When Alaskans talk about barriers to growing the state's economy, they often mention the lack of the kind of infrastructure that those who live in the contiguous 48 states take for granted. Our relatives and friends who live in other states have a hard time grasping the fact that there's just not a road leading to every community; heck, there's not even a road leading to the Capital City.
Apparently, some Alaskans are having difficulty with that concept as well.
Proposed cuts to the Alaska Marine Highway System completely ignore how vital ferry service is not only to individuals, but also to coastal communities' and the state's economy as a whole. While the proposed cuts are aimed at saving money, the damage caused will cost the state far more than it will save if the cuts are implemented.
Consider, for example, the costs to the system's and, consequently, the state's credibility. Government agencies, communities, private businesses and individuals spend a lot of time, energy and money encouraging people to visit Alaska and then the state proposes reductions in the service that provides one of the most unique ways to get them here.
The cost and inconvenience to coastal communities who depend on the ferries for their link to the rest of Alaska and Outside can't be calculated. A dramatic decrease in next winter's ferry service for Homer, Seldovia and Kodiak has been proposed by ferry system officials; under the plan, those communities would have ferry service only once a month. Port Lions would be completely without service for six months, while the M/V Tustumena is docked for a planned revitalization, unless an alternative service can be found.
It's inconceivable that transportation officials would think about cutting off road service to a community for six months or limiting the times a road could be driven to once a month. Why, then, would they think deep cuts to marine highway service are any more acceptable?
The fact is they aren't.
Sen. Gary Stevens is exactly right when he says "It seems to me that cutting service, disrupting schedules and otherwise making the Marine Highway System unavailable for the people who rely on it is the perfect way to kill the system."
House Bill 294, being sponsored by Homer Rep. Paul Seaton, Kodiak Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux and Wrangell Rep. Peggy Wilson, may be the antidote to whatever's ailing state ferry officials.
In effect, the bill would create an advocate for the ferry system by transferring "the responsibility for the management, operations, construction and facilities maintenance of the state's marine highway system from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to a new exclusive state agency," writes Rep. Seaton in his most recent newsletter.
Proposed cuts in ferry service and the lack of a long-range plan to replace the aging ferry fleet provide convincing arguments for passage of the bill. The ferry system is as integral to the life and lifeblood of Alaska's coastal communities as the road system is to other communities. Proposed cuts to the service are the same as cuts to the economy of the communities served by the state's ferries.
State officials need to go back to the drawing board when it comes to ferry service; more, not less, money is needed to make the system viable. And legislators need to give serious attention to HB 294 and a separate entity to run the system.
