Rebekah A. Hall

King County, Wa. – The King County Council has adopted its 2004 budget that preserves social services but charges the solid waste utility $7 million in rent for the use of the Cedar Hills Landfill,

The Seattle Times

reports. The rent monies will help to close the county’s $24 million shortfall in reaching a $513 million general budget.

County Executive Ron Sims also wants to annex areas that are not part of any suburban city. Urban, unincorporated areas are contributing to the budget’s shortfall because of the cost to provide services to the areas. However, because of the landfill rent, the city-county relationship has been strained. Suburban city officials are concerned about the rent and that Sims will change the transfer stations operating hours and raise tipping fees, according to The Seattle Times.