Drafter
Clerk 11/14/2022
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to public transportation; suspending the general financial practices and farebox recovery ration sections of the 2016 Fund Management Policies for the Public Transportation Fund during the 2023-2024 biennium.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Adopted transit fund management policies provide a framework to ensure the financial health and viability of the public transportation fund.
B. In July 2016, following recommendations from a staff work group and review by a special committee on transit, the 2016 Fund Management Policies for the Public Transportation Fund were adopted through Ordinance 18321.
C. The 2016 Fund Management Policies for the Public Transportation Fund set general financial practices and a fund structure for the public transportation fund, as well as policies and targets for financial and capital planning, expenditures, revenues, and reserves.
D. King County government has experienced significant operational and fiscal impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the impacts have lessened since the height of the pandemic, many remain and are expected to continue into the 2023-2024 biennium, including reduced fare revenue for the public transportation fund.
E. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in multiple extraordinary measures taken to respond to the pandemic. Motion 15610, passed on March 3, 2020, affirmed the proclamation of an emergency. Ordinance 19115 ratified the executive's proclamation of the 2019-2020 biennium budget cycle as an emergency budget crisis, and Ordinance 19201 did the same for the 2021-2022 budget cycle.
F. The Metro transit department made operational changes during the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to lower ridership and to ensure the health and safety of employees and passengers. Changes included reductions or suspension of service on many routes and the suspension of fares from March 21, 2020, to October 1, 2020.
...

Click here for full text