King Co. prosecutor faces $15.5M in cuts due to General Fund deficit

SEATTLE - King County is in a "dire fiscal situation," according to the King County Executive Office. Officials explained the county is facing a $150 million shortfall in the General Fund for 2026-2027 due to a "state law that prevents property tax revenues from keeping up with inflation."

"After two decades of state inaction, the Executive is left with no other choice than to send large reduction targets to departments that fund critical services people throughout King County rely on," wrote King County Executive spokesperson Amy Enbysk.

Budget cuts for King County

What they're saying:

The deficit puts services in the criminal justice system and public safety at risk of major cuts. This includes the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, facing a $15.5 million proposed cut.

"It’s the largest proposed budget reduction that the prosecutor’s office has ever been asked to take," said Lessa Manion, King County Prosecuting Attorney.

Manion explained the $15.5 million is the equivalent of the annual salary and benefit costs of 90 deputy prosecuting attorneys.

"I don’t have enough resources to handle the work coming in the door right now. The loss of 90 deputy prosecuting attorneys would be devastating to our work," said Manion. "I am so proud of my prosecutor team. They work long hours. They work really hard to improve public safety for everyone in King County. The loss would be devastating, and I really am concerned about their already too-heavy caseloads and what that means for those who remain."

Manion said her team’s long hours are proving to pay off, as public safety has shown improvement in King County.

"What we’re seeing is that our collective impact is working. Violent crime is down 14 percent in downtown Seattle. For the first time since 2018, gun crime is on the decrease in King County," said Manion. "The thought of losing that progress by accepting a $15.5 million budget cut is concerning."

Why you should care:

During a King County Council committee meeting, Manion voiced her concerns about the proposed budget cuts. In her presentation, she explained that her office files 20-30 serious cases each day. She said, in 2024, they filed 654 auto theft cases and 342 commercial burglary cases, and each case "caused real harm to victims and cost them thousands of dollars in financial loss and damage."

All of that work in the prosecutor’s office could change if the proposed cuts cause Manion to lose more than half of her deputy prosecuting attorneys.

"Caseloads will double. It will take more time to get cases through our justice system. I think it will take a long time to file certain cases because we’ll have to prioritize gun crime, violent crime, sexual assault, repeat property crimes. And other cases will have to take a backseat," said Manion.

In a statement, Enbysk wrote, "Over the past two budget cycles, Executive Constantine has warned legislators and the public about the county’s dire fiscal situation — calling for immediate action. While the county is actively seeking revenue options from the state Legislature, potential solutions remain uncertain until at least April — too late for responsible budget planning."

"The challenges to the general fund are real, they’re not imaginary. So, we have tough choices ahead of us," said Manion. "We have to prioritize public safety. I also think that we need additional revenue solutions for King County and King County’s General Fund. I know that there are others who are calling on our lawmakers in Olympia to pay attention to this issue and to give priority to this issue and to make some changes."

Local perspective:

King County council member Claudia Balducci agreed the county’s mission should be to fully fund public safety.

She wrote in a statement, "Community safety and an effective, accountable and humane criminal justice system are some of the most critical functions of King County government and our projected $150 million shortfall threatens these essential services. As the former director of the King County Jail system, I hear and understand these concerns and that’s why as recently as [Wednesday] morning I’ve been speaking to leaders about new state-authorized local revenue options that could provide much-needed relief to close those funding gaps in our upcoming budget."

Manion said if the full $15.5 million were to be cut from the prosecutor’s office, she worries all of King County would feel the impact.

"It’s not just victims of violent crimes, but I also have attorneys in my civil division who are funded by the General Fund. They advise the council and the executive on environmental issues, and resource issues, and transportation issues. And all of those things impact King County and the places that we live, work, travel to," said Manion.

The executive’s office said the consequences would be even more severe for unincorporated areas, meaning the county would also need to significantly cut Sheriff services, land use enforcement, and farm programs.  

"The cuts are large, and they impact all parts of our justice system. We have Superior Court facing a $15.5 million cut, the Sheriff’s Office is facing a $30 million cut. These are not sustainable," said Manion.

Enbysk explained it is still early in the budget process, and county agencies will have a few months to review where reductions could be made to address the deficit. Once those recommendations are in by late June, Executive Constantine will assess and propose a budget that will go to the county council in the fall.

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