A Few County Projects Could Get Gored in 2002

SEATTLE-King County Councilmember Maggi Fimia says several projects will face the budget ax under the fiscal blueprint proposed by King County Executive Ron Sims.

“These are not discretionary projects,” Fimia says. “Some of these programs are consistent with the county’s long-term policy goals have been in the works for years. I will work with my colleagues to restore the funding for these well-deserving projects.”

Fimia’s list includes:

– Burke Gilman Trail. Two-thirds of the $3000 slated for the upgrade of the Lake Forest Park segment of the Burke Gilman Trail has been eliminated in the executive’s proposed budget. Fimia says while $100,000 remains, improvements may have to be abandoned with remaining funds used mostly for trail maintenance.

– Magnolia Dairy Acres Project. The earlier $500,000 Magnolia Dairy purchase grant approved by the King County Council has been withdrawn from the executive’s 2002 budget. With financial support from the council and interest from the Cascade Land Conservancy, efforts by a new community group were underway to purchase the dairy to create an authentic working farm experience for school-age youth, a vocational program preparing future farmers for ecologically-sustainable biodynamic agriculture, and a cultural center promoting heritage and agrarian values for community members.

The council is in the midst of examining and adjusting the executive’s proposed 2002 budget. Budget panel deliberations resume next Wednesday. The target date for council adoption of the FY 2002 budget is Nov. 19.