Drafter

Clerk 11/21/2017

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AN ORDINANCE adopting the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy Transition Plan, required by Ordinance 18555, Section 7.A., to govern the expenditure of veterans, seniors and human services levy proceeds in 2018 or later years as authorized under Ordinance 18555.

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.  In 2005, Ordinance 15279 placed a six-year veterans and human services levy on the general election ballot.  King County residents approved the veterans and human services levy for 2006 through 2011 to fund services for veterans and their families, military personnel and their families and other individuals and families in need across King County.

2.  In 2011, Ordinance 17072 placed a renewal of the veterans and human services levy on the primary election ballot.  King County residents voted to approve the renewal, continuing for 2012 through 2017 the levy's services for veterans and their families, military personnel and their families and other individuals and families in need across King County.

3.  In 2011, Ordinance 17236 adopted the veterans and human services levy's service improvement plan for 2012 through 2017.  The adopted service improvement plan governs the ongoing implementation of the current veterans and human services levy.  Pages forty-two through forty-nine of Attachment A to Ordinance 17236 constitute the current veterans and human services levy's allocation plan, which specifies 2017 funding levels for each veterans and human services levy activity.

4.  The current veterans and human services levy will expire at the end of 2017.

5.  In July 2017, Ordinance 18555 placed a six-year veterans, seniors and human services levy on the ballot for voter consideration in November 2017.  On November 7, 2017, the voters approved the ballot measure.

6.  Under Ordinance 18555, levy proceeds will be used to plan, provide, administer and evaluate a wide range of regional health and human services and capital facilities for veterans and military servicemembers and their respective families, seniors and their caregivers, and vulnerable populations.

7.  Ordinance 18555, Section 7.A., requires the executive to develop and transmit for council review and adoption by ordinance a transition plan for spending of the veterans, seniors and human services levy proceeds in 2018 or later years as authorized under Ordinance 18555.  The required transition plan is Attachment A to this ordinance.

8.  Before adoption of the transition plan required in Ordinance 18555, Section 7.A. and .C. allow, subject to appropriation, proceeds of the veterans, seniors and human services levy to be expended to continue services provided through the use of levy proceeds from the veterans and human services levy in 2017 at 2017 service levels, governed by the 2012-2017 service improvement plan for the veterans and human services levy adopted by Ordinance 17236.

9.  Ordinance 18555 directs that, after adoption by ordinance of the veterans, seniors and human services levy transition plan, the transition plan shall govern the expenditure of levy proceeds.  Once the transition plan is adopted, service continuation for services provided in 2017, would need to be incorporated into the transition plan.  The transition plan that this ordinance approves includes provisions on continuing those services.

10.  Under Ordinance 18555, once an implementation plan is adopted by council, the transition plan shall no longer have force or effect.  While the transition plan contemplates allocating 2018 levy dollars for expenditure in 2018 and beyond, expenditure of funds for those strategies and programs after adoption of an implementation plan is subject to appropriation and their inclusion in the adopted implementation plan.

11.  Ordinance 18555, Section 4.B.1. through 3. each contain a provision requiring that at least fifty percent of the first-year levy proceeds described in each of those subsections shall be used to fund capital facilities and regional health and human services that promote housing stability.  Ordinance 18555 requires the transition plan to provide a plan for the portion of the veterans, seniors and human services levy first-year requirements to expend the levy's proceeds on capital facilities and regional health and human services that promote housing stability.

12.  Ordinance 18555, Section 7.A., also requires the transition plan to address elements that include:  any proposed new staffing and planning activities required to plan for and administer the veterans, seniors and human services levy; a methodology to determine the number of seniors who are also veterans or military servicemembers who were homeless as of the date of enactment of Ordinance 18555; and proposed definitions for the terms planning, administration, and housing stability.

13.  In 2015, the county council passed Motion 14317 updating and revising King County's vision, mission, guiding principles and goals.  The county's goals include improving the health and well-being of all people in King County, increasing access to quality housing that is affordable to all, implementing alternatives to divert people from the criminal justice system, and ensuring that county government operates efficiently and effectively and is accountable to the public.  The county's guiding principles emphasize that pursuit of the county goals should address the root causes of inequities to provide equal access for all; engage with partners, stakeholders and public and private organizations to achieve goals; align funding, policy and operational goals of King County government; and provide effective, efficient local governance and services to unincorporated areas.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  The Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy Transition Plan, Attachment A to this ordinance, is hereby adopted to govern the expenditure of veterans, seniors and human services levy proceeds in 2018 or later years, as authorized under Ordinance 18555.