A Real Chance to Be Heard

In his recent meet and greet election visit, held September 18th at the Guemes Island General Store, Commissioner Joe Burns announced that he will not vote for the proposed 2027 Fare increase in its current format. He is one of three Skagit County Commissioners, but said it is time for a re-set in the fare methodology and emphasized a fare structure that puts more car and drivers back onto the ferry. His views give the ridership a better chance at being heard since the Ferry Committee was disenfranchised in 2023.

The Skagit County Board of Commissioners will take public comment on the proposed 2027 Guemes Island ferry fares on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Attend in person at the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, or join by Zoom (https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87180001980?pwd=eEVGUGkxZ3NkQkhYSnhBMEo2RTQrdz09).

Written comments will be accepted through the close of the hearing. Email: [email protected], with the subject line “Ferry 2027 Fare Proposal.” You may copy the commissioners, but comments sent only to the Board and not to [email protected] might not be counted in the official record or addressed by Public Works.

We all understand operating a ferry is expensive - we are not asking for a free ride. Please keep comments constructive and focused on improvement, not on past disputes. The commissioners have said they want to move forward and are asking for ideas they can use. The record closes when the Tuesday hearing ends.

The Board is scheduled to vote on the 2027 fare proposal, which will raise fares about 12-14%, on October 20, 2026. Commissioners have asked for usable ideas: a simpler method for setting fares; attention to fare elasticity; more revenue through more ridership, especially drive-on traffic; and a formula based on actual, closed books rather than projections.

If you ride the ferry, live on Guemes, or pay taxes that support the County Road Fund, they have asked to hear from you. Ask them to consider your comments in the October 20 vote. Fair Fares offers four concrete points for your input. You may speak to any or all of them. The important thing is to get your ideas into the record on Tuesday:

No 2027 fare increases while ridership trends are evaluated for fare elasticity and a new methodology to calculate rates can be put in place.
Institute a 20% multi-ride discount in 2027, with no peak-season surcharge on those passes and a 90-day expiration that starts from the date of purchase.
Discontinue the current methodology of setting the farebox target using projected budgets. Return to a 3-5 year look back at actual, closed accounting records.
Reinstitute a citizens advisory committee. RCW 47.60 requires Washington State Ferries to use ferry advisory committees, and that structure is central to how the State system is managed. Fair Fares recommends a diverse group of Guemes Island residents and Road Fund taxpayers, using RCW 47.60.310 as a model, to work with the County on a more efficient ferry system.

How to use your time at the microphone: Say who you are, offer one positive point, then make one clear ask. Example: "My name is Jane Blow. I live full time on Guemes Island. I recognize that running the ferry is expensive and difficult. I support no single-ride fare increase for 2027, and institute a multi-ride pass with a 20% discount off current fares and a 90-day expiration from the date of purchase beginning January 1, 2027. That would help bring drivers back, increase revenue, and give the County time to adopt a simpler fare method that accounts for fare elasticity. It's time we bring back citizen representation back to the Guemes Ferry. Please put those items on the October 20 agenda.”

If you cannot attend, paste that sentence into an email before the hearing closes. Written comments go in the same record.

Please show up in person or via Zoom. The Board asked for a better system. These four points are a place to start, not a complete list.

Notes

Comments submitted by Fair Fares