Sure, officials are sitting down with residents and pouring over proposed rate increases and changes to service on Washington State Ferries but how many comments will they really be taking to heart? If everyone complains about the proposed hikes and alterations to user options, who’s to say the state won’t do what it pleases and stick us all with a plan we don’t like? It wouldn’t be the first time.
What will public reaction to WSF’s seeking more money be? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Better send that one to a committee. Of course, commuters and regular users of the ferry system won’t like the majority of the overwhelmingly flawed proposal as it now stands. The question is how much the state is willing to bend once it hears our concerns.
Slight increases here, a dash of new ideas there and a smattering of reduced options for its frequent users look to be the beginnings of yet another award-winning WSF recipe that results in a plan the public will have trouble swallowing. Even so, rate increases on the ferries are a lot like gas prices: everyone gets up in arms for a few weeks, maybe a month, then they calm down and take it in the pocketbook until the next discussion of hikes surfaces. If anything, the ridiculous changes to the frequent user proposal should be shot down. If the reaction from residents in Southworth and Vashon holds true here, it probably will be. Probably.
The proposal does make some additional concessions for youth and children, which is a plus. But what about the adults who use the system to get to and from work every day? Hopefully, they’ll not only speak up on their concerns but be listened to as well. As a county that’s tied to ferry service — and pretty much the primary user of it — we absolutely deserve that.
Hopefully, the Washington State Transportation Commission will take into consideration the toils and already high expense of cross-Sound travel in its final assessment and cut us a little slack. But that seems to be about as tall an order as getting a hot cheeseburger served up on the M/V Wenatchee.
