Amendment would protect ferry service until summer 2014
March 6th, 2012 by ed friedrichRep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, got an amendment included
in the House transportation budget Monday that would keep ferry
service at its current level through the 2013-15 budget cycle,
which ends June 30, 2014.
Hansen, Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo, and four other House
members from ferry communities wrote to the House Transportation
Committee requesting the provision.
The bill passed the House 82-16 and moves to the Senate.
The amendment reads, “It is the intent of the Legislature to
appropriate funding to the Washington State Ferries Division in the
2013-15 biennium at a level sufficient to maintain current ferry
routes and schedules at existing levels. The Washington State
Ferries Division must conduct any public outreach consistent with
the policy direction provided in this subsection to maintain
current ferry routes and schedules at existing levels.”
Hansen said the amendment would be hard to get around.
“There are other safeguards that would make it very, very hard to
ignore,” he said. “Under RCW 47.60.330, the ferry system has to
consult with affected ferry users by public hearing before any
substantial change to service levels. In addition, legislative
approval is required to eliminate or add a ferry route; the
governor and his/her ferry system can’t cut a whole route without
legislative approval. So because my language requires all outreach
be consistent with maintaining service, they obviously can’t be
conducting any outreach about cutting service … which means that,
in effect, it would be hard for them to cut.”
Hansen also sponsored an amendment that requires the Department of
Transportation to maintain passenger-only ferry and transit service
as part of any modifications at Colman Dock in Seattle.
The supplemental transportation budget is Engrossed Substitute
House Bill 2190.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
March 6th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Oh man, legislature is throwing us ferry passengers a bone. Gee,thanks
March 7th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Meaningless amendment that has more loopholes than the tax code – obvious election year pandering from the new boy on the block.
March 7th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
These amendments are also in the Senate budget that was passed last night so they’ll probably be included in the final.
Ed
March 7th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Good work Drew!
March 7th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
What is that going to cost the communters?
March 8th, 2012 at 1:22 am
Rolfes and Appleton were able to get amendments keeping ferry fares flat. Hansen was only able to come up with retaining service levels.
Expect fares to skyrocket as the ferry service continues to age.
We need better representatives to advocate for a healthy ferry system. Our current crop of legislators are not cutting it.