Drafter
Clerk 09/16/2016
Title
A MOTION requesting the executive's response informing council deliberations regarding possible renewal of the veterans and human services levy.
Body
WHEREAS, in November 2005, King County voters passed the first veterans and human services levy to generate funding for a wide range of programs to assist veterans, military personnel and their families and individuals and families in need, and
WHEREAS, in August 2011, voters in King County voted to renew the veterans and human services levy for another six years, and
WHEREAS, the goals of the existing veterans and human services levy are to reduce homelessness and emergency medical costs, to reduce criminal justice system involvement and to increase self-sufficiency by means of employment, and
WHEREAS, fifty percent of the existing levy's proceeds are allocated to provision of regional health and human services for veterans, military personnel and their families and fifty percent is allocated to provision of regional health and human services to a wide range of people in need of those services. The allocation has been beneficial in delivering services to populations in need of such services, and
WHEREAS, the veterans and human services levy will expire on December 31, 2017, and
WHEREAS, the veterans and human services levy is a voter-approved, six-year levy lid lift, renewal of which requires voter approval of a ballot measure, and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that King County remains home to more than one hundred and ten thousand veterans and military servicemembers, and
WHEREAS, All Home estimates that eight hundred sixty-seven veterans remain homeless in King County in 2016, and
WHEREAS, veterans, servicemembers, their families and other populations within King County have benefitted from services funded by the veterans and human services levy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The King County council is cons...

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