Drafter

Clerk 06/01/2020

Title

AN ORDINANCE ratifying the executive emergency budget crisis proclamation.

Body

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  Findings:

                     A.  On February 29, 2020, the Governor of Washington state declared a state of emergency in all counties in Washington state and directed that the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented as a result of coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") outbreak and confirmation of person-to-person spread in Washington state.

                     B.  COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that is classified by the World Health Organization as a pandemic that spreads easily from person to person and may result in serious illness or death.

                     C.  On March 1, 2020, the executive issued a proclamation of emergency enabling extraordinary measures to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.  On March 3, 2020, the council passed Motion 15610, affirming the proclamation of emergency.

                     D.  As a result of the continued worldwide spread of COVID-19, its significant progression in Washington state and the high risk it poses to our most-vulnerable populations, on March 23, 2020, the Governor issued a "Stay Home - Stay Healthy" order prohibiting, with limited exceptions, all people in Washington state from leaving their homes or participating in social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of any kind regardless of the number of participants, and required all nonessential businesses in Washington state to cease operations except for performing basic minimal operations.  In describing COVID-19's impact on public health and the economy, the order noted the pandemic’s progression in Washington state that continues to threaten the economy and remains a public disaster affecting life, health, property or the public peace.  The order has been extended twice, currently set to expire May 31, 2020.

                     E.  The Stay Home - Stay Healthy order and the related public safety preventative measures, including social distancing are causing devastating economic effects in Washington and across the nation.

                     F.  The county is experiencing extraordinary and unprecedented economic conditions and severe fiscal challenges across all county funds, which is resulting in a significant shortfall in the amount of funding needed to sustain the current level of general operations through 2020.

                     G.  The countywide March taxable sales collections in March 2020 were twenty-four percent less than March 2019.

                     H.  With reduced revenues forecasted for the remainder of 2020 and thereafter, the county is working hard to find innovative ways to gain efficiencies in all county functions in order to minimize service reductions to the public.

                     I.  The current circumstance is such that projected county revenues are forecasted and determined to be insufficient to fully fund county agency operations and significant costs savings must be achieved through reductions in service and pay.

                     SECTION 2.  The executive has proclaimed that an emergency budget crisis

exists for the remainder of the 2019-2020 budget biennium.  The council hereby ratifies the executive's proclamation.