King County Exec Dow Constantine delivers 'bittersweet' final State of the County address

King County Executive Dow Constantine gave his sixteenth and final report on the State of the County on Wednesday.

Describing the moment as “bittersweet,” Constantine reflected on how the county has evolved since he took office in 2009.

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Constantine pointed to the expansion of light rail, the construction of affordable housing units, and investments in mental health services as examples of the quote “real and meaningful change” his administration set out to accomplish.

"Now, three governors, four presidential administrations and, depending on how you count, five, six, or seven Seattle mayors later, I'm still standing," Constantine quipped.

Constantine’s work in expanding light rail lines and RapidRide bus routes may dovetail into his next professional chapter. The Sound Transit board this week announced Constantine's nomination to become the agency's next CEO.

RELATED: King County Executive Dow Constantine nominated to become next Sound Transit CEO

In an interview with KUOW, Constantine said unifying staff around shared goals and values is a priority.

"There's been a lot of change at the agency over time, a lot of new CEOs who've come through. I want to bring some stability and allow people to really focus their energies on overcoming the significant challenges we have."

The outgoing county executive is poised to inherit a transit system struggling to overcome financial struggles caused by inflation, which have caused bigger price tags on projects like the West Seattle Link extension.

A confirmation vote from the Sound Transit Board is expected Thursday afternoon.