WASHINGTON, DC—Martin Luther King, Jr. (WA) County Executive Dow Constantine has released the  first annual Equity and Social Justice Report, which documents the county’s progress toward creating fairness and opportunity in the lives of all of its residents.   The report notes that despite the county’s exceptional quality of life, strong economy, and overall good health of county residents, not everyone benefits from these opportunities.  The county’s Equity and Social Justice Ordinance, the first of its kind in the country, requires the county to take active steps to remedy these inequities.

“The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies congratulates King County and its leadership for taking bold steps to identify and eliminate inequities in the county that are based on skin color, place of residence, and income,” said Ralph B. Everett, President and CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.  “The report released today confirms the county’s commitment to equity and social justice and points to steps that the county can take to improve life opportunities for all.”

The King County Strategic Plan establishes the principle of "fair and just" intentionally in all the county does in order to achieve equitable opportunities for all people and communities.  The effort embeds the “fair and just” principle as a core element in goals, objectives and strategies across county government.  County ordinance 16948, unanimously passed by the County Council in October 2010, establishes definitions and directs implementation steps to achieve the fair and just principle. 

To view the report visit the King County website, here.  The official King County press release can be viewed here.