title
AN ORDINANCE adopting the 2007 Annual Budget and making appropriations for the operation of county agencies and departments and capital improvements for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2007, and ending December 31, 2007.
body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings. The council makes the following findings of fact:
A. King County government is responsible for providing a variety of services to all residents of the county. These include: regional services, such as criminal justice, public health, wastewater treatment and public transportation; subregional services through contracts with many suburban cities for police protection, jail services and municipal court services; and local services to unincorporated areas, such as police protection, roads, surface water management, local parks and land use regulation.
B. As the legislative branch of government, the metropolitan King County council sets policy for the county. It funds county services through the exercise of its authority to adopt an annual budget for the county. To provide these services, the council has adopted a 2007 budget totaling $3.86 billion, of which $628 million is in the general fund. This represents a total reduction of $24 million less than proposed by the county executive.
C. Citizens expect fiscal integrity and accountability in the use of their tax dollars. The Council meets that demand by spending less, saving more, and prioritizing expenditures. This adopted budget reduces general fund expenditures from the executive proposed budget by $4 million, and increases general fund reserves over the executive proposed by $4 million.
D. The county's prudent financial management and low level of debt have earned the highest possible bond ratings of AAA from all three major rating agencies: Standard & Poor's; Moody's Investors Service; and Fitch Ratings. The 2007 budget continues to implement long-standing financial policies that li...
Click here for full text