Executive Sims Proposed 2007 Budget address to the King County Council- King County

Executive Sims Proposed 2007 Budget address to the King County Council

Monday, Oct. 16, 2006 at 1:30 p.m.

Exec Sims Proposed 2007 Budget

Mr. Chair, Honored members of the Council, Prosecutor Maleng, Sheriff Rahr, Presiding Judge Trickey, Presiding Judge Harn, Mayor John Wise of Enumclaw, Mayor Kathy Keolker of Renton, Presidents and Council members of our Unincorporated Area Councils, Ladies and gentlemen. People of King County.

Thank you for being here. I am once again honored to come before you to present my proposed budget for the upcoming year:

Every budget is a powerful index of society's values. It is not merely in the language and numbers. It is the lived experience of our people, families, and businesses.

But the numbers are telling.

Today I propose a nearly $4 billion dollar investment that continues the conservative fiscal policies that have served us so well.

This is a budget with modest increases in services and a dramatic commitment in roads, sewers, trails, facilities and open space.

This is a budget that:

Protects public health and safety,
Embodies fiscal discipline
and invests in the future of King County

This budget:

funds the public safety needs of the region, including the most critical recommendations of the Sherriff's Blue Ribbon Panel
keeps the doors open to all ten public health clinics,
upgrades bridges throughout King County and Vashon Island's crumbling seawalls putting roads at risk
protects our water quality with our biggest sewage construction program in 40 years, and
adds more than 1200 acres of open space and 16 miles of new and improved regional trails

Last year I pronounced us a county transformed. And we are.….

We have more than 13,000 of the finest public servants in the nation. I thank each and every one of you for the important role you have played in our transformation.

We have made tremendous progress over our financial struggles since the turn of the century. King County residents have walked together, one step at a time towards growth, learning, and prosperity.

We share a vision and values that define excellence in public service: values such as fiscal discipline and innovation; values that include this government's willingness to take responsibility by investing in the infrastructure of our future.

Fiscal discipline

You know, I have been an elected official in this county for more than 20 years, and I can tell you, without hesitation, that practicing fiscal discipline is the foundation of good governance.

Last year, I was proud to announce that for the first time in our governments history, King County achieved the highest possible bond rating—a triple-A rating—from all three of the major bonding agencies. I am equally proud to tell you today that those triple-A ratings remain intact.

These ratings are more than just an affirmation of our excellent credit and sound management practices. These ratings save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest payments every year.

And the same sound financial practices that have produced these first class financial results are woven throughout this year's budget.

Wastewater bond upgrade

In April of this year, King County's sewer revenue bonds were upgraded by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services from double-A-minus to double-A. This increase in rating is most significant as we continue to finance our Brightwater plant and the rest of the Regional Wastewater Services Plan.

Investment pool rating

In 2005 the King County Investment Pool became the first local government pool in Washington State to be rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services. It received the highest credit rating. Because of this rating, the 100 participants in the County Pool enjoy important benefits including fiscal peace-of-mind. And because the ratings are public, they give King County an incentive to maintain and improve our current financial practices.

Adding to this record of fiscal prudence, our most recent bond anticipation notes have received the highest possible rating.

We are all justifiably proud of these ratings.

But maintaining them requires constant vigilance and continued sound financial planning.

Most of you remember that last year I said "the era of deficits is over." And it was. We had a balanced financial plan for 2006, 2007 and 2008.

But few remember what came next. So let me remind you. I said this:

"To make sure that era never returns we must remain vigilant and keep controlling our costs. We must reject the temptation to live beyond our means. "

I also stated that challenges remain. I said:

Nine major areas of urban King County still need to be annexed.
King County 's world class regional parks and trails system is sustained by a four year levy that ends in 2007.
Rising energy costs, led by skyrocketing gas prices, have created dramatic increases in our cost of living adjustments. If inflation continues to rise, it will threaten our long term stability.

I was also careful to note that, "Storm clouds loom over funding for our mental health system, and further federal and state cutbacks face many programs. Meeting these challenges is why we must remain vigilant … We must hold firm on controlling costs and maintaining the sound financial policies that led us here."

That is what I said last year. Unfortunately all of those storm clouds I talked about remain, and are moving closer. A potential general fund deficit looms for 2008 and beyond. This can be avoided, but only if we continue our partnership as wise stewards of the public's checkbook and avoid the temptation to consume reserves.

The problem is real. In four short months since the State of the County I have been forced to trim my Global Warming office down to one new position and divert millions set aside for Phase two of my children's health initiative to keep public health clinics open. As hard as that was, scaling back new programs was the right decision. But the Council must follow my example of fiscal discipline.

Innovation

If fiscal discipline is the foundation of good governance, then innovation is the frame that sits upon that foundation.

In King County, we view innovation as a defining character of public leadership, critical to development and growth of our vibrant economy.

Earning a reputation as "the living lab of innovation" King County is home to the nation's largest wastewater hydrogen fuel cell; the first and largest fleet of articulated hybrid diesel buses; and upon completion of Brightwater, the nation's most sophisticated wastewater treatment facility.

We are the largest purchaser of bio-fuels in the state and our commitment to advancing clean energy development from the rest of the nation is matched only by our desire to find new sources of clean energy within King County.

