From staff reports:

The King County Council unanimously approved the county’s 2014 operating and capital budget. This budget includes a $718 million General Fund Budget, of which 73 percent is directed toward public safety and criminal justice programs.

King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer announced that Federal Way will benefit from the budget. The budget includes funding for new equipment at the Federal Way National Little League fields and several area playgrounds. Other items include improvements at the county’s Public Health Center in Federal Way, along with contracts with programs such as FUSION (Friends United to Shelter the Indigent, Oppressed and Needy).

The budget contains several items that will enhance the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, which has hosted several national and international events in recent years, including the U.S. Olympic Trials and NCAA and Pac-12 championships. According to von Reichbauer’s office, the allocated budget funds will cover several facility upgrades and also instructs the county’s Parks Division, which oversees the aquatic center, to spend between $20,000 and $100,000 to study potential solutions to the parking issues created by the increasing number of spectators.

In addition, von Reichbauer thanked Federal Way City Councilmembers Kelly Maloney and Susan Honda for working collaboratively with the county on solving the parking issues.

“The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center has had a major positive economic impact in Federal Way and all of South King County,” said von Reichbauer in a news release. “With these changes, it will remain one of the finest swim and dive facilities in the nation for many years to come.”

The budget also preserves King County’s AAA bond rating by not using the county’s cash reserves or tapping the rainy day fund.

Transportation notes

Washington State Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson was the guest speaker at von Reichbauer’s monthly “Good Eggs Breakfast” in Auburn. Peterson discussed the prospects of passing a transportation package during the recent special session of the state Legislature called by the governor. She also addressed how to grow and maintain transportation infrastructure throughout the state, with special emphasis on the importance of the “Puget Sound Gateway Project,” which is WSDOT’s planned expansion of SR 167 and SR 509.

“Quality transportation infrastructure and efficient freight mobility are keys to economic growth and more jobs for our region. Today, this means completing SR 167 and SR 509,” said von Reichbauer in a news release. “I am thankful that Secretary Peterson recognizes the importance of this project to not only South King County, but the rest of Puget Sound and Washington state.”