Tough sailing ahead for ferry vote | IN OUR OPINION

Published 9:29 am Monday, April 18, 2016

Kitsap Transit has a tough road ahead.

The board of commissioners for the bus agency voted 7-2 last week to put a proposed tax increase on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot.

The measure would raise the sales tax in Kitsap County to pay for a passenger-only fast ferry system between Kitsap and Seattle.

The plan calls for a six-boat fleet for three routes that start in Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth and run to Pier 50 in Seattle. Service would start in July 2017 in Bremerton, followed by Kingston (July 2018) and Southworth (July 2020).

The vote to put the tax increase on the ballot was not unanimous; 7-2, with Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson and Poulsbo Councilman Ed Stern voting “no.” Bainbridge’s representative on the Kitsap Transit board, Mayor Val Tollefson, voted with the majority.

The vote followed extensive public comment, and many supporters said the fast ferry sailings would help revitalize downtown Bremerton and improve the economy in Kitsap.

And others said that giving travelers the option to walk aboard a ferry would cut down on vehicle trips to Seattle — which would lessen traffic on Highway 305.

Call us skeptical on that last point, and there lies the potential rub for many Bainbridge voters.

We’re not aware of any islanders who are fond of the familiar daily traffic jams on Highway 305 when the ferry unloads in Winslow; the slow southbound crawl during the morning commute and its northbound twin in the afternoon.

We’re also sure many 305 travelers are desperate for some traffic relief. But is the desperation enough to fund a 3/10ths sales tax to fund foot ferries — especially considering the $355 million price tag and the regressive nature of sales taxes — when there’s no real measure on how much traffic may be reduced?

Supporters of the ferry plan now have several months to convince Bainbridge Islanders to vote yes, and they’ll need to if the measure has any hope of passage.