In 2007, at our Cedar Hills landfill, we will soon implement innovative sustainable energy technologies designed to capture and distribute enough methane to power nearly fifty percent of our government operations. I am also proud to report that King County recently made CIO Magazines Top 100 Innovators list for our creative work with information technology.

But King County innovation goes beyond breakthrough technical improvements or cutting-edge engineering projects.

In King County we are constantly promoting innovative ideas in asset management, financing and partnership development. Our success in these areas will help us tap unrealized opportunities and increase the value of our services.

One shining example is our recent partnership with the City of Enumclaw. We transferred ownership of the underperforming King County Fairgrounds to the City so that they could develop the land into a first class equestrian facility and expo center; a major draw for tourists visiting the Enumclaw Plateau.

In return, King County received guarantees that the fairgrounds and other properties will continue to operate as parks forever.

As a result of this innovative agreement, both the interests of the county and the city are greatly improved.

Mayor John Wise of the City of Enumclaw is with us today. I ask you to stand and be recognized for your leadership.

Harborview

There is no better example of innovative partnerships than our current proposal to improve the Harborview Medical Center complex. While increasing construction costs made completing the voter-approved project more difficult, we refused to go back to the ballot for more money. Instead, in collaboration with Harborview, the University of Washington, and the County Council, we have developed a proposal to complete and expand the Harborview project. In effect we have turned a $30 million dollar crisis into a public-private partnership solution that is actually more responsive to Harborview and the services they provide.

Annexation

Finally, in partnership with this Council, we kicked off the Annexation Initiative in 2004 demonstrating King County's commitment to the implementation of the Growth Management Act and securing greater fiscal stability for the general fund. Both the Growth Management Act and fiscal prudence dictate that King County should continue to push for annexations of the urban unincorporated area.

Relying once again on innovative thinking, the County is doing just that. Thanks to partnerships with the suburban cities and residents, within the next few weeks I will be sending four interlocal agreements for your consideration. These agreements are for the annexation of five of the ten major urban unincorporated areas with the cities of Renton, Auburn, and Federal Way. When successfully implemented, over 100,000 urban unincorporated residents will have transitioned to join these three cities.

Therefore I urge the Council to renew the Annexation Initiative and to maintain the ten million dollar annexation reserve. Because in 2007, we will need it.

The City of Renton has the largest number of unincorporated residents in its Potential Annexation Area, totaling 65,000.

I would like to recognize Renton Mayor Kathy Keolker for her leadership and partnership with our efforts in annexation. When annexation is complete, the City of Renton could be the second largest city in King County. Facilitating annexation has taken great effort as it represents fundamental change for both the annexing cities and our urban residents. Thank you, Mayor Keolker, for taking on the task.

Investing in our infrastructure

As evidenced by this work, King County is living the values of fiscal discipline and innovation. But living these values alone is not enough.

No matter how disciplined and innovative we become, ultimately, the success of public leadership will be defined not only by how we act today, but also by how we plan for tomorrow.

Unfortunately, as we look across the landscape of our great nation, it becomes increasingly apparent that our federal government is not prioritizing our public resources to lay the foundation for a better future.

Looking across this great nation, it is troubling to learn about our decaying transportation, energy, water and wastewater systems.

This summer, I was frustrated to read that the pipeline continuing to fuel our nation with Alaskan oil was neither secure nor safe -- but corroded and failing. While frustrating, this development was an apt metaphor -- not only underlining the insecurity of our over-reliance on fossil fuels, but revealing once again that our infrastructure in this country is not as strong as we think.

Incredibly, our nation's bridges and locks are in similar shape, as more than one-quarter of these infrastructure priorities are either structurally deficient or outdated.

Perhaps most alarming of all, $11 billion dollars are needed annually to replace aging drinking-water facilities at the national level.

One year after it landed on the people of the gulf coast, Hurricane Katrina remains a stark example - not simply of the vulnerability of humans in the face of natural disaster, but of the vulnerability of a political system designed in many ways to react to crisis rather than prevent it.

If one believes that the infrastructure of our nation bears little relationship to our collective safety and prosperity, it is easy to look away from these collective failures of leadership.

But to those of us who know better, we cannot look away – We must look ahead.

That is why today, perhaps more than at any point in our lifetime, the defining priority of governments large and small, must be to take responsibility to invest in the infrastructure of our future.

We need to engage in the continuous process of "rebuilding" our social and physical infrastructure so that the people of this great region have the economic foundation necessary to meet the challenges of this century.

I am proud to stand before you today and tell you we are making those critical investments in the future of King County right now. This budget is evidence of that.

It starts with our longstanding commitment to clean water -- life's most essential resource.

As noted by the Water Environment Federation, "water is the basic element for a prosperous community…it fuels our national economic engine. …where clean water flows, communities grow…"

Wastewater

In short, water is life, and protecting our water quality is a measure of public leadership.

In 2007, King County will make significant investments in pumps and pipes that will benefit the region's water quality for decades to come. Wastewater treatment is the single most effective method for eliminating water pollution and protecting human health.It is also the foundation for a thriving economy and smart, well-planned growth.

