Update on the budget process and next steps 

From Dwight Dively, Budget Director

Back in late April, Executive Constantine emailed you about the unavoidable budget cuts facing the County’s General Fund.   

As the Executive explained, state law prohibits more than a 1% annual increase in the property tax. When inflation grows, that law prevents us from keeping up with rising costs, and inflation has been as high as 9.5% in recent years.

King County was able to pass a two-year budget last year, and while the overall budget is healthy, it’s based on several funding sources. One key component – the General Fund – faces increased expenses due to inflation and with the projected shortfall in this critical portion of the budget, we must make proposed cuts beginning this year, which will take effect next year. Read the full message here.

WA Cares Fund deductions begin with the July 6 paycheck

Beginning July 6, you will see a mandatory payroll deduction on your paystub for the state’s new WA Cares Fund long-term care insurance program.

For more information and to see how the deductions will appear on your paystub, click here.

FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for Cost

The Department of Executive Services and Office of Emergency Management – FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for Cost. This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the of five Innovation Awards highlighting department teams whose projects, improvements, and ingenuity deliver exceptional, measurable results. “We solve problems” and “We drive for results” are core values at King County, and these award recipients met challenges in creative and impactful ways. 

Meet the team and view the award announcement and video here.

Goat Hill Garage open for LGBTQ+ Pride parade

Plan on participating in the LGBTQ+ Pride parade or watching the festivities? Public transportation is an excellent way to get downtown and avoid the traffic. Check out your options at Metro Trip Planner and Sound Transit.

If public transportation is not an option for you, the Goat Hill Garage, normally closed on weekends, will open on Sunday, June 25 for parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking will be $9 for the general public and $7 for King County employees. The garage is at 415 Sixth Avenue just across the street from the Chinook Building.

Register now for upcoming retirement classes

Check out the educational opportunities below to help you learn about — and prepare for — a successful retirement.

Classes are provided by the King County Retirement Team and include Introduction to Social Security, Road to Retirement, Medicare 101, Deferred Compensation Basics, Roth Topics, and Building a Retirement Investment Strategy. Click here to register.

For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator.

Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.

Burnout and Resiliency Training

While the COVID-19 emergency order has ended, the sense of burnout has not. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Balanced You has led live trainings to teams across the county about burnout and resiliency.

Now King County employees and teams can take the Burnout and Resiliency training online and on-demand through NEOGOV Learn at a time that works best for them. People managers can also take an add-on to the course to learn how to support their team in preventing burnout.

Burnout and compassion fatigue are conditions that can lead to long-term mental and physical health problems and can impact our work. Fortunately, steps can be taken to recover. Learn more about the Burnout and Resiliency online course on the Balanced You Blog or register below.

• Enroll in the Burnout and Resiliency Training, Part 1 for all employees.
• Enroll in the Burnout and Resiliency Training, Part 2 for people managers.

VMAG monthly meeting June 21

The King County Veterans and Military Affinity Group (VMAG) monthly meeting will feature a presentation by Minority Veterans of America on the impact of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and "Military Trans Ban,” as well as Evolving Veterans Administration Policies and Benefits.

• Wednesday, June 21 at noon

The meeting will be held on Teams and is open to all employees who are currently serving or are former members of the military and their allies, as well as their family members and partners. To be added to the meeting invite send an email to: vet.milag@kingcounty.gov.

Second Professional Development Scholarship applications under review

The second and final round of completed applications for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement’s Professional Development Scholarship Program are currently under review. There are 52 applicants requesting a total of $130,000 in scholarship funds. Awardees for this period will be notified by email no later than July 14, 2023. 

The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.  

Questions? Please visit the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.

Administrative Professionals Program quarterly recognitions

Do you know an administrative professional you’d like to recognize for the outstanding work they do? The Administrative Professionals Program holds quarterly recognitions for the County’s administrative employees who contribute to the success of every department every day.

The upcoming recognitions will cover April-June, 2023, and will be posted by July 12. To recognize an administrative professional, please fill out the form here by June 30.

Featured Job: Track Access Program Manager (PPM IV)