Drafter
Clerk 11/19/2004
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AN ORDINANCE adopting the 2005 Annual Budget and making appropriations for the operation of county agencies and departments and capital improvements for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2005, and ending December 31, 2005.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings. The council hereby makes the following findings of fact:
A. King County government has the responsibility to provide a variety of services to all residents of the county. These include: regional services, such as public safety, criminal justice, public health, wastewater treatment and public transportation; subregional services through contracts with several suburban cities for police protection, animal control and health and human services; and local services to unincorporated areas, such as county sheriff protection, roads, surface water management, local parks and land use regulation. To accomplish these tasks, the council has adopted a 2005 budget totaling $3.4 billion, of which $2.9 billion is in dedicated funds that must be used for specific purposes and $539 million is in the general fund which can be used for discretionary purposes, including public safety.
B. The metropolitan King County council works throughout the year to bring down the cost of government as its policy, regional and budget committees perform their oversight and policymaking roles. The 2005 budget reflects four years of council policy direction and coordination that have shifted the paradigm in criminal justice spending, implemented best business practices and initiated strategic analysis of technology projects. As a consequence, the county is able to maintain a network of mandated services and needed discretionary services for the most fragile members of our society, while saving money and improving outcomes.
C. In the past four years, the council has cut over $100 million from the general fund. The council recognizes that the county's...
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