I am proud that this budget contains one of the biggest capital construction efforts since the West Point and South Plant Treatment Plants were completed in the mid 1960s.

In 2007, we will invest $694 million dollars in more than a dozen major sewer improvement projects. The work will include rehabilitating aging facilities, expanding existing facilities and building new facilities such as the Brightwater treatment system. We will improve pump stations, pipes and storage facilities in Kirkland, Bellevue, Shoreline, West Seattle and Magnolia. It's the most significant upgrade of our system in 40 years providing enough capacity for the region's growing population.

And we are investing just as significantly in the rural area.

In 2007, our newly completed treatment plant in Vashon will be up and running and we continue construction on a new treatment plant in the City of Carnation. This will replace failing septic systems that are creating health hazards, protect the environment and revitalize the community, allowing the city to pursue its growth plans while protecting rural areas from sprawl.

Our investments to ensure a clean water future are comprehensive and meaningful. But these are not the only critical priorities you will find in this budget.

In 2007, King County continues its commitment to protect, maintain and expand its core transportation priorities from roads to trails, from seawalls to bridges.

These are the routes we travel to get to work and to go out and play. But they are more than just routes; they are the arteries through which the lifeblood of our economic and social activities flow.

Roads and bridges

We will address major vulnerabilities in our region's transportation system.

On Vashon Highway, a thirty-two-hundred-foot section of seawall that supports the roadway along Quartermaster Harbor is failing. This budget includes a six-year financial plan to invest $17 million in the safety of this highway, providing island residents access to two ferry terminals and a critical link to the rest of the region.

We will begin a $16 million dollar program to accelerate the replacement of 57 aging short-span bridges. High priority bridges will now be re-constructed within 10 years, rather than 20.

The new longer bridges will span the rivers using modern techniques to reduce maintenance and protect the environment. Better design means better flow, less debris, and reduced flooding during heavy rainstorms.

Parks and trails

The commitment to invest in the foundation of our future is just as evident in our region's parks and trails system.

The 2007 Parks CIP budget dedicates over $8 million dollars –nearly 50 percent of the entire Parks capital budget -- to preserve and expand the county's regional trails. Significant investments will also be made to restore the aging surfaces of our most heavily used trails such as the Burke Gilman and Snoqualmie Valley Trails.

We are embarking on the master planning process to complete the 11-mile East Lake Sammamish Trail, to expand the Green River Trail and the Enumclaw Plateau Trail.

In King County we recognize that trails not only enhance our quality of life, they add economic benefits by increasing property values and attracting new business.

In 2007, King County and its many partners will continue to make the necessary investments to ensure that our world-class trails and parks remain that way.

Our innovative, award-winning Parks business plan continues to help stabilize parks financially and operationally. The plan has generated millions of dollars of new entrepreneurial partnerships and sponsorships. Just this week we received news that Group Health has agreed to extend its naming rights package for the Velodrome at Marymoor Park for another two years. This will bring in $230,000 dollars for the parks system.

Technology

I am proud to report that King County is making critical investments in a different kind of infrastructure as well; regional information systems and its supporting technology.

King County is leading the way in many technology arenas – including public safety and justice, emergency communications, protections of private information, improving our health and business development.

Since the adoption of the county's first Strategic Technology Plan in 2003, we have implemented an array of technology solutions to provide better service to the public.

As a result, this year alone we have earned four national awards, including the CIO Magazine Top 100 Innovators award; a Digital Government Achievement Award; a Digital Education Achievement Award and our website was rated second in the nation among metropolitan regions.

The cutting edge projects outlined in this year's budget include our public safety and justice initiative. This will allow wireless transmissions of computer data so officers in the field have instant access to criminal information. Officers will know what they may face before they arrive on the scene.

In September, the citizens of the County voted to renew the Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) levy which provides over $5.6 million dollars in 2007 to improve technology used to solve crimes. This new technology will serve to protect our citizens and let criminals know that if you choose to break the law in King County you will be held accountable. I'd like to thank Sheriff Rahr and other law enforcement leaders for their hard work on the levy campaign.

The County will also continue to invest and expand the King County Regional Video Services network which allows instant, reliable face-to-face meetings between county, local, and state officials in case of an emergency.

Video coverage from helicopters will now be shared instantaneously among Emergency Operation Centers in our neighboring counties; an incredibly useful tool during an emergency.

The list goes on.

The point, however, is clear.

As evidenced this budget, King County is committed to investing in our region's technology to provide for a prosperous future.

Public Health

Finally, no talk of investments is complete without outlining our efforts to support the health and welfare of our people.

In 2007, King County is making unprecedented investments in healthcare and emergency preparedness.

Sometimes investment means taking a stand for those who do not always have the power of the bully pulpit. Most recently, I refused to turn my back on the most vulnerable, when I refused to close the door on public health clinics in the Northgate and Northshore areas.

Together these facilities received about 75,000 visits a year. Many of those visitors are the uninsured, who now total nearly 16 percent of our adult population; a record number. It's a leading sign of a health care system that is failing those in need, and it 's why we can't afford to neglect these residents.

These clinics are an important part of a local public health network that protects and improves our community 's health.

