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King County Council to vote on behavioral health levy
King County leaders will vote on a property tax levy that would help expand behavioral health access.
KING COUNTY, Wash. - King County leaders voted on Tuesday to send a $1.25 billion dollar behavior health levy to voters in April's upcoming special election ballot.
This tax levy will cost homeowners $121 a year starting in 2024 for a median-priced home of $694,000. If passed, the county expects to raise $1.25 billion dollars over 9 years.
King County Executive Dow Constantine says that the money would create crisis care centers and preserve residential treatments
"This is not limited to those extreme cases we see out on our streets," said Constantine. "It is throughout our communities, and a compassionate response – a humane response is to provide the help people need."
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The levy would fund four key goals:
- Create five new regional crisis care centers across King County.
- Preserve and restore the dramatic loss of residential treatment beds.
- Grow the behavioral health workforce pipeline.
- Provide immediate services while centers are being constructed.
If approved by the council the levy will head to voters in April.