With a growing number of annexations and incorporations, King County finds itself with a shrinking revenue base, a growing sense of competition with cities for decreasing financial resources and a growing inability to fund services it has historically delivered to its residents.

The last issue of Muni News reported the formation of a new Muni League issues committee to review the Future of King County. The first phase of the study is a fact finding effort.

To that end, our 22-member committee has been busy reviewing past studies and interviewing those who are at the center of King County’s decision-making. In the last two months, the committee met with King County Executive Ron Sims and with Councilmembers Julia Patterson and Kathy Lambert, who have proposed a commission to study the governance of King County.  Our committee also set a representative to the Chamber’s annual leadership conference in October, which had a major focus on regional governance.

The committee is continuing this fact-finding stage of the study. To get involved, contact interim co-chairs Elma Borbe at  or Jennifer Piccolo at .

The Future of King County committee has diverse membership including members of the Municipal League board, League of Women Voters, and other individuals who have broad experience in local government and civic life.