This election, voters have an important opportunity to ensure every child in King County gets the best start. Best Starts for Kids, Proposition 1, will deliver real, measurable benefits for children across the county.

The YMCA is joining the City of Auburn’s support because we believe that strong communities can only be achieved when we invest in our youth, health and neighborhoods and that all children deserve the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential, regardless of income, race or background.

The Auburn City Council unanimously voted last month to approve Resolution 5165, supporting a “yes” vote on Best Starts for Kids because it knows the importance of ensuring every child has the chance for a great start to life.

Best Starts for Kids is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help children across the county, and particularly here in South King County, get the support they need to succeed. Best Starts for Kids will fund proven programs like nurse home visitation and screenings for developmental disability – things that we know will deliver real benefits for our children. The YMCA is proud to join Auburn to stand in support of Best Starts for Kids.

Prop 1 proposes a levy rate of only 14 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. This will cost the average King County property owner an estimated $56 a year to improve the health and well-being of King County by investing in prevention and early intervention for children, youth, families and communities. This is an investment we can all agree is worth every penny and would raise about $65 million per year.

Best Starts invests in proven prevention methods and early intervention that provide children with the support they need for lifelong success. Groundbreaking research conducted at the University of Washington shows that the most critical stage of a child’s brain development takes place from birth to 3 years old. Best Starts funds will strengthen a child’s early development, invest at key developmental milestones and create healthy communities that reinforce their progress.

Early intervention to protect our families’ futures can reduce the need for costly late-stage interventions for chronic disease, domestic violence, mental illness, and homelessness. And it saves money and resources by preventing bad situations, instead of merely responding to them.

If passed, Best Starts will allocate 50 percent of the revenue toward strategies focused on children under age five and pregnant women, such as home visits for new parents and their children. This is the most important investment that can be made to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. It is proven that the earlier we invest, the greater the return for the child’s development and our society.

The program will also invest 35 percent of the funding toward children and youth age 5-24, to fund early intervention to prevent teen depression and substance abuse programs. Again, research tells us that prevention efforts addressed at key developmental stages or transition points in a young person’s life help to sustain the gains made earlier in life.

The smartest and most responsible investment we can make is in the future of our kids, and that is why the YMCA stands with the City of Auburn to strongly support Best Starts for Kids.