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AN ORDINANCE relating to county property tax levies for collection in 2016; implementing RCW 84.55.0101, finding substantial need and providing for a limit factor of one hundred and one percent in accordance with RCW 84.55.0101.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. RCW 84.55.0101 allows the county council to set limit factors for regular property tax levies to a maximum of one hundred one percent upon a finding of substantial need.
B. King County provides criminal justice, transit, elections, assessments, natural resources and parks, public health and human services to two million residents. The demand for these services provided by King County continues to grow - fueled by an expanding population. To ensure King County maintains its commitments to adequate levels of basic services for a growing population, it must provide for the cost of those services. Setting the limit factor for regular property tax levies to the maximum of one hundred and one percent allows King County to strive to meet service demands at a local level.
C. The total adopted King County budget for the 2015/2016 biennium is $8.9 billion, and the total adopted general fund budget for the 2015/2016 biennium is $1.5 billion.
D. The general fund and other funds are continuing to experience a fiscal shortfall that is the result of revenue growth that is not keeping pace with the increasing costs of providing services.
E. To address the shortfall, King County has aggressively reviewed all expenditures in the general fund and other property-tax-supported funds for reductions and has reviewed possibilities for enhanced revenues.
F. King County reduced the general fund budget and other property-tax-supported budgets below the amounts necessary to sustain current service levels through direct service reductions and efficiencies.
G. Despite King County's efforts, the fiscal shortfall is expected to continue in 2017 and thereafter...
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