A movement in the early 1970s sought to carve a new 'Evergreen County' from the southwestern portion of King County, pitting suburban communities like Burien, Federal Way, and Normandy Park against the Seattle-dominated urban core. Residents in the proposed area argued that King County was too closely tied to Seattle's interests and was failing to deliver government services proportionate to the taxes they paid. The effort, still in its infancy at the time of this article, required gathering roughly 60,000 voter signatures to compel the state Legislature to consider creating the new county.Open full document
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A newspaper article by William Gough examining the movement to create a new ‘Evergreen County’ from the southwest portion of King County, driven by suburban residents who feel King County is too closely aligned with Seattle’s interests. The article explores the motivations of residents in areas like Burien, Federal Way, and Normandy Park, who argue they lack proper government services relative to revenues paid, and covers the political dynamics, signature-gathering efforts, and opposition to the proposed secession.