Campaign To Renew King County's Best Starts For Kids Levy Begins

KING COUNTY, WA — A coalition supporting the renewal of King County's Best Starts for Kids levy is campaigning for voters to approve Proposition 1 on their August 3 primary election ballots. The levy, first approved by voters in 2015, funded programs to help keep teens in school, provide affordable child care, ready young learners for Kindergarten and prevent families from becoming homeless.

Early endorsements for the levy renewal include SEIU 925, Kent Youth and Family Services and School's Out Washington. The proposition was unanimously approved to appear on the ballot by the Metropolitan King County Council in April.

"We know that prevention and early engagement is the most effective, and least expensive way, to ensure positive outcomes for all kids and communities of King County," said Mike Heinisch, former executive director of Kent Youth and Family Services. "Best Starts allows for co-creation of programs and partnerships that support children and youth of color to overcome racial injustice, receive mentorship, and secure pathways to future opportunities."

According to the campaign, the program has helped keep more than 10,000 families from losing their homes and reached 27,000 young people through education and employment programs. The county estimates the new version of the levy would increase property taxes on a median-priced home by $114 annually and generate $872 million over the next six years. Roughly half of the revenues will support programs geared at children ages 5 and under.

The added cash will strengthen investments in out-of-school programs for elementary students, support pathway to adulthood programs for teens and young adults and help build up to four more school health centers. It would also fund a new child care subsidy for thousands of low-income families, and provide child care workers a living wage.

"We are proud of the successes of this levy — helping thousands of families and kids get not only a healthy start in life, but the support they need throughout childhood and into early adulthood," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "We are building a model for the nation here in King County, showing how we can prevent family homelessness, keep kids healthy and in school, reduce juvenile interactions with law enforcement and detention, and, with approval this year, provide affordable childcare for families desperately in need of assistance and recovery."

King County residents will see Prop. 1 on their Aug. 3 ballots. If it fails to pass, the current levy will expire on Dec. 31.

Read the full text of Proposition 1 online, or learn more via the Best Starts for Kids campaign.