Title
A MOTION requesting that the executive prepare an assessment report to inform possible renewal of the voter-approved veterans, seniors and human services levy.
Body
WHEREAS, in November 2005, in accordance with Ordinance 15279, King County voters passed the first veterans and human services levy to generate funding for a wide range of programs to assist veterans, military personnel and their families, and individuals and families in need, and
WHEREAS, in August 2011, in accordance with Ordinance 17072, voters in King County voted to renew the veterans and human services levy for another six years, and
WHEREAS, in November 2017, in accordance with Ordinance 18555, King County voters approved the current six-year veterans, seniors and human services levy to support the levy's priority populations, which are veterans and military servicemembers and their families, seniors and their caregivers and vulnerable populations, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human services levy provides for capital facilities and regional health and human services, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human services levy programming focuses on five result areas, which are housing stability, healthy living, financial stability, social engagement, and service system improvement and service system access, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human services levy allocates at least one percent of levy proceeds to fund technical assistance and capacity building, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human services levy directs one-third of levy capital facilities and regional health and human services funding to each of the levy’s three priority populations, and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 100,000 veterans reside in King County, which is approximately one-fifth of the veterans living in Washington state, and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than twenty-five percent of King County residents are fifty-five years of age or older, and
WHEREAS, 2020 U.S. Census data estimates nearly one in thirteen King County residents lives in poverty, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human service levy will expire in December 2023, and
WHEREAS, the current veterans, seniors and human services levy is a voter-approved, six-year levy lid left, renewal of which requires voter approval of a ballot measure, and
WHEREAS, the King County council will consider whether to submit to the qualified electors for approval a 2023 ballot measure to renew the veterans, seniors and human services levy, and
WHEREAS, an assessment report will provide information on implementation and outcomes of the existing veterans, seniors and human services levy-funded strategies and programs, and
WHEREAS, this report will inform the King County council’s deliberations regarding placing a potential ballot measure before voters for a renewed levy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The council requests that the executive submit for council review an assessment report of the veterans, seniors and human services levy-funded strategies and programs. The assessment report shall be developed in consultation with stakeholders and shall include at a minimum:
1. An assessment of the effectiveness of the veterans, seniors and human services levy-funded programming, including the following:
a. an analysis of investments by geographic area, including maps or data summaries reflecting available ZIP code data of residence of clients or participants served;
b. a result-based analysis of the impact the veterans, seniors and human services levy has made in the five result areas;
c. an analysis of levy proceeds used to fund technical assistance and capacity building; and
d. an analysis of the veterans, seniors and human services levy’s work in advancing equitable access to levy resources for King County human service providers and residents;
2. Recommendations on the following:
a. whether a renewed levy should maintain or modify the housing stability result area;
b. whether a renewed levy should maintain or modify the healthy living result area;
c. whether a renewed levy should maintain or modify the financial stability result area;
d. whether a renewed levy should maintain or modify the social engagement result area;
e. whether a renewed levy should maintain or modify the service system improvement and service system access result area;
f. how a renewed levy would align and coordinate with the best starts for kids levy and the mental illness and drug dependency sales tax, as well as other federal, state and local funding streams and programs, so as to integrate, align and avoid duplication of effort; and
g. whether to maintain or modify the distribution of levy funds among population groups or result areas as presented in Ordinance 18555;
3. An assessment of the current needs and funding opportunities for services related to gender-based violence and a recommendation on whether a renewed levy should maintain, expand or otherwise modify funding for those services; and
4. An assessment of the current needs and funding opportunities for services for individuals with behavioral health conditions who are most likely to be experiencing homelessness, interactions with the criminal justice system or utilization of other social or community services, and a recommendation on whether a renewed levy should include funding for those services.
B. The executive should file the veterans, seniors and human services levy assessment report by July 30, 2022, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council. The clerk of the council shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, the policy
staff director and the lead staff for the law, justice, health and human services committee and the regional policy committee, or their successors.