WSTC rejects additional summer surcharge
At its formal public hearing earlier this week in Seattle, the Washington State Transportation Commission, WSTC, voted to approve a 2.5 percent increase in ferry fares but rejected the proposed 10 percent summer surcharge.
The fare increase is for all ferries across the state, including those that serve the San Juans, and is the first in two years. The increase will take effect on Oct. 11. The current inter-island fare for a vehicle and driver will increase from $16.65 to $17.95.
The summer surcharge would have been charged for the months of July and August. It would have raised the fare for a vehicle and driver traveling on an inter-island ferry to $24.25 during the peak season. The existing 25 percent peak-season surcharge for vehicles, imposed each year from May 1 to the second Sunday in October, will remain in effect. The summer surcharge would have been in addition to that fare.
According to Bob Distler, Orcas resident and WSTC vice chair, a letter was received from Sen. Phil Rockefeller, Rep. Christine Rolfes, and Rep. Sherry Appleton and they stated they would deal with the budgetary shortfall without imposing what is known as the “super summer surcharge.”
Distler cast his vote for the surcharge. WSTC rejected it with a vote of 5-2.
“I thought it was a good idea. I think we have to start getting incremental revenue for the budget shortfall. I think it was something on the order of five or 10 dollars a year for most people,” Distler said. “Moving a boat with vehicles over water is expensive.”
Distler said it costs about three dollars to move one vehicle over water for one mile. Costs of running the ferries also include the maintenance and construction of new boats. A plan for new large ferries has been tabled since 1999.
According to Ed Sutton of Ferry Advisory Committee, FAC, the committee was happy with the outcome.
“The argument of the commissioners was that it was their charge from the legislature to assure that there was enough revenue to fund the budget that was approved. There was concern earlier in the summer, so they were looking for other ways to fill the hole, but when the three legislators went on record with their letter, they said, ‘we’ll take care of it,'” said Sutton. “We felt the super summer surcharge was too much, and it wasn’t well thought out. So as a group, we were pleased how it turned out.”
WSTC voted on the fare proposal after listening to public comment and taking into consideration the input from public meetings held on the Kitsap Peninsula, in the San Juan Islands and on Vashon Island. WSTC is designated the State Tolling Authority and sets all state highway and bridge tolls as well as setting ferry fares.
Additional WSTC actions taken this week were: converting the in-need organization discount from a pilot program into a permanent program, allowing state ferries to collect a non-refundable deposit with reservations (a step toward a future reservation system that could save the ferry system money), and allowing state ferries to enter into agreements with fire districts for free passage when on emergency calls in trade for fire protection services at ferry terminals.
