King County, WA, health services facing $10 million cut

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 18, 2008

King County, WA's projected budget deficit next year is poised to drain $10 million from public health services, health officials have warned. Members of King County's medical community and the Board of Health gathered at Columbia Public Health Center to oppose cuts to the $193 million public health budget that they said could put lives at risk. Without additional funding one or more of the county's 10 public health clinics will likely be shut down, affecting tens of thousands of residents, including uninsured, low-income and immigrant populations, said Board of Health Chairwoman Julia Patterson.