King County Council cancels $3.14 million in uncollectible personal property taxes; confirms community corrections director

The Metropolitan King County Council on March 11, 2025, adopted a substitute ordinance authorizing the manager of county treasury operations to cancel a list of uncollectible personal property taxes totaling $3,136,926 for tax years 2016 through 2024 and, by separate motion, confirmed Aaron Parker as director of the Community Corrections Division. Both measures passed on the consent agenda by unanimous roll call votes of 9-0.

The ordinance (proposed substitute ordinance 2025-0055) was read into the record by the clerk and moved on the floor by Vice Chair Perry; the council recorded nine ayes and zero nos and adopted the ordinance. The clerk described the ordinance as authorizing the manager of treasury operations to cancel the attached list of uncollectible personal property taxes in the stated amount for the specified years.

The council then considered proposed motion 2025-0011 to confirm Aaron Parker as director of the Community Corrections Division within the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention. That motion also was moved by Vice Chair Perry and carried 9-0 in a roll call vote. The meeting record does not include additional details about Parker's background or the terms of his appointment beyond the clerk's description in the agenda item.

During public comment, two speakers addressed the meeting. Alexander Zimmerman criticized the appointment on political grounds and said he had spent time in jail, telling the council, "I spent two days in jail, and two days more than enough." Zimmerman also alleged the appointment was politically motivated and referenced Councilmember Balducci by name. Joe Chancellor spoke briefly but his remarks were largely unrelated to the two consent items, offering a mix of civic fandom and light-hearted remarks directed at council members. The clerk reminded speakers to remain on the agenda topic and read the public-comment ground rules before testimony began.

The council convened with a full quorum and concluded after the consent votes. The chair noted a King County Flood Control District meeting would follow in five minutes at the same location.