King County Fair saved from budget axe, to have a 146th year after all

November 22, 11:40 PMSeattle History ExaminerBenjamin Lukoff

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Current King County Fair logo

I noted last month that the King County Fair was in danger of being shut down after 145 years because of the $93,000,000 Ron Sims needed to cut from the county budget for 2009. (According to the County Council, the Fair costs taxpayers $318,000, not $315,000 as previously reported.) Today, the The Seattle Times is reporting that a preliminary budget was passed Friday that will keep the Fair going. However,

The budget will eliminate as many as 60 other sheriff's deputy and 20 prosecutors positions, close most county offices for 10 days, and fund family-planning clinics and tuberculosis control for less than a full year.

Last Monday, the Council put out a press release headlined "Councilmembers call for task force to find ways to sustain the King County Fair, should it be saved in 2009 budget." The subhead was "10-member panel would explore ways to boost attendance and revenues and make it more self-sustaining." As it was saved, it looks like this will go ahead. Good luck to the panel, which, according to the press release, will consist of members of 4-H, FFA, the WSU King County Cooperative Extension, the Washington State Fairs Association, and county government. The task force is to give recommendations to Ron Sims, who is in turn to present a recovery plan to the Council by August of next year.