Finally something for these two to smile about. (Photo via www.kingcounty.gov)Today King County government finally passed the controversial budget, making up a $93 million shortfall that’s been the source of much “hot rhetoric” between Executive Ron Sims and his opponents on the council. Both sides are calling it a victory… for them, of course. Sims points out that the council kept his tricky lifeboat plan, council adversaries–specifically Larry Phillips–like to note that they took out most of the programs Sims kept afloat in his first proposal. Either way, the budget is in and people are relatively happy–at least for now. The numbers still project a bigger deficit in 2010 without some serious changes to government funding in Olympia this year. So don’t worry, this battle may be over, but the politically explosive government financial battle will never end.