Summary

King County Executive Dow Constantine today issued the following statement in response to the state Senate’s proposed operating budget.

Story

The Senate’s reckless plan to get out of its McCleary mandate would result in more kids who can’t go to school because they are sick or can’t focus on their studies because they have no place to call home.

Funding education by slashing the safety net and eliminating public health funding in counties is astonishingly irresponsible. In King County alone, these cuts would very likely result in at least 2,000 more people slipping into homelessness each year. Balancing the budget on the backs of kids and marginally housed families undermines the purpose of the state Supreme Court order to fully fund education in our state.

I strongly support increased investments in our mental health system. Unfortunately, the new community investments proposed would largely be paid for by premature and damaging funding cuts to the very same system.

It’s time for the Senate to produce a serious budget proposal, one that fully funds education without harming the health and well-being of children, youth and families across our state.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Chad Lewis, Executive Office, 206-263-1250