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King County Executive Dow Constantine announced his 2025 budget proposal that could balance revenues and expenditures, but cuts still loom in the future.
The proposed 2025 budget totals about $10.2 billion, with the general fund projected to receive $1.16 billion in revenue. Constantine's proposed budget also includes one-time funding from salary savings.
The county was tasked with addressing a $50 million general fund budget deficit in May 2023. Washington state law requires counties to adopt a balanced budget.
Constantine said the general fund budget is not sustainable and is projected to be out of balance by about $150 million by 2026. Major budget reductions are expected after 2025 as a result.
“Without new revenue sources, future budgets will require significant cuts,” Constantine said in a news release. “Those cuts would directly, negatively impact the people of King County.”
The cuts would mostly come from human services and criminal justice functions, according to the county.
The budget itself states that the “crisis is one year away,” as King County’s general fund is heavily dependent on the property tax. In the proposed 2025 budget, 56% of net general fund revenue comes from property taxes.
Constantine recently proposed a modified county hospital tax of 8.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value that would raise an estimated $74.6 million for the 2025 budget.
Out of the generated funds, $25 million would go to 11 public health clinics spread across the county, and eliminate the need for them to be covered by the county’s general fund.
The 8.5-cent tax would cost the owner of a median-priced King County home an additional $75 a year.
This proposed tax is included in the 2025 budget proposal.
The county is doing an annual budget for 2025 and will revert to biennial budgets for 2026-2027 and beyond. This comes as a result of voters approving a proposal to shift King County elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years to increase turnout.
The King County Council is anticipated to vote on the 2025 budget in November.