Draft County Budget Includes MH Money

The budget committee of the King County Council has approved a 2007 budget which includes $150,000 for the next phase of the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The approval of the budget was reported in today's Seattle Times, and my sources tell me the budget includes the MHI money. The final budget is subject to approval by the full council on Monday and signature by King County Executive Ron Sims. Last year, Sims vetoed several earmarked budget items, and so maritime heritage advocates can't say for sure that the MHI money is a done deal until Sims signs the entire budget package. But a Sims spokesman says in the Times story that the council and the executive have agreed on "nearly all" of the budget's line items.

Last week, the Seattle City Council approved a $150,000 matching grant for the MHI, subject to participation by the county council, the Port of Seattle, and the state legislature. MHI advocates are now gearing up to talk with the port and state lawmakers, who go into their annual session in early January.