King County officials warn budget cuts will compromise community safety

King County is grappling with a $150 million budget deficit, which will likely result in significant cutbacks, and threats to public safety, according to county leaders.

The King County Sheriff’s Office has been asked to slash $30.2 million, equating to approximately 80 full-time positions.

“Response times may be delayed when there is an obvious danger to a person’s life, including in-progress crimes like burglaries, domestic violence, and other violent crimes,” King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall said during a meeting of the King County Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee on Wednesday.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is also facing reductions.

“$15.5 million is the salary and benefit costs of 90 deputy prosecuting attorneys,” King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said.

Manion warned that these cuts would devastate her office and compromise community safety.

Other county departments also face budget cuts. The biggest expense is for human resources and benefits. King County Council Member Rod Dembowski Chairs the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. He explained what caused the deficit.

“For over 20 years, we have had our property tax ability capped at 1% per year plus new construction and it simply hasn’t kept up with population growth and inflation,” Dembowski said.

Sheriff: ‘We are simply doing less with less’

Cole-Tindall also noted the decline in funding.

“I remember many times where people have said we need to do more with less and we have been doing that for two decades now,” she said. “Today we are simply doing less with less.”

If new revenue options are not provided by the state legislature, the cuts will start late this year.

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Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio.