MY TURN | Ferry Riders Should Be Grateful for Taxpayers' Help
BELFAIR — Reader submitted
This commentary is solely my opinion and not that of the Washington Transportation Commission (of which I am a member) or any elected official; I am not an elected official, nor am I likely to ever be one.
Your paper frequently publishes news and commentary regarding the Washington State Ferries (WSF) and the news articles are generally pretty accurate. Your opinion pieces are sometimes on track, but last Wednesday’s community columnist — complaining about ferry service, high rates, inadequate taxpayer subsidy, and ill treatment of Bremerton — needs some help connecting the dots. Let me try.
First, most of us on the west side of Puget Sound chose to live here. There are many reasons for our choice — our job, favorable surroundings, family ties, and, for many, the lower cost of housing. Second, crossing water, whether by bridge or by ferry, costs much more than crossing land. Watercraft that move people and automobiles are so expensive to operate that the general public could not afford fares high enough to safely run the system as a private operation. That is why the State took over the ferry system from Black Ball in the 1950s. Third, the ferry system received a large state subsidy from the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) until voters, including a large majority on the Kitsap Peninsula, made clear in supporting I-695 they did not want to pay that tax. Voter decisions have consequences. Repeal of the MVET cost WSF 58 percent of its operating support and 70 percent of its capital support. It has struggled ever since.
With that kind of loss, the State had to make changes. It could reduce service, it could increase fares, or it could shift money from funds primarily used to build and maintain highways. It chose to do a little of all those things. Fares have increased substantially — perhaps as much as 70 percent over the last 10 years — an increase which doesn’t cover the fuel cost inflation we have experienced over much shorter periods of time. WSF also has received an increased share of gas taxes over the last 10 years. That is testament to the effectiveness of elected representatives from this area in the State Senate and House — most members of the Legislature are not from ferry-dependent counties. Every dollar that goes to the ferry system could have been spent on highway projects in large population centers like Spokane, Seattle, or Vancouver, USA .
Is the ferry system receiving its “fair share”? State fuel tax revenue received by the Department of Transportation (WSDOT) funds construction and major repairs to all state highways, bridges and other state transportation facilities. That is the WSDOT Capital Budget. Of that capital budget about 6 percent ($285 million), is allocated for ferries and terminals over the next 2 years (2009-2011). In addition to the Capital Budget WSDOT has an Operations and Maintenance budget, which also comes primarily from fuel taxes. Of the total statewide WSDOT operations and maintenance budget fully 37 percent ($400 million) is allocated to ferries. That is a lot of money and a large portion of the entire transportation budget. Yet it is not enough.
WSF has just enough fully functioning ferries to serve the existing schedule. Any glitch causes a reshuffling and those routes with the most demand will get first crack at the most ferry capacity. Fares are high, but don’t cover even 70 percent of operating costs — the remainder of operating costs and all capital costs (i.e. money for building ferries and retrofitting terminals) comes from fuel taxes.
Contrary to the belief of some, the Transportation Commission is a group concerned about keeping the system running in the absence of sufficient money coming from elsewhere. And that is true even though 4 of the 7 members do not live in the Puget Sound area — indeed, only 2 of us ride ferries frequently.
It is time for people to get real. Transportation, like any other public or private service, costs money. Ferries cost more than most any other form of surface transportation. People on this side of the water have long opposed another bridge. Voters who want lower taxes need to recognize there are consequences of lower taxes. Every day people consciously or unconsciously decide whether the benefits they enjoy from living on the west side of the water are worth the inevitable transportation costs and inherent inconveniences. Looking for scapegoats is a time honored human endeavor — however, it does interfere with rational thinking and, worse, it produces no answers. People on this side of the water or who live on islands should enjoy their beautiful surroundings, experience the area opportunities, appreciate the cheaper housing, recognize their taxes are relatively low, appreciate the benefits of lower population, and be thankful that other taxpayers are helping them.
Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/sep/20/my-turn-ferry-riders-should-be-grateful-for-help/#ixzz0RrB2V0Xw
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