Summary

Auburn Public Health Center and its satellite locations in Enumclaw and the Muckleshoot tribal reservation, which had been scheduled to close in January due to declines in state and federal funding, will have the funds needed to maintain services for the next two years.

Story

Two weeks after he brought together cities, tribal leaders, nonprofits, and companies to provide $700,000 to help maintain services at Auburn Public Health Center for the next two years, King County Executive Dow Constantine thanked the Metropolitan King County Council for including the remaining $1.6 million needed in the 2015-2016 budget.

“Saving the Auburn health center and its satellites in Enumclaw and the Muckleshoot Reservation shows what we can accomplish when we work together to achieve a common goal," said the Executive. "I want to thank the County Council for including the remaining funds needed to maintain important health services to 10,000 women and children—nearly all of whom live below the federal poverty line."

“Our task now is to take this shared sense of purpose that united cities, tribes, schools, nonprofits, businesses, and Public Health employees, and harness it to advocate for the legislative authority to create sustainable funding for public health services. Let’s build on this momentum to develop long-term solutions,” the Executive said.

Public Health – Seattle & King County has not had a stable funding source since elimination of the state Motor Vehicle Excise Tax in 2000.