Many of these essential Public Health services, such as preventing large outbreaks of dangerous, infectious diseases, protect us all every day. Other clinics reach those in most need. But as a community, all of us are made healthier and more secure because of the services these clinics provide

The lack of funding for our clinics is more evidence of the alarming trend in public health funding today. While the County's total current expense contribution to public health has increased more than $13 million dollars since 2003 -- an 80% increase -- the state and federal shares are receding. As a result, Washington State today ranks 44th in funding for public health.

Clearly, we must do better.

That is why I am keeping clinic doors open through June while we work with the legislature to help all counties in the State of Washington meet the funding crisis in public health.

The fragile state of our health care system is taking an especially heavy toll on our children: in 2004, 16,000 of our young ones were uninsured.

That's unconscionable.

King County is stepping up to fill this gap by funding Phase One of the Children's Health Initiative. We are investing one million dollars in outreach services to sign up 8,000 children who are eligible for insurance but do not have it. Not only will this help the most vulnerable among us, it will also bring millions of dollars of federal and state funds back to the public and private clinics of King County.

Although I have been unable to fund Phase Two in 2007, I will continue to work with public and private partners to find a way to create an innovative health insurance program in 2008 that will serve as a learning model for the rest of the state.

The plight of our most vulnerable is just an indicator of the growing crisis affecting our entire health care system. If left unchanged, an injury to one will soon transform into an injury to all. That is why King County has taken a leadership position in crafting lasting reforms that are beginning to resonate throughout our region and across the country.

Sustained progress on health reform will require an investment strategy that includes the entire Puget Sound region. That is why I commend this council for its approval of funds to help the Puget Sound Health Alliance assemble information in one location to create a regional quality comparison report.

These comparison reports will be available to all alliance members and the public. They will herald a new era of transparency for our health care delivery system and will provide the foundation for markedly improving quality.

My budget contains the second year of funding for this critical effort.

While we work to reform health care delivery for the long run, we must also remain vigilant about preparing for sudden emergencies.

Recently, the County Council approved our comprehensive Pandemic Flu Preparedness plan, including enough antiviral medication—when combined with existing federal stockpiles—to cover 25% of the population. We are one of the very first local jurisdictions in the nation to reach that mark.

As part of this investment the county is collaborating with our region's hospitals, medical centers and clinics to enhance and expand our ability to treat large numbers of patients in need of emergency medical care during a pandemic.

We are also actively coordinating with fire departments, paramedics, and other EMS providers to ensure our system will be fully operational during such an emergency.

Homelessness

The County is also actively engaged in making the investments necessary to assist the thousands of people who will go to sleep tonight without a home.

I am proud to serve as co-chair of the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness with my friend Dan Brettler who is here today. This summer we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. Dan please stand and be recognized for your great work.

We published our first progress report, where we formalized plans to renovate and construct more than 1,300 housing units, integrated with supportive services.

In our 2007 budget, King County will provide funding for homeless housing and supportive services totaling $45 million dollars, including $18.2 million in capital funds for housing.

This was a collaborative effort. To date, 11 cities and the Suburban Cities Association have endorsed the Ten-Year Plan, with votes pending in several other cities.

There are many examples of our local cities working to find solutions. One really exciting development comes from the City of Duvall. Working with Friends of Youth and Hopelink, the City of Duvall has waived its permitting fees to help lower the cost of developing a new social service center that will include 8 housing units for homeless families. This is an incredible contribution.

The faith community is heavily involved in the plan. More than 50 communities of faith have endorsed the Ten-Year Plan and more are joining every week.

I would like to recognize Governing Board member Sandy Brown, Executive Director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, and Bill Kirlin-Hackett of the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness for their efforts to build community and provide shelter. I would also like to recognize David Okimoto of the United Way which has played such an important role in this work.

We have made amazing progress. Together we will continue to make real differences in people's lives and in the livability of our communities

Finally,our emphasis on investing in the economic foundation of our region does not imply we are withdrawing from our role as a national and international leader in public service.

Rather, it is just the opposite.

We look "inward" to build up our region's infrastructure so that we can increase our capacity to share information and engage in collective action – in essence to build bridges-- with our neighbors and partners across the world, in the hope of improving quality of life for all people.

Nairobi

Recently I had the privilege of traveling to Nairobi, Kenya at the invitation of a leading environmental organization dedicated to organizing the communities of the world to both fight against, and prepare for, global climate change.

I went with the hope of sharing our experiences in King County so that, in some modest way, we can serve as a beacon of light along their road to development.

I spoke of our sound business practices, fiscal discipline and transparency; our environmental safeguards, conservation of forests and clean air and water policies to name a few;

And after I spoke, I listened. And I experienced how a nation that has so little can do so much. I saw a future of Africa where courageous leaders had the vision and the will to make the critical resource decisions that must be made today—to ensure a better quality of life for tomorrow.

I was proud to represent King County, and equally proud to know that because of the excellence of our work, King County can be a part of that future.

I take great pride in the budget that is before you today. It maintains that excellence.

