West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Joe McDermott has a new high-profile role – leading the council through the budget process. Read on for the official announcement:

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously selected Councilmember Joe McDermott to serve as Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee and to lead the Council’s 2013 budget deliberations.

“Tough choices and a true commitment to reforming county government have placed the County on sound financial footing,” McDermott said. “Sound fiscal management will continue to be my priority as budget chair.”

The Budget Committee maintains oversight of the current year’s budget, and is the lead decision-making body during the adoption of the 2013 budget.

“Unfortunately, the County’s coffers will be facing many challenges this year as cuts from the state are absorbed. In all likelihood, we will be forced to make many more tough choices,” McDermott said.

McDermott joined the Council in 2010 after serving nearly a decade in the state Legislature. He was Senior Budget Analyst with the Seattle School District and worked for former Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney John Ladenburg. McDermott has a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Gonzaga University.