KING COUNTY, Wash. — King County leadership is warning of a $100 million revenue shortfall by 2025 due to a limitation on property tax collections.
The county expects the shortfall to impact the 2025-26 general fund, which could impact programs and services supporting the region's health and safety.
Though the general fund is about $1.2 billion, most of that revenue goes toward state-mandated programs and services, according to King County Executive Dow Constantine. That means programs and services relying on discretionary funding are at risk. According to the county, that includes:
- Public Health clinics that serve low-income residents in Auburn, Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Kirkland, Renton, Seattle, and White Center.
- Services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Support for crime victims, family law support, regional gun violence prevention, and alternatives to standard adjudication and detention.
- Job training and other services focused on low-income BIPOC youth.
- Support for small farmers and forest owners to manage their properties to achieve ecological benefits and sustain the rural economy.
- Sheriff’s deputies and detectives in unincorporated and rural communities.
In 2001, voters statewide approved a cap on property tax increases to 1% per year, plus the growth of new construction. Counties, Constantine's office points out, cannot impose business and utility taxes like cities and the state.
Since 2001, King County's population has grown approximately 30% and consumer prices have increased by 70%, according to Constantine's office. Inflation in recent years has been as high as 9.5%.
“No enterprise, public or private, can be expected to provide the same services year after year with revenues arbitrarily capped below the increasing cost of doing business,” Constantine said in a prepared statement. “We are facing budget decisions that will affect the programs and services that people in King County depend on every day to keep them safe and healthy. These cuts will have real impacts on our residents, but we are left with no other choice given the legislature’s inaction. It’s important we hear directly from the public as to their priorities before I or the County Council make any decisions.”
In response to the looming shortfall, the county launched a community survey asking for public input to prioritize services funded by the general fund. The survey will be open until May 18.
Public hearings will be held in the future as the county council considers the budget.