King County Executive Dow Constantine on Thursday transmitted an emergency supplemental budget of $87 million to the County Council to fund new test sites, housing and arts organizations.<\/p>\n
It marks the fourth emergency supplemental budget Constantine has transmitted since the COVID-19 outbreak in March. The funds are for investments to help in the health and economy recovery of King County.<\/p>\n
“Our COVID-19 response and recovery efforts continue and, as always, we place special emphasis on helping the most vulnerable stay safe,” Constantine said in a King County Executive Office news release. “This supplemental budget illustrates the breadth of our responsibilities, from new walk-up testing sites, to adding plexi-glass and other safety protections to courtrooms, to ensuring arts organizations can continue to enrich our community once the danger has passed.”<\/p>\n
Included in the budget is $11 million for at least two drive-through\/walk-up testing sites in South and East King County that can provide 500 to 1,000 tests per day. Public Health – Seattle & King County will also partner with Community Health Centers to add testing sites capable of 200 to 500 per day in various locations for currently underserved communities.<\/p>\n
Other highlights of the proposal now before the King County Council include:<\/p>\n
• Continues to fund isolation\/quarantine and recovery centers through the end of the year: $12.6 million.<\/p>\n
• Funds the public health response through the end of the year: $29 million.<\/p>\n
• Continues to fund hotel vouchers for the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness through the end of the year: $2.5 million.<\/p>\n
• Provides funding for an outreach and compliance initiative to help restaurants, bars and taverns increase compliance with the governor’s safe start orders: $2.7 million.<\/p>\n
• Funds operating costs to get the courts up and running, including using the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, for civil trials only: $1.8 million.<\/p>\n
• Provides funding to support arts organizations: $2 million.<\/p>\n
• Provides funding for emergency childcare: $3 million.<\/p>\n
Revenues sources include contributions from the state and the federal CARES Act.<\/p>\n
Constantine previously submitted emergency supplemental budgets in March and May, which were later passed by the council.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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