Excerpt from Ron Sims June 17 speech - what is at stake
We’ve done so much to make King County a leader nationally and internationally. But this new era is in a precarious place. The work my friends, is not yet done.
Healthcare
Our collective and individual health is another major focus of a just
and equitable society. We are faced with skyrocketing health care costs
that are rising faster than inflation, growing numbers of people without
adequate health insurance, and increasing rates of obesity and chronic
conditions such as diabetes – especially among young people.
As the leader of King County, I will not let this problem be ignored.
I believe the coalition of employers, health plans, medical
practicioners, union trusts and consumers have built here in King County
what will become the standard for a national system that can provide all
Americans quality affordable health care at a lower cost whether it be
universal care or an employer paid health system.
We are off to a great start to be the first county in this country not only to provide physical healthcare but dental and mental healthcare as well for children.
Transportation and Protecting our Environment
Transportation also lies at the heart of so many of our challenges here
in King County. This includes traffic congestion, greenhouse gas
emissions, building healthy communities and maintaining a robust
regional economy. Transportation is entwined with every aspect of our
lives—our economy, environment, health, security, and quality of life.
But congestion threatens to undermine our economy and our quality of life, and could worsen as our population grows. With almost 2 million more people expected to live here over the next three decades, our car-centered transportation system is damaging our environment, and consuming more and more of people’s time.
I am committed to a systematic and sequential building of our transportation system in King County. I am working with the Governor, her Department of Transportation and the Puget Sound Regional Council to employ an innovative set of transportation management tools, incorporating the Four T’s: tolling, transit, traffic technology and telecommuting. Variable tolling is the centerpiece of our plan. It’s a market-driven approach to reducing congestion: Tolls will be higher during peak travel hours, and lower when fewer vehicles are on the road.
My dream for the future of King County is to diversify and extend our already extensive transportation system, to include more rail, bus rapid transit, biking and walking opportunities, and to make our streets and highway systems more efficient by using smart tolling and technology that decrease travel times and pollution.
In my vision, everyone will have ready access to public transportation and predictable, reliable choices for their daily commute. We will address climate change, starting right here in King County.
Race Relations and Eradicating Poverty
In King County, we have tremendous wealth and opportunities. We have
industry powerhouses including Microsoft, Boeing, Costco and Starbucks.
Nevertheless, our inequities mirror national and global trends.
Even in communities as forward thinking as Seattle and King County, the
color of your skin or your home address are good predictors of whether
you will have a low-birth-weight baby, die from diabetes, or your
children will graduate from high school or end up in jail.
But what if all residents of King County have the same opportunity regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, sexual orientation, disability? What if all residents had the same opportunities in education, health care, employment, housing, and access to the natural environment?
A new, better and very different King County would emerge. We, in partnership with our communities and local organizations, can be the catalyst for this change. We can diminish racial disparities and eradicate poverty.
That is why I launched the Equity & Social Justice Initiative earlier
this year. All King County departments have committed to specific
actions to promote equity in 2008 and beyond. We will ensure that
promoting equity is intentionally considered in all our policies and
programs and in making funding decisions.
By collaborating with partners in every sector, reducing disparities and
inequities in our most blighted communities is finally within our grasp.
Affordable Housing
Quality, affordable housing is a basic human right, and is one of the
foundations of a just and equitable society. When this fundamental need
is not met, the consequences ripple through our entire society. When
many in our community are homeless, or balancing on the edge of
homelessness, we all suffer.
Half of all renters in King County cannot afford the average rent for
a two-bedroom apartment. As many as 8,000 people in King County are
already homeless on any given night. And the gap between housing prices
and wages is only growing. And though rent prices are mostly stable,
home prices are still rising faster than incomes, making home ownership
out of reach for too many.
Turning this situation around requires long-term planning and long-term
investments. King County has partnered with state legislators, voters,
and housing advocacy groups to secure significant funding for affordable
housing.
These investments are paying off. Since we began implementing our Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness two years ago, we have opened 1400 new units of housing, with more than 1000 more in the pipeline. King County is also supporting services that provide critical supportive services that stabilize homeless individuals, and help them keep their housing over the long run.
These investments help to address the crisis of homelessness. But King County has also kept its eye on how to create communities that are both affordable and livable for the entire county.
The vision for our future is in place -- a vision of safe, inclusive
communities, with great schools for our kids, decent housing and health
care for all, and a commitment to addressing global warming.
I ask you to once again to re-commit to finishing the work we’ve
started.