At a community meeting Dec. 14, in Friday Harbor, the boss of Washington State Ferries cautioned that more hardship could be in store for the ferry system and its riders when the governor’s proposed two-year budget – designed to cover a $4.6 billion shortfall – was unveiled the following day.
That’s in addition to the roughly $17 million in cuts and potential service reductions the ferry system had already identified and offered up at the governor’s request, noted Assistant Secretary David Moseley.
“I do know this,” said Moseley of spending cuts expected in governor’s two-year financial plan. “It will be ugly, ugly for counties, ugly for education, ugly for health and human services, and ugly for Washington State Ferries.”
Ugly is right.
And costlier too.
The price of ferry fares would jump by 10 percent across the board under Gov. Christine Gregoire two-year budget proposal. That’s 7.5 percent more than the increase endorsed by the state Transportation Commission in mid-November, which includes an additional two percent hike on the San Juans’ inter-island fares.
The commission’s fare increase package remain in limbo, however, pending a decision by the state attorney general on the impact of Initiative 1053. Approved by voters in the November general election, I-1053 says all legislation that would raise taxes must be approved by two-thirds of the Legislature and that any new new or increased fees, such as a hike in ferry fares, requires the approval of legislators by a simple majority.
Cuts in service are a different matter. And the governor’s budget contains plenty.
The frequency of the international run, from Anacortes-to-Friday Harbor-to-Sidney, B.C., would be reduced by 18 weeks – nine in late fall and nine in early spring – under the governor’s proposed financial plan. Essentially, that means WSF’s winter sailing schedule, in which the international run is suspended, would be prolonged and reach further into the fall and spring. The carrying capacity for vehicles on inter-island sailings would be reduced by 23 spaces in the late fall and early spring as well.
Friday Harbor Mayor Carrie Lacher maintains that the cuts outlined by the governor’s budget, as well as its lack of commitment on building new boats to replace an aging fleet, will unravel the fabric of the islands’ community. She’s skeptical that cuts would be restored even after the financial outlook of the state improves.
“The level of service we have now is an essential public service, not a luxury,” Lacher said. “What they’re proposing to do will affect us and who we are as a community.”
Along with service reductions in the San Juans, the governor’s budget includes cuts down Sound as well. The Port Townsend/Coupeville route would not get a second boat, and a late-night round-trip sailing on the Clinton/Mukilteo route would be eliminated, as would a mid-day round-trip and sailings after 9:05 p.m. on the Bremerton/Seattle route. An early afternoon and a late-evening sailing would also be eliminated on the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route.
All told, the number of WSF sailings would be reduced from 505 to 477 system-wide beginning in 2011. That’s despite an infusion of $44 million into the ferries’ operation account that would be gained by reducing or eliminating other transportation programs and projects.
The governor’s two-year budget proposal is just that – a proposal. The House and the Senate will offer proposals of their own after the legislative session gets underway in January. Whether all three can reach a compromise remains to be seen.
Ridership on Anacortes/Sidney route (ridership total includes vehicles and passengers)
June 2007-July 2008:
Total: 133,412
June 2008-July 2009
Total: 124,581
June 2009-July 2010
Total: 116,256
July-November 2010
Five-month total: 88,743 – up by 6,300 over prior year’s five-month total
Source: Washington State Ferries.
