REPORTER STAFF

The King County budget axe will not cut back programs that prevent violence against women and families with children, according to a proposal by the Metropolitan King County Budget Leadership Team.

After hearing painful personal testimonies from survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault at four public hearings, the county budget team announced Wednesday it has reprioritized funds in its 2010 budget proposal to fully restore programs that prevent violence against women and families with children at 2009 levels.

“Every year we are reminded of the vital role public input has on our budget process,” said Council Budget Chair Larry Gossett. “Compelling stories from the survivors of abuse and the agencies that help them escape started at our first public hearing in Bellevue and continued throughout our budget deliberations. These are programs that literally save lives, we could not let them end.”

The full County Council is set to adopt the 2010 King County Budget on Monday, Nov. 23.

Budget Vice Chair Jane Hague said the choice to continue to fund these life-saving human service programs was easy. Referring to the huge turnout at the Redmond City Hall public hearing, Hague noted, “Violence against women and children knows no social boundaries. The agencies that handle these cases like Eastside Domestic Violence Program, King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Eastside Legal Assistance Program highlight that the need is still apparent in areas like Redmond, it just looks different. At the town hall meeting, many people spoke convincingly about the need to help others. Eastside Domestic Violence Program emphasizes that incidents this year have been more violent than ever before. These agencies still need more.

“For every one family that is accepted into a safe house, 17 are turned away, Hague said.

“Each of those 17 families is suffering and they need all the help they can get,” Hague said. “What is amazing to me is how well our various agencies are able to help with very limited resources. For instance, the Eastside Legal Assistance program does a great job of leveraging a budget of $120,000, thanks to the help of Microsoft attorneys and a resource bank of dozens of attorneys from the private sector and other volunteers. They have made the difference that helped many families escape intolerable situations.”

Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who represents Redmond and is a member of the budget team, said, “These difficult economic times create additional stress for families. Regretfully, this can result in an increase in the incidence of domestic violence. Experts tell us only 1 in 18 survivors receives the kind of services they need to escape abuse and recover from assault. By meeting these important needs, this budget provides the basic human services that help the survivors of domestic violence and assist the criminal justice system.”

The Councilmembers said the revised county budget, which was released today, will restore nearly $1.4 million in dedicated and general funds for programs for the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault, and for legal aid programs that help survivors obtain restraining orders and navigate the judicial system.

The so-called “budget striker” to be released tomorrow will restore:

• $764,000 in the general fund for domestic violence prevention,

• $504,000 for the prevention of sexual assault, half of which is supported by the general fund and half from the sales tax dedicated for mental illness and drug dependency programs, and

• $108,000 in the general fund for legal aid programs that support families with children.

Council budget leadership funded the programs in their striker by reprioritizing some of the $3 million set aside in the Executive Proposed Budget to transition the County out of animal sheltering services. The Council has called for the County to make that transition sooner, by Jan. 31, 2010.

Leaders of domestic violence and sexual assault prevention programs praised the Council’s Budget Leadership Team for the full restoration of funding at 2009 levels. The Executive Proposed Budget had called for an 80 percent cut to domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, and complete elimination of funding for legal aid programs.

“Sincere and heartfelt thanks to the King County Council budget leadership as they have initiated the restoration of $1.4 million to domestic violence and sexual assault services,” said Barbara Langdon, executive director of Bellevue-based Eastside Domestic Violence Program (EDVP). “Speaking as the voice of women and children often unheard, these funds will go to provide critical life saving services for those victimized by violence in King County. We particularly thank the women council members under the guidance of budget chair Larry Gossett in taking the lead for such important services as domestic violence and sexual assault.”

Langdon added, “Although thrilled at the restoration of domestic violence and sexual assault funds, there are many human service providers who will continue to struggle with severe cuts to services. Eastside Domestic Violence Program remains committed to helping King County Council to find a permanent, long-term solution for all human services.”