Increased revenues from the Burien annexation turned into increased money for human services in Burien.

In the preliminary Burien budget, $200,000 is set aside for 21 human service organizations. This is $30,000 more than last year.

Analyst Lori Fleming said she received 50 applications, asking for a combined total of $480,000.

In the proposed human services budget Burien would give money to every organization they funded last year, who applied this year, plus an additional four programs.

HealthPoint, one of the new organizations on Burien’s budget, has just partnered with Swedish Medical Center, Washington Global Health Alliance, Public Health - Seattle & King County to provide health care and help to people in SeaTac and Tukwila.

Global to Local, the program being developed in SeaTac and Tukwila is funded by $1 million from Swedish Medical Center. Any money Burien gives to human service programs must be used to help Burien residents.

The other new programs being proposed for funding include Tukwila Food Pantry, the Navos employment program and St. Vincent De Paul.

A couple of programs saw increased funding being proposed.

If approved, New Futures would see a $9,000 increase in funding from last year, going from $23,000 to $32,000. Fleming said the increase was because they are now serving two new apartment buildings. New Futures operates community learning centers in four low-income apartment complexes in south King County.

The Crisis Clinic could also see a significant increase over last year. If approved, the appropriation would go from $3,000 to $8,000. A crisis hotline, 211 is the number to call if you are in need.

None of the council members recommended any cuts to the human services budget.

“We have fought hard to get $200,000 for human services on the budget,” Mayor Joan McGilton said.

Councilman Jack Block encouraged the other council members to take a hard look at other budget items in the general fund to see if there was any way to dedicate more money to human services.

“This is a time when we have to take a hard look at our priorities,” Block said.

Block also asked staff to look into hiring a part-time grant writer for human service organizations to take advantage of. He described it as a way to leverage the city’s support for the organizations, as a way to help organizations find more money than the city is able to provide.

Burien’s discussion on the budget will continue at the next council meeting on Oct. 25.