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King County budget shortfall now $40 million to $50 million |
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News Media
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By News on
3/18/2009
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King County's budget director Tuesday was the bearer of what now passes for good news.
Bob Cowan told Metropolitan King County Council members that the budget shortage for next year, in the general fund that supports police, courts, health and social services, has gotten only $10 million worse than forecast last fall. ... Councilmember Kathy Lambert, R-Redmond, praised Cowan for being fairly accurate in such a volatile economy. She and Councilmember Larry Gossett, D-Seattle, were the only ones who stayed for the whole discussion in budget committee.
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King County reaches deal with feds on improving jail |
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By News on
1/6/2009
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King County corrections officers, trained to restrain inmates by grabbing their hair, must learn more humane techniques under a tentative agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
And inmates, who recently received new mattresses as a disease-control measure, will get clean underwear every day — up from the already improved three pairs a week — if the Metropolitan King County Council approves the agreement. ... Councilmember Kathy Lambert, R-Redmond, said she thought the Justice Department's original letter alleging civil-rights violations exaggerated problems in the jail, but she said of the agreement, "I think we came to some good compromises."
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King County's about-face on treehouses |
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By News on
12/17/2008
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Coming soon to the Raging River: a bed-and-breakfast establishment where guests can sleep among the trees.
Eight months after King County ordered Pete Nelson to tear down a high-end treehouse overlooking the river, officials are now offering him a chance to obtain permits for the structure and make it part of a back-to-nature retreat. ... The order to demolish the structure drew critical news coverage and prompted Metropolitan King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert to propose an ordinance that would have let Nelson build more treehouses as a demonstration project.
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State lawmakers: Give counties revenue options |
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News Media
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By News on
12/4/2008
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AFTER six weeks of intensive deliberation, the Metropolitan King County Council averted a public-safety crisis with unanimous adoption of the 2009 King County Budget — but that is just the first of two steps needed to truly protect the highest priorities of public safety, health and quality of life.
The structure for providing revenues for Washington counties is broken and must be fixed in the next session of the state Legislature. Without any action, we will be back here next year staring at a $41 million shortfall in 2010 and a $62 million shortfall in 2011, and the cuts to public safety and health will be truly devastating.
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Metropolitan King County Council rescinds plan to trim jail funding |
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News Media
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By News on
11/14/2008
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Metropolitan King County Council members tentatively decided to reduce jail funding by more than $1 million in order to save programs for mentally ill and drug-addicted offenders — but rescinded the decision amid protests from the county executive and a combative labor union. ... On Thursday, Councilmember Kathy Lambert said budget leaders withdrew that decision for further study after Budget Director Bob Cowan told them it might not leave the jail enough money to pay overtime for corrections officers.
"We went, 'Oops, we didn't know that.' That was new information to us," Lambert said. The programs the council wants to save screen out dangerous offenders, she said: "If they're not dangerous, if they're just drunk and disorderly, do we need them to be in jail?"
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Let the sheriff manage the office |
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News Media
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By News on
7/22/2008
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Imagine if you were in charge of more than 1,000 employees — but did not have the direct authority to implement or manage their contract.
That is precisely the situation faced by Sue Rahr, King County's elected sheriff, who does not have a seat at the table to manage the department's budget or personnel.
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Play now; eat later |
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News Media
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By News on
7/3/2008
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One new tool for improving student nutrition and performance goes beyond the lunch line.
Most schools currently schedule recess after lunch. However, a recent Montana study demonstrates conclusively that a simple change in scheduling offers significant health and learning improvements: Children who ate lunch after being physically active had a higher nutritional intake, improved attention and behavior in the classroom, and lower disciplinary rates.
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