King County voters considering crisis care center levy

Outside Recovery Café SODO, where people came to a monthly event for help of all kinds, Joseph Conniff talked about his struggle with substance abuse.

“The pain was so great, heroin, opioids, that was the only thing that took the pain away,” he said.

Now in recovery, and an employee of the café, Conniff draws on his experience to help others.

He says when people decide they want treatment, it’s hard to seize the moment because there’s often nowhere to send them beyond the emergency room.

“We have a lack of treatment to meet the need we’re seeing in the community,” Conniff said.

King County voters are now considering a property tax levy for five 24/7 walk-in behavioral health centers, with ballots due back Tuesday, April 25.

The crisis care centers would be scattered around the county, with one dedicated to youth.

Supporters draw comparisons to the creation of Medic One in the 1970s which built a system to help people survive heart attacks.

“We now have an opportunity to create a specialized care center for someone in crisis,” said levy supporter Erin Goodman of the SODO Business Improvement Area.

The nine-year, $1.25 billion levy would come from property taxes.

King County officials say in 2024, the levy would cost the owner of an $853,000 home $119 in tax.

Anti-tax activist Tim Eyman opposes the measure.

“It’s unaffordable now to rent or own a home in King County. This thing would only make it worse,” he said.

Eyman said funding should not come from a new tax.

“If it was a top priority, you’d be using existing revenue. You wouldn’t be counting on the voters to bail you out,” Eyman said

If the measure passes, King County would begin an implementation plan, including figuring out exactly where to put the five centers.

Elections officials project a 33% turnout next week.

©2023 Cox Media Group