Drafter
Clerk 04/10/2012
Title
AN ORDINANCE providing for the submission to the qualified electors of King County at a special election to be held in King County on August 7, 2012, of a proposition authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the levy limitation contained in chapter 84.55 RCW for a consecutive nine year period at first year rate of not more than $0.07 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation, to fund capital costs of replacing the children and family justice center located at 12th Avenue and East Alder Street in Seattle.
Body
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Public safety is a fundamental purpose of government.
B. A strong criminal justice system is necessary to maintain safe and livable communities.
C. Under Washington state law, counties provide many regional and local criminal justice functions, including police protection, the incarceration of offenders, court services, and the prosecution and defense services of defendants.
D. The children and family justice center ("CFJC") facility at 12th Avenue and East Alder Street in downtown Seattle serves the justice needs of King County youth and families.
E. The CFJC is in a state of disrepair and has reached the end of its useful life. The costs of maintaining the buildings have become untenable with over twenty million dollars in needed maintenance costs alone. The facility is in need of replacement to ensure the continuing justice services for King County children and families and to meet the demands of population growth in future years.
F. The superior court has undertaken long range planning efforts for the provision of juvenile and family justice services and has completed both a Targeted Operational Master Plan ("TOMP") and a Targeted Facilities Master Plan ("TFMP") which recommended replacement of the CFJC and improvements to the facilities to meet future demand.
G. Planning efforts have also determined that replacement of the detention facilities with a modern design will ...
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