In an effort to gain votes, and perhaps a passenger ferry for the North End, Kitsap Transit has proposed altering its taxing and voting boundaries in Kitsap County.

And while no one has uttered the “g-word” — gerrymandering — outright, proponents of the change agree that it could effect the outcome of a February vote to raise sales taxes, in essence paying for Kingston-Seattle ferry run.

However, it’s rocking the boat with residents who shop in the taxed area but would be omitted from the voting district.

The resolution to alter the voting district was adopted at the Nov. 9 Kitsap County Public Transportation Improvement Conference, said Kitsap Transit Executive Director Richard Hayes.

The decision has been a long time coming, he said.

“We are changing the size of the (Public Transportation Benefit Areas) to what it should be,” Hayes said. “This will better fit the routes we have set up for our public transit, excluding Access service, which will continue to run normally. It will also be the size that other PTBAs are in other counties.”

The change will effectively cut Port Gamble and Lofall out of the district, according to a map drawn by Kitsap Transit.

Residents in that area will not be able to vote on the proposed sales tax increase, which would raise the sales tax from 8.6 percent to 8.9 percent within the tax boundaries, Hayes said.

The increase would tie Kitsap with a few cities in Snohomish County for the highest sales tax in the state, according to the Washington State Department of Revenue.

The money produced from the sales tax increase would effectively fund passenger-only ferries in areas that desperately want and need those services, Hayes said.

“I understand that argument that people living outside the boundaries will be affected by the vote,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Chris Endresen. “But I haven’t heard from a lot of people so far that they are upset with the decision, maybe only 10 at the most. They will have a chance to speak up at the Dec. 12 public hearing. This vote is just so important for the passenger ferries, I think we need to try everything we can to get those ferries running again.”

Hayes said he isn’t hiding the fact that Kitsap Transit is hoping to adjust the boundaries to help pass the sales tax, adding that this is the last chance to float passenger ferries in the North End.

“I think people here in Kingston would just like somebody to start up a passenger ferry service — doesn’t matter who, if it’s federal or Kitsap Transit,” said Kingston Ferry Advisory Committee chairman Walt Elliot. “People out here are kind of numb from hearing proposals for the last decade. I think most of us think, anything, within reason, to get the project moving. Gosh, really whatever it takes.”

“I think this better identifies the area the transit serves,” said Port of Kingston Commissioner Pete DeBoer. “I think it will let Kitsap Transit know better who uses the passenger ferry.”

Residents are invited to express their opinions on the proposed boundary adjustments at the Dec. 12 public hearing in the commissioners chambers at the Kitsap County Administrative Building in Port Orchard.