The fight against high ferry fares has a new weapon: fuel.
Not for the ferries, but through the state’s gas tax, from which supporters of a new bill designed to halt fare increases hope to siphon an extra half cent.
“So many of our constituents contact us about the ferry fares going up,” said Rep. Sherry Appleton, a Poulsbo Democrat, before citing a 67 percent increase in Washington State Ferries fares since 2001. “That’s a tremendous rise.”
To prevent fares from further escalating, Appleton earlier this month introduced a bill that would give to ferries from the state’s gas tax – used to fund various projects and agencies around the state – an extra half cent, to be used for ferry operations.
The additional funding would double what the ferry system now receives from the gas tax.
Members of the House Transportation Committee heard testimony Monday from Appleton and other advocates of the bill, which also was endorsed by Bainbridge Democrat Christine Rolfes.
“The people and businesses that depend on the ferry system simply can’t afford to continue on this course,” said David Groves, a member of the Bainbridge Island Ferry Advisory Committee, who testified on the bill’s behalf Monday. “We not only are paying higher tariffs, we supported and are also paying the higher gas taxes now.”
Groves said passengers with vehicles now pay more than $2,000 per year to commute by ferry. Walk-on passengers, he said, pay about $1,200 per year.
Fares have increased dramatically since the ferry system lost 25 percent of its operating revenue and virtually all of its capital revenue following the passage of Initiative 695, in 1999. Meanwhile, ridership has decreased.
Appleton’s main argument is that the ferry system is an extension of the state’s highway system. Despite that, she said, ferry communities are being asked to pick up an unfair share of the burden in the form of higher fares.
“Those of us who live in ferry districts think about it, but everybody else thinks they’re not roads,” she said. “This bill will just increase the distribution to this highway that seems to have been neglected since I-695 took away a great deal of its funding.”
Questions were raised about ridership projections – already under scrutiny following a recent ferry financing study – and farebox recovery rates throughout the system.
A special commission in 2000 said fares should cover 80 percent of operating costs, though that number was never codified into law. Debate continues about what the number should be, especially since farebox recovery varies so widely throughout the system.
System-wide, fares generate 76 percent of WSF’s operating revenue. Bainbridge is among the few runs that have recovery rates at or exceeding 100 percent, effectively subsidizing lesser used runs elsewhere.
Appleton said the additional half cent would come from funds now used to build and repair roads.
“I think that people would understand that when you have a pothole or a broken down bridge, then you need to fix it,” she said. “These ferries are that broken down highway or bridge.”
A representative from Vashon Island also testified in support of the bill, saying that higher fares there have resulted in reduced service.
Groves said Bainbridge commuters and businesses have suffered enough.
“I understand the argument ‘should we rob from Peter to pay Paul,’” he said. “But I would say that Paul was robbed before Peter was even born, in this case.”
