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04/02/2009: "Sidney Run Stays In Transportation Budget"

(L to R: Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Morris, Anacortes Mayor Maxwell Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen -Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee) & Rep. Judy Clibborn -Chair of the House transportation Committee)

Under a plan unveiled yesterday by the majority Democrats in the state House of Representatives, massive amounts of new spending will help spur an extremely active construction season and keep afloat the international ferry run connecting Anacortes to Sidney, B.C.

The run was once again on the chopping block as in years past, with Gov. Gregoire planning for its elimination in her early budget proposals. But thanks to heavy lobbying and a cooperative effort to strike a deal by both ends of the route, the state House and Senate both agreed to keep funding for the route in their budgets.


The compromise was made possible by a concession on the part of BC Ferries to reduce landing fees at the Sidney terminal by $100,000 a year for the next three years, a savings of around 25 percent.

In a memorable show of international support, hundreds attended a rally at the Sidney, B.C., terminal on Sunday, including an assembly of American dignitaries who sailed aboard the MV Chelan from Anacortes. State Representative Jeff Morris (D - Mount Vernon), who represents the 40th Legislative District including Anacortes, was among the members representing lawmakers from Olympia who have constructed this year’s Transportation budget.

Resurrecting the ferry route is a battle that Morris has fought several times over, as it is a perennial favorite of Olympia-based budget-cutters looking to move ferry boats to domestic service.

But thanks in large part to the compromise by BC Ferries on landing fees, Morris hopes he and the ferry-route supporters have finally won both the battle and the war.

“Sidney’s move to reduce our landing cost by $100,000 clearly sends the message this is a partnership and not a one way relationship,” said Morris. Morris, Mayor Dean Maxwell of Anacortes and Mayor Larry Cross of Sidney have had numerous discussions over the past month on the cost of landing fees at Sidney.