Ferry Tales: Civics 101

Imagine receiving a property tax statement that jumped $300 from the previous year.  That is quite a chunk of change.

According to RCW 36.54.110 it is within the power of the Skagit County Commissioners to create a ferry district by fiat. Plus, the Commissioners can define the ferry district however they wish. Only left-handed ferry riders who never voted for them? Sure. Seems as though the Commissioners want Guemes Islander to pay for the ferry themselves. Does that mean we no longer have to pay for bridge maintenance elsewhere in the County?

And there is no need to put it on a ballot for citizens to vote on. Only a public hearing and, whoosh, it is a done deal and your property tax goes up as much as $.75 per $1000 in value.

The “proceeds of the assessment would be retained in the Ferry Enterprise fund for capital purposes”. The Commissioners would be the directors of the new Ferry District. The creation of this Ferry District could go into effect as soon as January 2016.

When King County took over operation of the Vashon and West Seattle water taxi routes between 2007 and 2009, it established a special purpose district to manage the ferries and levy a property tax of 5.5 cents per $1,000 in assessed value. When the district did not add other passenger routes throughout the Puget Sound as anticipated, the county dropped the tax significantly in 2010, to one-third of a cent per $1,000, not $.75 per $1000. as Skagit County suggests for Guemes!

For years Skagit County has declared the Guemes Ferry does not belong to citizens of Guemes but to the County as a whole. Seems as if the Commissioners have changed their tune. More money funneled into a newly created municipality might be the incentive! Once the ferry district is established, there is no assurance that other funds will be available or that Skagit County will continue to contribute a portion of our road fund taxes to the new ferry district. Do the Commissioners intend that ferry operations and ferry replacement be funded entirely by the riders and residents of Guemes Island?

Rachel Rowe, Ferry Manager, is also bringing a proposal to the Commissioners for a fare increase of 25% for cash car and driver and passenger tickets. Doesn’t appear to affect frequent user punch cards. It does affect convenience punch card users and, of course, oversize vehicles. This raise in fares should cover the 2015 shortfall of  $33,000 and should generate $42,000 additional revenue for this year. This fare increase should go into effect October 1, 2015.

There is a Guemes Island Ferry Committee quarterly meeting scheduled for July 26. This occurs after the Ferry Committee meets with Ms. Rowe on July 21. Some issues may be cleared up then and I hope that information will be shared.

There it also a  Commissioners' Guemes Island Community Forum scheduled for August 5. This meeting will be devoted to ferry issues. My suggestion is for as many Guemes Islanders as possible attend this meeting and make their voices heard, otherwise, don’t complain when your property tax bill appears next year.

- Commentary by MJ Andrak