Monday, July 10, 6 – 8 p.m., Legislative Hearing Room, Friday Harbor
— from Washington Transportation Commission —
The Washington State Transportation Commission is beginning a series of four public meetings in local communities, starting tonight on Bainbridge Island. They are seeking comments on a proposal that increases fares for Washington State Ferries for 2017 and 2018.
For more information, please refer to the link below that will take you to the Transportation Commission’s website where more details can be found on the fare proposal and meeting dates/locations.
Any islander who seriously believes that yet another 2.5% annual fare increase isn’t a done deal–a raise significantly above the increases in consumer prices or social security payments–hasn’t been paying attention.
Over the last several years, our legislators have passed transportation budgets which assume that ferry fare increases will be 2.5% in the aggregate–even before WSF begins its fare-setting process.
Sadly, having public meetings is largely a waste of everyone’s time. If WSF–and our legislators–truly wanted to incorporate public comment, these meetings would occur before budgets, and fare increases, are cast in concrete.
Generally speaking most if not all levels of government have adopted the practice of making a decision to do something, although it is only at the “staff level” then holding meetings to gain feedback (so they can say they held the meetings) and subsequently proceeding onwards with their original plan, regardless of the feedback received. If challenged they can say we took public input (and generally ignored it).