Thank you

King County Executive, Ron Sims County news Executive initiatives Speeches Excellence in Government Executive offices Biography Contact information King County Executive Office Ron Sims, King County Executive 701 Fifth Ave. Suite 3210 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-4040 Fax: 206-296-0194 TTY Relay: 711	KING COUNTY HOME \| NEWS \| SERVICES \| DIRECTORY \| CONTACT King County Executive, Ron Sims Prepared Remarks of Executive Sims You're in: King County Executive, Ron Sims » Speeches print Executive Sims Proposed 2007 Budget address to the King County Council Monday, Oct. 16, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. Mr. Chair, Honored members of the Council, Prosecutor Maleng, Sheriff Rahr, Presiding Judge Trickey, Presiding Judge Harn, Mayor John Wise of Enumclaw, Mayor Kathy Keolker of Renton, Presidents and Council members of our Unincorporated Area Councils, Ladies and gentlemen. People of King County. Thank you for being here. I am once again honored to come before you to present my proposed budget for the upcoming year: Every budget is a powerful index of society's values. It is not merely in the language and numbers. It is the lived experience of our people, families, and businesses. But the numbers are telling. Today I propose a nearly $4 billion dollar investment that continues the conservative fiscal policies that have served us so well. This is a budget with modest increases in services and a dramatic commitment in roads, sewers, trails, facilities and open space. This is a budget that: Protects public health and safety, Embodies fiscal discipline and invests in the future of King County This budget: funds the public safety needs of the region, including the most critical recommendations of the Sherriff's Blue Ribbon Panel keeps the doors open to all ten public health clinics, upgrades bridges throughout King County and Vashon Island's crumbling seawalls putting roads at risk protects our water quality with our biggest sewage construction program in 40 years, and adds more than 1200 acres of open space and 16 miles of new and improved regional trails Last year I pronounced us a county transformed. And we are.…. We have more than 13,000 of the finest public servants in the nation. I thank each and every one of you for the important role you have played in our transformation. We have made tremendous progress over our financial struggles since the turn of the century. King County residents have walked together, one step at a time towards growth, learning, and prosperity. We share a vision and values that define excellence in public service: values such as fiscal discipline and innovation; values that include this government's willingness to take responsibility by investing in the infrastructure of our future. Fiscal discipline You know, I have been an elected official in this county for more than 20 years, and I can tell you, without hesitation, that practicing fiscal discipline is the foundation of good governance. Last year, I was proud to announce that for the first time in our governments history, King County achieved the highest possible bond rating—a triple-A rating—from all three of the major bonding agencies. I am equally proud to tell you today that those triple-A ratings remain intact. These ratings are more than just an affirmation of our excellent credit and sound management practices. These ratings save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest payments every year. And the same sound financial practices that have produced these first class financial results are woven throughout this year's budget. Wastewater bond upgrade In April of this year, King County's sewer revenue bonds were upgraded by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services from double-A-minus to double-A. This increase in rating is most significant as we continue to finance our Brightwater plant and the rest of the Regional Wastewater Services Plan. Investment pool rating In 2005 the King County Investment Pool became the first local government pool in Washington State to be rated by Standard & Poor's Rating Services. It received the highest credit rating. Because of this rating, the 100 participants in the County Pool enjoy important benefits including fiscal peace-of-mind. And because the ratings are public, they give King County an incentive to maintain and improve our current financial practices. Adding to this record of fiscal prudence, our most recent bond anticipation notes have received the highest possible rating. We are all justifiably proud of these ratings. But maintaining them requires constant vigilance and continued sound financial planning. Most of you remember that last year I said "the era of deficits is over." And it was. We had a balanced financial plan for 2006, 2007 and 2008. But few remember what came next. So let me remind you. I said this: "To make sure that era never returns we must remain vigilant and keep controlling our costs. We must reject the temptation to live beyond our means. " I also stated that challenges remain. I said: Nine major areas of urban King County still need to be annexed. King County 's world class regional parks and trails system is sustained by a four year levy that ends in 2007. Rising energy costs, led by skyrocketing gas prices, have created dramatic increases in our cost of living adjustments. If inflation continues to rise, it will threaten our long term stability. I was also careful to note that, "Storm clouds loom over funding for our mental health system, and further federal and state cutbacks face many programs. Meeting these challenges is why we must remain vigilant … We must hold firm on controlling costs and maintaining the sound financial policies that led us here." That is what I said last year. Unfortunately all of those storm clouds I talked about remain, and are moving closer. A potential general fund deficit looms for 2008 and beyond. This can be avoided, but only if we continue our partnership as wise stewards of the public's checkbook and avoid the temptation to consume reserves. The problem is real. In four short months since the State of the County I have been forced to trim my Global Warming office down to one new position and divert millions set aside for Phase two of my children's health initiative to keep public health clinics open. As hard as that was, scaling back new programs was the right decision. But the Council must follow my example of fiscal discipline. Innovation If fiscal discipline is the foundation of good governance, then innovation is the frame that sits upon that foundation. In King County, we view innovation as a defining character of public leadership, critical to development and growth of our vibrant economy. Earning a reputation as "the living lab of innovation" King County is home to the nation's largest wastewater hydrogen fuel cell; the first and largest fleet of articulated hybrid diesel buses; and upon completion of Brightwater, the nation's most sophisticated wastewater treatment facility. We are the largest purchaser of bio-fuels in the state and our commitment to advancing clean