Sutton to Speak to Transportation Commission on Fare Hike Proposal

The Washington State Transportation Commission will hold a special meeting on June 29 to review the Washington State Ferries (WSF) ferry far proposal. Orcas resident Ed Sutton, who chairs the local Ferry Advisory Committee – Tariffs will speak of the that group’s input into the proposed ferry fare increase.

The meeting agenda calls for Ray Deardorf, Planning Director, Ferries Division, to present the state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) fare proposal.

WSDOT also will provide a summary of the public input it received from a series of community meetings held during June and from the Ferry Advisory Committee.

Ed Sutton, Chair of the Ferry Advisory Committee – Tariff (FAC – T) Subcommittee will then speak to the commission, presenting the Subcommittee’s perspective.

Sutton said in an interview recently that the Ferry Advisory Committees which serve all WSF locations throughout the Puget Sound, “pushed” for the tariff group to have input. The WSF Tariff Committee had been disbanded in 2007 when ferry fare increases were frozen at 2.5 percent.

Four topics will dominate the discussion on Wednesday, Sutton said:

1. a 25-cent surcharge for the capital budget, building new ferries
2. a fuel surcharge on tickets
3. re-setting the basic 2.5 percent scheduled increases to 3.75
4. recommendations that the tariffs be adjusted to encourage people to “travel small”

The 25-cent surcharge and the fuel surcharge are dictated by the legislature. The fuel surcharge is “almost an absolute necessity” Sutton says, because of the “volatility of the cost of fuel. The fuel surcharge plan includes reviewing the structure every three months, and identifying trigger points where the surcharge would be implemented.

The state’s chief economist, Arun Raha, announced two weeks ago that revenue projections are still decreasing. For ferries, that means that expected revenue “won’t be enough,” even with WSF’s analysis lowering ferry traffic projections.

“If it turns out they desperately need more money,” WSF may have to raise the base price change to near 4 percent, Sutton said.  He supports raising that rate incrementally, as needed, in response to current situations.

He describes “traveling small” as the idea to charge less for smaller cars. He is not in favor of this proposal, as it would result in revenue loss. “There are some who argue it’s best to ‘rip the bandage off’ and do this, but not if the patient’s having a heart attack.

“I think we have to do the first two measures, but we’ve got to put the smaller car fare idea on the back burner for a year before the economy settles down and do the fare increases incrementally.

“There’s only one alternative if there is not sufficient money to run the system,” Sutton warns: “a cut in services.

“And we’re the most vulnerable [route] by far. Fifty percent of the budget shortfall is attributable to the San Juan Islands.”

Following Sutton’s presentation,  Reema Griffith, Executive Director of the Transportation Commission, will facilitate discussion of the Commission’s action on the Tariff Proposal.

The commission will consider the WSDOT recommendations and FAC – T comments and then formally propose ferry tariff revisions. Before adjourning at noon, the commission also will adopt a schedule for community outreach meetings and public comment opportunities on the proposed ferry tariff revisions.

The meeting will be held Wednesday, June 29, 2011in Seattle at the Puget Sound Regional Council Board Room at 1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500.

All Transportation Commission and Committee meetings are open to the public.