A Law Suit Against Skagit County
On August 5th, 2024, Skagit County Public Works presented an unprecedented proposal to increase Guemes Ferry fares 30%. Then after months of limited public comment and no meaningful input from the disenfranchised Guemes Island Ferry Committee, Skagit County shocked all ferry stakeholders by going beyond the 30% proposal to increase standard fares 22 to 80%, including eliminating the Multi-Ride fare discount. Add that to the 2023-24 15% increase, Skagit County has demonstrated what the future holds for the Guemes Island’s lifeline ferry: continuous fare increases on an annualized basis with minimal citizen involvement and unquestioned skyrocketing costs.
Four Guemes Islanders recognized that after two years of Skagit County ignoring citizen input, the only way to address the many concerns that ferry Stakeholders have brought to the Board of County Commissioners was to pursue legal action. On February 10, 2025, Jep Burdock, Chip Bogosian, Steve Orsini, and Glen Veal filed an Administrative Appeal in the Superior Court of Skagit County using Washington State law, RCW 36.32.330, which allows citizens to appeal to Superior Court any county level decision within 20 days of adoption.
Many of the concerns in the Administrative Appeal are issues Islanders have already brought to the county, including but not limited to:
- Failure to follow Public Input processes
- Lack of transparency in budget process
- Calculation methodology of Fare Revenue Target Costs and Revenue
- Accumulating Surcharge revenue ($1.4 million) not earning interest.
- Cancellation of Multi-Ride Discount Rate Punch Cards and Non-Expiry Cards
- Concerns on Interfund and unwarrented costs expensed to the ferry
- Conversion of long-standing essential EMS services to a “Courtesy” service
- 500% increase in HAZMAT fee based on misleading and false information
The goal of this lawsuit is to force a thorough review of all the actions of Skagit County to ensure that all federal, state, and county laws, rules, procedures, resolutions, and guidelines were followed when creating the fares, and corrective measures made for any and all violations. These actions must transpire in order to establish future processes for transparency, collaboration and cooperation between the County and Guemes Island Stakeholders. Islanders, paying the majority of fare box revenue, have a right to meaningful participation in how the ferry is managed and its corresponding monies are spent.
The four individuals who filed the suit, have also formed an organization – Fair Fares, LLC, to help raise funds for this action. They have hired an Administrative Law attorney to represent them. The initial phases of the case, depending on the County’s response, is estimated to cost at least $25,000. If you are interesting in helping pursue this legal action against Skagit County, please donate by check to Fare Fairs LLC, 4971 Guemes Island Rd., Anacortes, WA 98221.