energy development from the rest of the nation is matched only by our desire to find new sources of clean energy within King County. In 2007, at our Cedar Hills landfill, we will soon implement innovative sustainable energy technologies designed to capture and distribute enough methane to power nearly fifty percent of our government operations. I am also proud to report that King County recently made CIO Magazines Top 100 Innovators list for our creative work with information technology. But King County innovation goes beyond breakthrough technical improvements or cutting-edge engineering projects. In King County we are constantly promoting innovative ideas in asset management, financing and partnership development. Our success in these areas will help us tap unrealized opportunities and increase the value of our services. One shining example is our recent partnership with the City of Enumclaw. We transferred ownership of the underperforming King County Fairgrounds to the City so that they could develop the land into a first class equestrian facility and expo center; a major draw for tourists visiting the Enumclaw Plateau. In return, King County received guarantees that the fairgrounds and other properties will continue to operate as parks forever. As a result of this innovative agreement, both the interests of the county and the city are greatly improved. Mayor John Wise of the City of Enumclaw is with us today. I ask you to stand and be recognized for your leadership. Harborview There is no better example of innovative partnerships than our current proposal to improve the Harborview Medical Center complex. While increasing construction costs made completing the voter-approved project more difficult, we refused to go back to the ballot for more money. Instead, in collaboration with Harborview, the University of Washington, and the County Council, we have developed a proposal to complete and expand the Harborview project. In effect we have turned a $30 million dollar crisis into a public-private partnership solution that is actually more responsive to Harborview and the services they provide. Annexation Finally, in partnership with this Council, we kicked off the Annexation Initiative in 2004 demonstrating King County's commitment to the implementation of the Growth Management Act and securing greater fiscal stability for the general fund. Both the Growth Management Act and fiscal prudence dictate that King County should continue to push for annexations of the urban unincorporated area. Relying once again on innovative thinking, the County is doing just that. Thanks to partnerships with the suburban cities and residents, within the next few weeks I will be sending four interlocal agreements for your consideration. These agreements are for the annexation of five of the ten major urban unincorporated areas with the cities of Renton, Auburn, and Federal Way. When successfully implemented, over 100,000 urban unincorporated residents will have transitioned to join these three cities. Therefore I urge the Council to renew the Annexation Initiative and to maintain the ten million dollar annexation reserve. Because in 2007, we will need it. The City of Renton has the largest number of unincorporated residents in its Potential Annexation Area, totaling 65,000. I would like to recognize Renton Mayor Kathy Keolker for her leadership and partnership with our efforts in annexation. When annexation is complete, the City of Renton could be the second largest city in King County. Facilitating annexation has taken great effort as it represents fundamental change for both the annexing cities and our urban residents. Thank you, Mayor Keolker, for taking on the task. Investing in our infrastructure As evidenced by this work, King County is living the values of fiscal discipline and innovation. But living these values alone is not enough. No matter how disciplined and innovative we become, ultimately, the success of public leadership will be defined not only by how we act today, but also by how we plan for tomorrow. Unfortunately, as we look across the landscape of our great nation, it becomes increasingly apparent that our federal government is not prioritizing our public resources to lay the foundation for a better future. Looking across this great nation, it is troubling to learn about our decaying transportation, energy, water and wastewater systems. This summer, I was frustrated to read that the pipeline continuing to fuel our nation with Alaskan oil was neither secure nor safe -- but corroded and failing. While frustrating, this development was an apt metaphor -- not only underlining the insecurity of our over-reliance on fossil fuels, but revealing once again that our infrastructure in this country is not as strong as we think. Incredibly, our nation's bridges and locks are in similar shape, as more than one-quarter of these infrastructure priorities are either structurally deficient or outdated. Perhaps most alarming of all, $11 billion dollars are needed annually to replace aging drinking-water facilities at the national level. One year after it landed on the people of the gulf coast, Hurricane Katrina remains a stark example - not simply of the vulnerability of humans in the face of natural disaster, but of the vulnerability of a political system designed in many ways to react to crisis rather than prevent it. If one believes that the infrastructure of our nation bears little relationship to our collective safety and prosperity, it is easy to look away from these collective failures of leadership. But to those of us who know better, we cannot look away – We must look ahead. That is why today, perhaps more than at any point in our lifetime, the defining priority of governments large and small, must be to take responsibility to invest in the infrastructure of our future. We need to engage in the continuous process of "rebuilding" our social and physical infrastructure so that the people of this great region have the economic foundation necessary to meet the challenges of this century. I am proud to stand before you today and tell you we are making those critical investments in the future of King County right now. This budget is evidence of that. It starts with our longstanding commitment to clean water -- life's most essential resource. As noted by the Water Environment Federation, "water is the basic element for a prosperous community…it fuels our national economic engine. …where clean water flows, communities grow…" Wastewater In short, water is life, and protecting our water quality is a measure of public leadership. In 2007, King County will make significant investments in pumps and pipes that will benefit the region's water quality for decades to come. Wastewater treatment is the single most effective method for eliminating water pollution and protecting human health.It is also the foundation for a thriving economy and smart, well-planned growth. I am proud that this budget contains one of the biggest capital construction efforts since the West Point and South Plant Treatment Plants were completed in the mid 1960s. In 2007, we will invest $694 