office of Public Defense are the only criminal justice agencies in the Executive Branch. The Executive and jail managers have vowed to meet budget targets without compromising the core mission of providing safe and secure facilities. The Prosecutor, the Sheriff and Presiding Judges are separately elected and have made their proposals for meeting budget targets. We are collaborating with them to possibly streamline processes and communication to produce efficiencies that reduce costs.
Public health and social services are a priority but called ‘discretionary’ in budget discussions. The Executive considers public health and social services essential to the well-being of the people of King County. He has made public health and social services a priority and in past budgets has increased funding from the county’s general fund to replace reduced state and federal funding. The Executive also worked with other counties in Olympia to increase state funding for public health and social services. While the county considers these services essential, the state doesn’t mandate these services like it does police, jails, courts, prosecutors and public defenders. See link to recent budgets. It gets back to the statewide problem facing all counties where revenue sources are not keeping up with inflation and new needs.
No budget decisions made yet—the budget deficit is so large, we are engaged in an open, transparent process to discuss the options and the long-called for need for a state solution to a structural deficit that the Executive has been warning of for four years. Departments will submit proposed budgets to the Executive in July, which the Executive will review and make his final budget proposal to council in October. The council will review and vote on a final budget the last week of November.
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