October 2002
Special Report: Public Funding for Health and Human Services

A groundbreaking report prepared recently by the Washington Research Council for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Northwest Area Foundation, The Seattle Foundation and United Way of King County notes how each of four main government funding sources (federal, state, county and local cities) face serious budget challenges negatively impacting King County's human services infrastructure.
 
The federal government is experiencing the combined effects of increased defense spending and economic recession. A call for reduced domestic spending to avoid deficit spending is expected. 

In 2002, Washington state responded to a $1.5 billion budget shortfall with a combination of one-time tactics and budget reductions. The 2003 budget outlook has not improved.  Voter initiatives including taxation caps and mandated salary increases have combined with recession related revenue declines to seriously limit state resources.

King County's budget has been heavily impacted by public safety costs and other mandatory spending, coupled with annexations and other revenue declines. (The impact of King County cuts on Family Resource Center agency programs is significant.  Cuts include losses for youth violence prevention, counseling, respite for poor families of the disabled and much more.)

Additionally, most cities will experience some near-term fiscal stresses which will affect their abilities to support human services. Read this excellent introduction to public funding at www.researchcouncil.org.

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