million dollars in more than a dozen major sewer improvement projects. The work will include rehabilitating aging facilities, expanding existing facilities and building new facilities such as the Brightwater treatment system. We will improve pump stations, pipes and storage facilities in Kirkland, Bellevue, Shoreline, West Seattle and Magnolia. It's the most significant upgrade of our system in 40 years providing enough capacity for the region's growing population. And we are investing just as significantly in the rural area. In 2007, our newly completed treatment plant in Vashon will be up and running and we continue construction on a new treatment plant in the City of Carnation. This will replace failing septic systems that are creating health hazards, protect the environment and revitalize the community, allowing the city to pursue its growth plans while protecting rural areas from sprawl. Our investments to ensure a clean water future are comprehensive and meaningful. But these are not the only critical priorities you will find in this budget. In 2007, King County continues its commitment to protect, maintain and expand its core transportation priorities from roads to trails, from seawalls to bridges. These are the routes we travel to get to work and to go out and play. But they are more than just routes; they are the arteries through which the lifeblood of our economic and social activities flow. Roads and bridges We will address major vulnerabilities in our region's transportation system. On Vashon Highway, a thirty-two-hundred-foot section of seawall that supports the roadway along Quartermaster Harbor is failing. This budget includes a six-year financial plan to invest $17 million in the safety of this highway, providing island residents access to two ferry terminals and a critical link to the rest of the region. We will begin a $16 million dollar program to accelerate the replacement of 57 aging short-span bridges. High priority bridges will now be re-constructed within 10 years, rather than 20. The new longer bridges will span the rivers using modern techniques to reduce maintenance and protect the environment. Better design means better flow, less debris, and reduced flooding during heavy rainstorms. Parks and trails The commitment to invest in the foundation of our future is just as evident in our region's parks and trails system. The 2007 Parks CIP budget dedicates over $8 million dollars –nearly 50 percent of the entire Parks capital budget -- to preserve and expand the county's regional trails. Significant investments will also be made to restore the aging surfaces of our most heavily used trails such as the Burke Gilman and Snoqualmie Valley Trails. We are embarking on the master planning process to complete the 11-mile East Lake Sammamish Trail, to expand the Green River Trail and the Enumclaw Plateau Trail. In King County we recognize that trails not only enhance our quality of life, they add economic benefits by increasing property values and attracting new business. In 2007, King County and its many partners will continue to make the necessary investments to ensure that our world-class trails and parks remain that way. Our innovative, award-winning Parks business plan continues to help stabilize parks financially and operationally. The plan has generated millions of dollars of new entrepreneurial partnerships and sponsorships. Just this week we received news that Group Health has agreed to extend its naming rights package for the Velodrome at Marymoor Park for another two years. This will bring in $230,000 dollars for the parks system. Technology I am proud to report that King County is making critical investments in a different kind of infrastructure as well; regional information systems and its supporting technology. King County is leading the way in many technology arenas – including public safety and justice, emergency communications, protections of private information, improving our health and business development. Since the adoption of the county's first Strategic Technology Plan in 2003, we have implemented an array of technology solutions to provide better service to the public. As a result, this year alone we have earned four national awards, including the CIO Magazine Top 100 Innovators award; a Digital Government Achievement Award; a Digital Education Achievement Award and our website was rated second in the nation among metropolitan regions. The cutting edge projects outlined in this year's budget include our public safety and justice initiative. This will allow wireless transmissions of computer data so officers in the field have instant access to criminal information. Officers will know what they may face before they arrive on the scene. In September, the citizens of the County voted to renew the Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) levy which provides over $5.6 million dollars in 2007 to improve technology used to solve crimes. This new technology will serve to protect our citizens and let criminals know that if you choose to break the law in King County you will be held accountable. I'd like to thank Sheriff Rahr and other law enforcement leaders for their hard work on the levy campaign. The County will also continue to invest and expand the King County Regional Video Services network which allows instant, reliable face-to-face meetings between county, local, and state officials in case of an emergency. Video coverage from helicopters will now be shared instantaneously among Emergency Operation Centers in our neighboring counties; an incredibly useful tool during an emergency. The list goes on. The point, however, is clear. As evidenced this budget, King County is committed to investing in our region's technology to provide for a prosperous future. Public Health Finally, no talk of investments is complete without outlining our efforts to support the health and welfare of our people. In 2007, King County is making unprecedented investments in healthcare and emergency preparedness. Sometimes investment means taking a stand for those who do not always have the power of the bully pulpit. Most recently, I refused to turn my back on the most vulnerable, when I refused to close the door on public health clinics in the Northgate and Northshore areas. Together these facilities received about 75,000 visits a year. Many of those visitors are the uninsured, who now total nearly 16 percent of our adult population; a record number. It's a leading sign of a health care system that is failing those in need, and it 's why we can't afford to neglect these residents. These clinics are an important part of a local public health network that protects and improves our community 's health. Many of these essential Public Health services, such as preventing large outbreaks of dangerous, infectious diseases, protect us all every day. Other clinics reach those in most need. But as a community, all of us are made healthier and more secure because of the services these clinics provide The lack of funding for our clinics is more evidence of the alarming trend in public health funding today. While the County's total