Patterson: MLK logo is legal for county

Last week Kent resident John W. Kohler shared his concerns over King County’s use of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s likeness as our logo. I want to take a moment to address Mr. Kohler’s inquiry and assure the residents of King County that the use of the logo is legal and that the county does not use taxpayer money to compensate the King Estate for royalties.

When the King County Council voted to change the logo in 2007, we took the necessary steps to ensure we were operating within our legal bounds. The county believes that because we are a state-designated government entity and the logo is used solely for official purposes, use of the logo does not violate any intellectual property rights and we are not required to pay royalties. We have contacted the King Estate and they are fully notified of our actions.

The concerns of my constituents are always one of my top priorities and I continually encourage you to contact me. Although Mr. Kohler indicated that my office did not respond to his question, I reviewed my correspondences and I have no record of hearing from Mr. Kohler regarding this matter. To ensure that you can contact me for a timely response, I have included my contact information below for your convenience. 

As always, it is an honor and privilege to serve you.

Julia Patterson

King County Councilmember

(206) 296-1005

julia.patterson@kingcounty.gov

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