By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay used his first State of the County address to outline an ambitious agenda centered on housing affordability, expanded child care, transit investments, behavioral health services and public safety initiatives, framing the effort as part of a broader vision for a “more connected King County.”
Speaking June 10 at the Federal Way Performing Arts and Events Center, Zahilay announced plans to propose at least doubling the county’s investment in child care for children ages 0 to 3 through the next renewal of the Best Starts for Kids levy. If approved by voters, the proposal would increase the county’s total child care investment to more than $500 million over the life of the levy, making it the largest child care investment in county history.
The executive also reaffirmed his administration’s goal of opening 500 net new affordable or supportive housing units within the next 500 days while highlighting continued investments in behavioral health, homelessness response and public safety.
“The choices we make together will determine whether this region becomes more connected or more divided, more affordable or more out of reach, more inclusive or more unequal,” said Zahilay. “The future of this region is not something that happens to us. It’s something that we create together.”
The theme of the evening, “Building a More Connected King County,” reflected both physical infrastructure improvements and broader efforts to strengthen connections between communities, services and local governments throughout the region.
To organize his priorities, Zahilay presented what he called the “4 B’s for a Better Future.”
Under the banner of “Better Government,” Zahilay highlighted efforts to improve accountability and efficiency, including hiring an internal auditor director, launching countywide fraud prevention training for more than 3,000 employees, strengthening conflict-of-interest policies and beginning the first countywide base budget review in King County history.
The “Breaking the Cycle” initiative focuses on helping residents move out of recurring cycles of homelessness, addiction and incarceration. Zahilay pointed to the continued rollout of the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers Levy, which is expanding access to mental health and substance-use treatment throughout the county regardless of insurance status.
The Kirkland Crisis Care Center is already serving youth and adults in North King County, while the Seattle Crisis Care Center is expected to open next year. County officials have also selected a provider for a future South King County facility and are expected to announce providers for an East King County center and a youth-focused center in the coming months.
Through the “Building for Affordability” pillar, Zahilay reiterated the county’s commitment to opening 500 net new affordable or supportive housing units within the next 500 days. The plan includes a new 80-unit supportive tiny home village on county-owned property in Seattle.
He also announced the creation of a permitting advisory panel aimed at streamlining regulations and reducing barriers to housing construction and business development.
Transportation was another major focus of the address.
Zahilay unveiled Metro’s Next Stop, a long-range transit plan extending through 2038 that is designed to accommodate an estimated 244,000 new residents. The proposal includes nine new bus routes, four new RapidRide lines, expanded frequent-service routes and additional security and behavioral health personnel throughout the transit system.
He also reaffirmed support for completing the voter-approved Sound Transit spine, including the West Seattle Link Extension and Ballard Link Extension, while calling for stronger independent oversight to address Sound Transit’s projected $35 billion funding gap.
Public safety also featured prominently in the executive’s remarks. Zahilay announced a $4.9 million investment to sustain and strengthen the Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which works to prevent violence, intervene with individuals most at risk and support communities impacted by gun violence.
Several recent county initiatives were highlighted as examples of the administration’s efforts to strengthen community connections. Zahilay pointed to the recent purchase of the former Skyway Bowl property, which will become the future home of Skyway’s first community center, as a significant investment in a historically underserved area of unincorporated King County.
He also announced development of the county’s first Tribal consultation policy, intended to strengthen government-to-government relationships and ensure Tribal sovereignty is incorporated into county decision-making processes.
Additional efforts include the recent launch of YouthWorks, which connects teens and young adults with paid internships and career opportunities, and the upcoming launch of the King County Volunteer Corps, a centralized volunteer initiative designed to connect residents with service opportunities throughout the county.
The decision to host the address in Federal Way underscored the administration’s emphasis on South King County and the role transportation plays in connecting communities.
Federal Way Mayor Jim Farrell highlighted the recent opening of the downtown Federal Way light rail station as a milestone for the region.
“A strong connection to the rest of King County is critical for building an environment where our communities can truly thrive,” said Farrell. “These connections matter because the challenges we face don’t stop at city boundaries. None of us succeeds alone.”
Kent Mayor Dana Ralph echoed those sentiments and praised the county’s collaboration with local governments during Zahilay’s first six months in office.
“People don’t experience government in a silo,” said Ralph. “They want to know that their government is working for them. Leadership today is about more than standing apart and standing our ground. It’s about staying connected.”
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came from Franklin High School junior Sam Peterson Spalding, who spoke about the importance of mental health support, community relationships and creating safe spaces for young people.
Peterson Spalding cited data showing that one in six Americans age 12 and older experiences addiction and that 1,338 people died from overdoses in King County in 2023.
“We have created a society that is so stigmatized that people struggling with addiction feel like they can’t even ask for support,” said Peterson Spalding. He also called for the creation of more “third spaces,” or safe environments for teenagers outside of school and home. “The strongest communities aren’t necessarily the communities with the most resources, but they are the communities with the strongest relationships.”
Throughout the evening, speakers repeatedly returned to the idea that challenges such as housing affordability, behavioral health, public safety and economic opportunity require coordinated solutions that extend beyond city boundaries.
For Zahilay, that vision of connection will shape the county’s priorities moving forward.
“The future of this region is not something that happens to us,” said Zahilay. “It’s something that we create together.”
