Councils Send Letter Protesting Ferry Cuts

— from Rick Hughes for the San Juan County Council —

[Editor’s note: to read the State Dept. of Transportation’s budget request (Executive Summary) go to: WSDOTSupplementalBudgetRequestExecutiveSummaryREV.pdf

To read the State Dept. of Transportation’s full proposed budget for 2015-17, go to: wsdot.wa.gov/TabBCombinedREVISED.pdf )

Dear Governor Inslee:

On behalf of the elected officials below, representing Clallam, Lincoln, Snohomish and San Juan Counties, and cities therein, the City of Anacortes, Town of Sidney, BC and Town of Friday Harbor, I am writing to express our collective concern with the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) budget submitted to the State Office of Financial Management. Please also find letters enclosed from Island, Jefferson and Kitsap Counties. It is our belief that the budget, and the reductions proposed therein, unfairly and disproportionately target the state ferry system and, in turn, ferry dependent communities. All of us are familiar with, and many of us participated directly in, the many conversations regarding the future of the state’s transportation budget last legislative session. We understand the need to make difficult decisions. However, we believe it is important to, at a minimum, retain current levels of service on all ferry routes – to support the increased traffic that has been reflected.

The future of the ferry system is now. Investments, not reductions, need to be made respecting new boats and upgrades to outdated and undersized terminal facilities. Planning to accommodate increased growth must also continue. We don’t want to backtrack on the progress made over the past several years to improve service. Ferries transport people (commuter and tourist alike), goods, and services every day of the year just like state highways do. They knit together cross-sound communities, provide the pathway to market, and are an essential economic catalyst.

The state ferry system is not a transportation curiosity and thus should not be treated in the budget as such. It should instead be treated for what it is – a vital link in the state’s transportation system.

We urge you to revisit and re-evaluate WSDOT’s budget submittal.

Sincerely,

San Juan County Council

(Editor’s Note: This letter was initiated by the San Juan County Council and distributed to the other county councils and entities for their concurrence and participation.

Link to all downloadable documents HERE.)