King County Executive Girmay Zahilay used his first "State of the County" address to lay out an ambitious plan for Washington state's largest county, which includes Seattle and its surrounding cities. At the center of his agenda are increased funding for early childhood care, construction of affordable housing and expansion of the county's bus network. Zahilay stressed that the county is undergoing a period of profound change, and decisions made now could affect generations.
Against the backdrop of a critical audit of the homelessness response system, a lack of funding to expand light rail and threats of reduced federal funding from the Trump administration, Zahilay did not announce final decisions on the most contentious issues. Instead he focused on concrete steps: he proposed doubling funding for programs that care for children under three (total investments would exceed $500 million) and creating a new advisory commission to speed up building permit approvals.
The speech placed special emphasis on the transportation system. Zahilay announced a 10-year plan for King County Metro, the county's transit agency that runs the buses. The plan includes launching nine new bus routes, four RapidRide lines — a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that moves faster than regular city buses via dedicated lanes and off-board fare payment at stations — and increasing service frequency to 15 minutes or better on many corridors. That should make public transit more accessible and convenient for county residents.
Zahilay acknowledged that public trust in government has been shaken by scandal-ridden audits and a sense that taxes aren't solving problems. In response, he announced the creation of a chief audit officer position in his administration and the first comprehensive review of the base budget in many years. "We must ensure that every dollar spent is accountable," he said, seeking to restore confidence in government effectiveness.
Zahilay's address came at a pivotal moment for King County, where as executive he is responsible for public transit, health care, the county police, roads and the budget, coordinating services for all cities including Seattle. Sworn in as the first immigrant and refugee to hold the executive post and the youngest leader in 16 years, he took office just a month before the strongest flood in a generation. "These are not ordinary times, these are decisive times," Zahilay said. "Our choices will determine whether the region becomes more united or more divided, more affordable or out of reach."
Based on: Zahilay wants more King County childcare funding, bus service, housing