Will a ferry rate increase survive a state-wide vote?

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It looks increasingly like a MAJOR ferry fare increase is going to be going to the voters. The question is, can it get a yes vote? Some users will vote no because it is, after all, an increase in fares. Some non-users will vote yes because, being non-users, they really don't care. But what would happen if the Puget Sound region split pretty close, while people in the other parts of the state voted no, IN HOPES THAT THIS WOULD LEAD TO EITHER PRIVATIZING OR TOTAL FUNDING WITH USER FEES. What if people who want the gas tax money to really go to roads, went out of their way to SCUTTLE the fare increases, noing that this would force the state out of the ferry business altogether. An intriguing thought, in a state-wide vote. Of course, the ferry advocates will say that since people in Southwestern and Eastern Washington never use the ferries anyway, they shouldn't get to vote. Which of course raises the issue of why their MVET and fuel taxes have been subsidizing Puget Sound ferries for all these years. http://www.heraldnet.com/Stories/00/1/19/12000007.htm

State plan would hike ferry fares as much as 50 percent

A ferry pulls away from the Mukilteo dock Tuesday afternoon on its way to Clinton.

By WARREN CORNWALL Herald Writer Washington ferry riders would face the biggest fare increase in the history of the state-run system later this year under a new state proposal. The plan would raise prices by as much as 50 percent. But travelers on the Mukilteo to Clinton route would be spared the full impact of the increases, thanks to an effort to make ferry prices fairer for people on short routes. The plan by the Tariff Policy Committee, which advises state transportation officials about ferry ticket prices, aims during the next 18 months to plug part of the $155 million hole blown in the ferry system's revenue net by Initiative 695. Though painful, some sort of rate increase is needed to keep ferries running in future years, said Rep. Mike Cooper, D-Edmonds.

-- Mark Stilson (mark842@hotmail.com), January 20, 2000

Answers

Thursday, January 20, 2000, 02:09 a.m. Pacific

Ferry riders might face biggest fare increase ever due to I-695

by Hunter T. George The Associated Press OLYMPIA - Ferry riders could pay as much as 56 percent more on some runs, the biggest increase in the history of the state-run system, under a draft plan endorsed yesterday by state transportation leaders.

Washington State Ferries officials won unanimous approval from the state Transportation Commission to open a dialogue with state residents about the desperate needs of the ferry system, which lost 30 percent of its funding when voters approved a major cut in automobile-license taxes last fall via Initiative 695.

The idea is to persuade the public to back big fare increases, starting in January 2001, to keep the ferry system afloat.

It will be a tough sell.

I see your point Mark. This proposal makes even the ability of the users to pay more to keep ferries going subject to the approval of non-users. If the non-users voted 'NO" (no skin of their noses, they don't use it anyway) the system could fold. And enough users might vote no in hopes of avoiding rate hikes that it wouldn't take that many non-users to carry the vote. Seems like a real good reason to make this a local (rather than statewide) entity. Easiest way to do that is to privatize the whole thing.

I continue to have enormous skepticism that you are going to be able to have a duplication of services, state and private ferries both carrying passengers, on the same routes.

It may work, but it seems like one will ultimately get all the business, and the other will either fold (if the private organization) or become even less efficient (WSF) because the most lucrative part of the trade will be skimmed by the competitor.

We'll see.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), January 20, 2000.


If it doesn't chances are it will die a slow death or be sold to a private company and then they can charge whatever they want.

Let's face it folks. I-695 was a very bad idea. Subsequent initiatives by Mr. Eyman are just as bad (or worse).

Eyman's next move? Politics. Run for office. He has suceeded in making a name for himself. That was surely his prime objective all along.

-- sam (sam@gte.net), January 21, 2000.


privatize, privatize, privatize....

-- no chance (kingoffools_99@yahoo.com), January 21, 2000.

Privatize? Imagine the publics delight when they get prompt ferry transportation geared toward customer satisfaction. No more rude ferry workers. What a concept!

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), January 21, 2000.

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