current expense contribution to public health has increased more than $13 million dollars since 2003 -- an 80% increase -- the state and federal shares are receding. As a result, Washington State today ranks 44th in funding for public health. Clearly, we must do better. That is why I am keeping clinic doors open through June while we work with the legislature to help all counties in the State of Washington meet the funding crisis in public health. The fragile state of our health care system is taking an especially heavy toll on our children: in 2004, 16,000 of our young ones were uninsured. That's unconscionable. King County is stepping up to fill this gap by funding Phase One of the Children's Health Initiative. We are investing one million dollars in outreach services to sign up 8,000 children who are eligible for insurance but do not have it. Not only will this help the most vulnerable among us, it will also bring millions of dollars of federal and state funds back to the public and private clinics of King County. Although I have been unable to fund Phase Two in 2007, I will continue to work with public and private partners to find a way to create an innovative health insurance program in 2008 that will serve as a learning model for the rest of the state. The plight of our most vulnerable is just an indicator of the growing crisis affecting our entire health care system. If left unchanged, an injury to one will soon transform into an injury to all. That is why King County has taken a leadership position in crafting lasting reforms that are beginning to resonate throughout our region and across the country. Sustained progress on health reform will require an investment strategy that includes the entire Puget Sound region. That is why I commend this council for its approval of funds to help the Puget Sound Health Alliance assemble information in one location to create a regional quality comparison report. These comparison reports will be available to all alliance members and the public. They will herald a new era of transparency for our health care delivery system and will provide the foundation for markedly improving quality. My budget contains the second year of funding for this critical effort. While we work to reform health care delivery for the long run, we must also remain vigilant about preparing for sudden emergencies. Recently, the County Council approved our comprehensive Pandemic Flu Preparedness plan, including enough antiviral medication—when combined with existing federal stockpiles—to cover 25% of the population. We are one of the very first local jurisdictions in the nation to reach that mark. As part of this investment the county is collaborating with our region's hospitals, medical centers and clinics to enhance and expand our ability to treat large numbers of patients in need of emergency medical care during a pandemic. We are also actively coordinating with fire departments, paramedics, and other EMS providers to ensure our system will be fully operational during such an emergency. Homelessness The County is also actively engaged in making the investments necessary to assist the thousands of people who will go to sleep tonight without a home. I am proud to serve as co-chair of the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness with my friend Dan Brettler who is here today. This summer we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. Dan please stand and be recognized for your great work. We published our first progress report, where we formalized plans to renovate and construct more than 1,300 housing units, integrated with supportive services. In our 2007 budget, King County will provide funding for homeless housing and supportive services totaling $45 million dollars, including $18.2 million in capital funds for housing. This was a collaborative effort. To date, 11 cities and the Suburban Cities Association have endorsed the Ten-Year Plan, with votes pending in several other cities. There are many examples of our local cities working to find solutions. One really exciting development comes from the City of Duvall. Working with Friends of Youth and Hopelink, the City of Duvall has waived its permitting fees to help lower the cost of developing a new social service center that will include 8 housing units for homeless families. This is an incredible contribution. The faith community is heavily involved in the plan. More than 50 communities of faith have endorsed the Ten-Year Plan and more are joining every week. I would like to recognize Governing Board member Sandy Brown, Executive Director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, and Bill Kirlin-Hackett of the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness for their efforts to build community and provide shelter. I would also like to recognize David Okimoto of the United Way which has played such an important role in this work. We have made amazing progress. Together we will continue to make real differences in people's lives and in the livability of our communities Finally,our emphasis on investing in the economic foundation of our region does not imply we are withdrawing from our role as a national and international leader in public service. Rather, it is just the opposite. We look "inward" to build up our region's infrastructure so that we can increase our capacity to share information and engage in collective action – in essence to build bridges-- with our neighbors and partners across the world, in the hope of improving quality of life for all people. Nairobi Recently I had the privilege of traveling to Nairobi, Kenya at the invitation of a leading environmental organization dedicated to organizing the communities of the world to both fight against, and prepare for, global climate change. I went with the hope of sharing our experiences in King County so that, in some modest way, we can serve as a beacon of light along their road to development. I spoke of our sound business practices, fiscal discipline and transparency; our environmental safeguards, conservation of forests and clean air and water policies to name a few; And after I spoke, I listened. And I experienced how a nation that has so little can do so much. I saw a future of Africa where courageous leaders had the vision and the will to make the critical resource decisions that must be made today—to ensure a better quality of life for tomorrow. I was proud to represent King County, and equally proud to know that because of the excellence of our work, King County can be a part of that future. I take great pride in the budget that is before you today. It maintains that excellence. Thank you Related budget information Sims invests in bricks and mortar of government in 2007 budget Details from the budget office Watch the Executive address and press conference (Real Media format) Sims' 2007 budget to propose major investments in green infrastructure Sims keep s Sheriff's Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations in 2007 budget Investing in the "infrastructure of our future"
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	Updated: Oct. 17, 2006