2026-2027 Proposed King County Budget

October 8, 2025 by Cindy Alia

King County has posted its proposed budget for the next biennial and you can review it here:  https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/executive/governance-leadership/performance-strategy-budget/budget/2026-2027-budget  comments you may have can be sent to the county at this email: budget.council@kingcounty.gov 

Below, you will find a comment provided to the county with an overview geared at implementing cost savings through targeted cuts and fraud detection improvements:


Date: October 8, 2025
Subject: Targeted Budget Cuts and Enhanced Fraud Prevention Measures

Dear King County Council,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the 2026-2027 Proposed Biennial Budget ($19.7 billion), which supports vital services for 2.4 million residents. Compared to the 2025 budget ($10.2 billion annual), the biennial budget’s $2.73 billion General Fund and new revenues ($203.5 million from HB 2015 sales tax, $275 million from property taxes) fund expanded programs but raise concerns about high spending levels.

We propose targeted cuts to achieve 2-3% savings ($394–$591 million) and enhanced fraud prevention measures to ensure fiscal responsibility, using the Budget Book as the primary source. 

Proposed Targeted Cuts

  1. Transit (Metro Transit)
    • 2025 Budget: $33.2 million for service restoration, SaFE Reform, zero-emission buses.
    • 2026-2027 Budget: $406.7 million+, including $22 million for Sound Transit Link connectivity, $4.7 million for SaFE (police, cleaning), $380 million for electric bus base (120 vehicles). Funding: Sales taxes ($29.1 million from HB 2015), levies, grants.
    • Cuts (Savings: $10–$20 million):
      • Audit low-ridership routes: $5–$10 million.
      • Defer 20% of electric bus base: $5–$10 million.
      • Streamline Metro-Sound Transit admin: $1–$2 million.
    • Budget Book: Metro section details $380 million; route audits need agency data.

 

  1. Health (Public Health, Harborview Medical Center)
    • 2025 Budget: $87 million from property tax levy for Harborview.
    • 2026-2027 Budget: $50 million+ for HMC ($24 million maintenance, $23 million Duncan Building, 18 FTEs, $31 million reserve); Public Health cuts 27 vacant positions ($2–$3 million). Funding: Property taxes, General Fund.
    • Cuts (Savings: $15–$25 million):
      • Delay Duncan Building upgrades: $5–$10 million.
      • Consolidate clinics: $5–$10 million.
      • Enhance grant oversight: $2–$5 million.
    • Budget Book: HMC allocations clear; Public Health totals need council notes.

 

  1. MIDD (Mental Illness and Drug Dependency)
    • 2025 Budget: Funded crisis response via 0.01% sales tax.
    • 2026-2027 Budget: $39.6 million+, including $2.6 million for nonprofit shelters, $8 million reserve. Funding: Sales tax ($29.1 million from HB 2015), General Fund.
    • Cuts (Savings: $5–$10 million):
      • Audit program overlaps: $3–$5 million.
      • Tighten grant reimbursements: $2–$5 million.
    • Budget Book: Details $2.6 million for shelters; overlaps need advisory reports.

 

  1. Natural Resources and Parks (NRP)
    • 2025 Budget: Funded open spaces, parks via levies, grants.
    • 2026-2027 Budget: Unspecified total, includes land acquisition, waterways. Funding: Property taxes, levies, grants.
    • Cuts (Savings: $5–$10 million):
      • Defer non-urgent land acquisitions: $3–$6 million.
      • Reduce non-safety park upgrades: $2–$4 million.
    • Budget Book: NRP section details land programs; specifics need agency reports.

 

  1. Permitting and Environmental Review
    • 2025 Budget: Funded permitting; restructuring began.
    • 2026-2027 Budget: Unspecified total, includes 0.15% rate surcharge. Funding: Fees, General Fund.
    • Cuts (Savings: $3–$6 million):
      • Accelerate fee restructuring: $2–$4 million.
      • Streamline permitting admin (digitization): $1–$2 million.
    • Budget Book: Permitting section outlines surcharge; details need council notes.

 

  1. Administrative Services
    • 2025 Budget: Funded countywide admin (HR, IT, facilities).
    • 2026-2027 Budget: Unspecified, part of $2.73 billion General Fund. Funding: General Fund, internal fees.
    • Cuts (Savings: $7–$15 million):
      • Consolidate admin roles: $4–$8 million.
      • Reduce non-essential IT/facility upgrades: $3–$7 million.
    • Budget Book: Admin costs spread across General Fund; needs agency breakdowns.

 

Enhanced Fraud Prevention Measures

The Budget Book notes existing DCHS reforms (financial training, fraud reporting, audits for Health and MIDD grants) and SaFE fare enforcement for Transit. To further strengthen accountability and recover funds, we recommend:

Countywide Fraud Detection Software: Implement automated tools to monitor grant disbursements and contracts across all departments, potentially saving $2–$5 million by identifying discrepancies early (e.g., in MIDD or Health grants).

  1. Mandatory Fraud Training for All Agencies: Expand DCHS’s training to NRP, Permitting, and Admin, ensuring all staff handling funds are trained, saving $1–$3 million through prevention.
  2. Independent Audit Team: Establish a small, dedicated team to conduct random audits of high-value contracts (e.g., $380 million Transit bus base, $24 million HMC maintenance), saving $2–$4 million by detecting overbilling.
  3. Vendor Performance Metrics: Require clear deliverables for all contractors (e.g., NRP land programs, Permitting services), saving $1–$3 million by rejecting underperforming vendors.

 

Summary

  • 2025 vs. 2026-2027: 2025 ($10.2 billion annual) focused on restoration; 2026-2027 ($19.7 billion biennial, $2.73 billion General Fund) expands Transit ($406.7 million+), Health ($50 million+), MIDD ($39.6 million+), NRP, Permitting, and Admin.
  • Total Savings: $40–$66 million from cuts, plus $6–$15 million from fraud measures, supporting 2-3% goal.
  • Budget Book: Key for allocations (e.g., $22 million for Link connectivity); use with Executive Summary (kingcounty.gov/budget) and council notes for clarity.

 

Recommendation

Adopt these targeted cuts ($40–$66 million) and fraud prevention measures ($6–$15 million) to ensure fiscal discipline while preserving 250,000+ daily transit rides, trauma care, and crisis response. Review the Budget Book for details and use agency reports for specifics during October 2025 hearings.

Potential Total Savings

If all proposed measures are implemented: 

Targeted Cuts: 

Transit: $10–$20 million 

Health: $15–$25 million 

MIDD: $5–$10 million 

NRP: $5–$10 million 

Permitting: $3–$6 million 

Admin: $7–$15 million 

Subtotal: $45–$86 million

Fraud Prevention Measures: 

Software: $2–$5 million 

Training: $1–$3 million 

Audit Team: $2–$4 million 

Vendor Metrics: $1–$3 million 

Subtotal: $6–$15 million

Total Savings:

$51–$101 million, contributing significantly to the 2-3% goal ($394–$591 million, or 2–3% of $19.7 billion).


Thank you for considering these recommendations.

Sincerely,
Cindy Alia

Citizens’ Alliance for Property Rights

Administrative State
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