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August 2014 newsletter

Stay in the loop on our work to build equity and opportunity, confront climate change, and make King County the best-run government in America.

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From the Office of King County Executive Dow Constantine

News from King County Executive Dow Constantine
August 2014  •  Issue 5
Oil train derails in Seattle

Protecting Central Puget Sound from oil and coal train risks

Oil train derailments, spills, and fires have already resulted in evacuations, devastating pollution, and even losses of life.

The surge in crude oil coming into Washington state on trains is staggering -- from nearly zero in 2011 to tens of millions of gallons today. These rail lines travel through major population centers, past CenturyLink and Safeco Fields, and beneath downtown Seattle. Up to 13 trains a week carry nearly one million gallons of a highly volatile substance through our communities.

Watch this KIRO 7 video to learn how King County is preparing in the event of a disaster here.

Exec prepares region for oil train disaster

Safe Energy Leadership Alliance (SELA)

Local governments have front-line responsibility for emergency response. That's why Executive Constantine convened an alliance of more than 50 elected leaders from across the Northwest and British Columbia to shine a light on the true costs and impacts of oil and coal trains, and bring our voices together for a safer energy future.

King County's Office of Emergency Management also hosted the region's first-ever exercise designed to deal with oil train derailments. The Aug. 5 event included a scenario in which a train car derailed and exploded near I-5 and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, near Boeing Field. Participants included first responders and officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, railroad companies, and more.

"Thankfully, no fire resulted from the derailment of oil train tank cars under the Magnolia Bridge (pictured above)," says the Executive. "But this incident only shows how little we know about what moves through our community by rail, and how thin the margin of safety is for the people of King County."

Read more about the Exec's Safe Energy Leadership Alliance.
Metro's reduced fare program begins March 2015  

Exec announces plan for Metro's reduced-fare program

King County Metro will become only the second major transit agency in the U.S. to offer a reduced fare for lower-income residents when the new program launches in March 2015.

The reduced fare will be $1.50 for those who qualify and is one way. Executive Constantine is turning his commitment to building social equity into action.

"It's the right thing to do -- because creating access to affordable, reliable public transportation creates opportunity," says the Exec.

One of the ways we create opportunity is by helping people get to work, get to school, and get to the services they need to reach their full potential.
King County residents use a computer  

King County named a "Top 10 Digital County"

King County has again been named one of the nation's Top 10 Digital Counties, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties.

As more and more people access and engage with our services, technology plays an increasingly important role in Executive Constantine's work to build the best-run government in America.

See how King County is using technology to support schools and libraries with our state-of-the-art fiber optic network, to provide online election ballots to military and civilian voters overseas, and to deliver personal text messaging for Metro bus riders.
Healthy Incentives employee wellness program  

WATCH: Employee wellness program is changing people's lives

Healthy Incentives, King County's award-winning employee wellness program, has created a culture in which employees make better choices and do the hard work to live healthier lives.

Watch this video to learn how Metro driver Jose Rosado lost 126 pounds through the tools provided by our Healthy Incentives program.

Earlier this year, Healthy Incentives received the prestigious "Innovations in American Government" award from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Since then, the program has been featured nationally in USA Today, Huffington Post, and more.

Executive Constantine in the news

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