Applications are now open for Burien residents interested in participating on a committee in support of or against a proposed ballot measure to fund public safety initiatives in Burien.
Both Pro and Con Committees will be tasked with drafting a position statement by August 12, 2025 that will appear in the King County Elections local voters’ pamphlet, in addition to submitting a rebuttal to the opposing committees’ statement by August 14, 2025.
On June 30, 2025, the Burien City Council placed Ordinance 874, formally setting the ballot language and the explanatory statement for the measure, on the consent agenda of its next regular meeting.
If approved, it would support the Burien community’s top three public safety priorities as identified over more than two years of active community engagement, research and planning by City staff, and presentations to the City Council.
Those three priorities are:
- Preserving and expanding the police co-response model to address homelessness, mental health crisis, and public use of drugs;
- Maintaining the current level of police staffing and hiring additional police officers to support co-response teams, increase patrols throughout the city, and support community crime prevention programs; and
- Creating safer streets and sidewalks through improvements to infrastructure and additional street lighting.
Applications for both committees are due July 9, 2025. The City Council will review applications and appoint up to three members for each committee at its meeting on July 14, 2025. Committee members will have the opportunity to engage with neighbors and gain insights from the community as they work to draft a position statement.
Residents interested in learning more about the levy proposal and applying for a committee can visit the City’s webpage at burienwa.gov/levy.