Jolt
Afternoon Jolt: Take that, Ferry Districts. Oh, and You Too Enviros
Governor Chris Gregoire is full of sweeping announcements this week. Yesterday, she announced that she wants to consolidate K-12 and higher ed and the various school commissions and boards into one office, run by a school czar appointed by her.
Current superintendent Randy Dorn didn't like that so much, although he used to.
We can see what she's thinking, though. A one-stop shop might foster more accountability on the part of the state for parents who want to know why their kid's school sucks. For example, the failing grade Washington state got on last year's Race to the Top proposal to the feds (no $250 million for us), could have been the result of a discombobulated agenda. And, sorry parents, there's really no one for you to hold accountable on that fumble. Gregoire's proposal for a buck-stops-here agency could change that.
When it comes to transportation, though, Gregoire has proposed kind of the opposite approach—devolving the ferry system to the local level. Facing a $900 million shortfall, the governor announced today that the state doesn't have the resources to "patch together funding for the ferries." A statement from her office said:
Given that gas taxes are the main source of revenue for the ferry system, pushing off ferry funding on locals, with a minimal state subsidy, could free up gas tax revenues for more roads (that's the only other thing the tax can be spent on). Not bad timing, given yesterday's announcement from the GOP-controlled US House of Representatives about dwindling transportation infrastructure money.
However, it's a scary announcement for environmentalists. Theory: State legislators will eventually fall into a lull that the locals have the ferries all covered, take the subsidy back, and with all the money freed up for roads, go on the opposite of a road diet.
Current superintendent Randy Dorn didn't like that so much, although he used to.
We can see what she's thinking, though. A one-stop shop might foster more accountability on the part of the state for parents who want to know why their kid's school sucks. For example, the failing grade Washington state got on last year's Race to the Top proposal to the feds (no $250 million for us), could have been the result of a discombobulated agenda. And, sorry parents, there's really no one for you to hold accountable on that fumble. Gregoire's proposal for a buck-stops-here agency could change that.
When it comes to transportation, though, Gregoire has proposed kind of the opposite approach—devolving the ferry system to the local level. Facing a $900 million shortfall, the governor announced today that the state doesn't have the resources to "patch together funding for the ferries." A statement from her office said:
The governor will introduce legislation to create a Puget Sound Regional Ferry District to operate the ferry system. The district would consist of all or a portion of the following counties: Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. The district’s funds would come from fares, a state subsidy to fund a core level of service, and regional taxing authority to ensure service levels are consistent with local and regional needs.
Given that gas taxes are the main source of revenue for the ferry system, pushing off ferry funding on locals, with a minimal state subsidy, could free up gas tax revenues for more roads (that's the only other thing the tax can be spent on). Not bad timing, given yesterday's announcement from the GOP-controlled US House of Representatives about dwindling transportation infrastructure money.
However, it's a scary announcement for environmentalists. Theory: State legislators will eventually fall into a lull that the locals have the ferries all covered, take the subsidy back, and with all the money freed up for roads, go on the opposite of a road diet.
