“The good news: You’ll still be able to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine aboard the ferry.The bad news: We’re not sure there’s still going to be a ferry, as Thursday’s day of reckoning came and went for legislative bills hoping to clear committee and get a hearing before the full chambers.By our count, no fewer than 21 pieces of ferry-related legislation were introduced as the session got under way in January. Most had little or nothing to do with ferry funding, dealing instead with such non-issues as banning alcohol sales aboard the boats; allowing private vendors to sell ferry tickets; compensating ferry and highway workers who are assaulted by motorists; allowing ferry terminal workers to send to the back of the queue any motorists who block driveways or try to cut in line (don’t they already do that?).Of the 21 – all competing for time and consideration, and wasting a lot of both – most bills failed to get past committee. The lone survivor pushed aside the I-601 spending limit, allowing fare hikes that are expected to go into effect next month. Unfortunately, amongst the casualties was Rep. Phil Rockefeller’s bid to dedicate gas-tax funds to the ferry system. The bill represented the only tangible proposal in the bunch to give the ailing ferry system a needed influx of cash to get it into the next biennium.At least Rockefeller offered a plan. Champion of equitable fares for passenger-only commuters, Rep. Beverly Woods of Poulsbo ventured little more than a bill requiring transportation officials to brief the Legislature each year on fare-box cost recovery. The point of the bill apparently proved as elusive to legislators as it did to constituents, and it went nowhere.That leaves legislators back where they started in January – with a sinking ferry fleet, and no stable or dedicated source of funds to operate and maintain it.Here’s our pledge: As the session meanders into the inevitable budget fight, we promise to write something nice about the first legislator who comes up with a plan for dedicated, long-term ferry funding – higher gas tax, anything. (Bonus points will be awarded for anyone brash enough to suggest that it not be put to a vote of the people.)Legislators were elected to make recommendations and cast votes likely to be controversial or unpopular. For those representing the West Sound and its vital ferry system, it’s time to do so. Long past time.So who’s going to lead? “