Thank you to all of you who wrote, testified at meetings and continue to participate in ferry issues. The decision to pull out the additional 10% surcharge for the months of July and August was due to your efforts.
This is just one of many issues in which your help and participation have made a difference. There are others still looming that will have a huge impact in 2010, 2011 and beyond. Right now, the Ferry Community Partnership and all its affiliates continue to work on ferry issues important to all:
• Long Term Sustainable Funding,
• Rebuilding the Fleet (3 small boats and start building 144s asap) and
• Fair Fare Pricing.
To do this, we need more participation from all communities at the local level, representation and support from City Councils, Community Councils, County governments, Chambers of Commerce and ferry riders. If you know someone interested in ferry issues that is not on our email list, contact Debbi Lester at debbilester@yahoo.com or Kari Ulatoski at kulatosk@fhcrc.org.
There is no immediate crisis, but you can see the ones brewing, especially if we don't get funding to rebuild the fleet. We are one boat away from disaster with no bucks for big boats that serve most of Puget Sound. What we are trying to do here on Vashon and with the Ferry Community Partnership (we need members there too!) is to educate and build a cadre of folks to then help others to lobby, write letters, do a rally, etc. It's a challenge to look and plan ahead when there is nothing immediate to respond to. However, we need people to educate themselves on ferry issues so that they can jump in when needed.
Please note: The next Ferry Advocacy and Outreach Committee meeting will be on Thursday 9/17 at 7pm at Courthouse Square - all are welcomed!
Many Thanks,
Kari Ulatoski
Member, Ferry Community Partnership
Vashon Ferry Advocacy and Outreach
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