Voters sink Propostion 1

Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Voters have apparently defeated a measure to fund passenger ferry service, declining to approve a .3 sales tax increase to support several routes between Kitsap County and Seattle.

Preliminary results reported a 55.37 percent (30,117 vote) to 44.73 percent (24,376 vote) plurality.

The measure’s proponents pointed to passenger ferry service as a way to decrease traffic congestion while opponents felt it forced all taxpayers to support the needs of a small percentage of the population.

A similar bill which coupled sales and property tax increases was defeated in 2003.

Kitsap Transit Director Richard Hayes campaigned for the measure, repeating his presentation to community groups and governing boards. He earned endorsements from the Kitsap County Commissioners, the Port of Bremerton and several local municipalities.

“This is about what I expected,” said Port Orchard resident Karl Duff. “Although it was possible that Dick Hayes would pull it out of the hat. He got so many endorsements. But that showed how out of touch public officials are with the financial interests of the public.”

Poulsbo City Councilman Ed Stern, who supported the measure, was also not surprised at its defeat, and compared it to the 1999 approval of I-695, which cut funding for many transportation expenditures.

“This is the same county that cut off its nose to spite its face and approved I-695 in record numbers,” Stern said. “And as a transportation challenged island community it had the most to lose.”

Stern has been an advocate of a broadband network to support telecommuting. He said the vote will force the community to implement these solutions at a faster rate.

“Passenger ferries was a way to change incrementally,” Stern said. “Now we will have to develop these measures more quickly.”

Kitsap Transit has funded two Bremerton-Seattle weekday round trips, but has indicated it will withdraw funding should the measure lose. The Kitsap Ferry Company, which operated the route, plans to keep the boats running through March.