Rising Fares, Broken Boats and Unsteady Funding: Much to Discuss at Ferry Summit

[Waterbuffalo]

Thought this might be of interest to not just Chief but others who needed some numbers and other questions answered about the Washington state ferry system that's near B0rken..

http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/05/rising-fares-broken-boats-and-unsteady-funding/

[Chief]

The nation's largest ferry system was flying high until November 1999, when voters killed the hated Motor Vehicle Excise Tax. They detested paying hundreds of dollars each year for car tabs, and they overwhelmingly passed Tim Eyman's Initiative 695. The law was ruled unconstitutional, but lawmakers axed the tax anyway.

yah. Blame those stupid voters for passing I-695...How many different ways have we heard that same tired excuse used here in Washington?? I think the real frustation in Olympia (and elsewhere) is that despite their best efforts, I-695 hasn't been ruled unconstitutional...yet.

In the meantime Washington has spent almost $60 Million just for the Columbia Crossing project, and pissed away a $2 Billion Dollar surplus just last year.. I have no idea how much the State spent coming up with Proposition 1, but I'm sure that wasn't cheap either...

[Waterbuffalo]

I see that you loved the Piece? :-)

[Waterbuffalo]

Here is that summit with a different bent Chief..


http://www.bainbridgereview.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=96&cat=23&id=1120779&more=0