KINGSTON — The Legislatures’ and publics’ collective opinions decry the Washington State Ferries (WSF) Plan B proposal as a “nonstarter.”
For the Kingston/Edmonds run Plan B called for eliminating night runs after 9 p.m., fare increases and various other changes in service.
A round of public meetings in January drew throngs of ferry riders opposed to Plan B. At Kingston’s public meeting more than 100 showed up.
Legislators are listening to and agree with the public. They aren’t considering Plan B as a viable option, said Rep. Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge) who’s on the House Transportation Committee.
“(Plan B) upset a lot of people. It was unnecessary to recommend those drastic of changes,” Rolfes said. “I’m very hopeful we won’t be seeing cuts in future service. A goal of the legislatures representing the ferry districts is to maintain service as it is today.”
She said they’re working on modified versions of Plan A, which maintains current levels of service, and Plan C, a citizens proposal, and using the two plans as a starting point for putting together a finalized ferries proposal.
Walt Elliot, chair of Kingston’s Citizen Ferry Advisory Committee, said the proposal to eliminate night service would only save some $700,000 and the suggestion has pretty much “fallen off the table.”
Rolfes solidified the preservation of Kingston’s night runs saying she’s confident Kingston service will be maintained. She based this on Kingston’s fare recovery costs.
“Kingston has been a very reliable run in terms of ridership,” Rolfes said. “You never know till it’s over but I’m feeling optimistic.”
At the beginning of the legislative session, Gov. Christine Gregoire called for the elimination of the Ferry Advisory Committees (FAC). However, the public testified on behalf of the FACs and Elliot said FACs have been taken off the list of deletion in the Senate. Rolfes said FAC legislation has yet to be presented to the House, but said they’ve requested FACs be kept and will be fighting to ensure that they are.
Although service may be preserved for Kingston riders, more than likely fares will increase in the fall, which concerns Elliot.
The Transportation Commission has proposed a 4 percent fare increase each year for the next nine years, resulting in an approximate 42 percent spike by 2018. The Commission also proposed a super-summer surcharge, increasing the current 25 percent summer surcharge to 40 percent from July to Labor Day.
WSF proposes a 2.5 percent increase each year for the next nine years.
Elliot said a car commuter spends some $4,500 a year on ferry fares and the proposed fare increases would push low-income riders off the ferries.
“It would have the affect of squeezing people off the ferry,” he said. “I think we would lose riders, we would lose revenue and that would make the system for higher income riders and that’s not good public policy.”
The Transportation Commission does have legal authority to determine the fare increases unless given direction by the Legislature.
Rofles said they’re talking about a slight fare increase for the entire system, but are leaning more toward WFS’ 2.5 percent hike as opposed to the Transportation Commission’s.
“By the end of the legislative session Washington State Ferries will be settled,” she said. “The question is really will it be settled for the next two, six or 22 years?”
