Drafter
Clerk 11/16/2010
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AN ORDINANCE that adopts the 2011 Annual Budget and makes appropriations for the operation of county agencies and departments and capital improvements for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2011, and ending December 31, 2011.
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PREAMBLE:
These tough economic times require individuals, families and governments to tighten their belts and make difficult choices on how to spend money. These realities are the same for King County. The 2011 budget reduces expenses and services in every corner of county government. The 2011 budget eliminates more than 300 jobs and implements painful cuts, such as reducing the number of prosecutors and sheriff's deputies, as well as court probation officers, court clerks, juvenile probation officers and court reporters.
Additionally, deep reductions to services for at-risk mothers, and early learning and after-school programs provided through the children and family commission were required.
Along with these reductions, the council and executive are budgeting for greater efficiency in how the work of the county is accomplished. The 2011 budget honors the commitments of those King County employees who voluntarily gave up their cost of living increases. Because of this partnership between the county and our employees, the county was able to save some vital programs and services such as family court, alternatives to incarceration programs and public defense services.
Despite these difficult cuts, the council and the executive have not lost sight of their shared duty to protect the county's most vulnerable residents. The council, through this budget, is able to maintain limited support to vital programs that provide services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as reprioritizing funds to maintain the juvenile domestic violence program Step Up.
Acknowledging the ongoing nature of this recession, the council is exercising fiscal discipline by not spending the major reserv...
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