Boat line governors addressed a petition protesting fare increases at their regular meeting in Woods Hole on Tuesday, but took no action to roll back hikes. Public testimony addressed perceived problems, but also was peppered with praise for the SSA.
After a petition protesting rate hikes collected 2,879 signatures in less than three weeks, the Steamship Authority is standing by a set of fare increases that took effect earlier this month.
The boat line board of governors addressed the petition and listened to its supporters at their regular meeting in Woods Hole on Tuesday, but took no action to roll back hikes that added $2 to the cost of a round-trip excursion trip and 50 cents to the adult passenger fare.
In another increase approved in the fall, the governors also raised daily parking fees in the Falmouth lots from $13 to $15 from May to September and from $10 to $13 in the shoulder seasons (April 1 to May 15 and Sept. 15 to Oct. 31). From Nov. 1 to March 31 the daily rate of $10 stays the same. The increases are designed to close an expected budget shortfall caused by rising labor, ferry maintenance and fuel costs.
Since then, fuel prices have fallen dramatically and petitioners have asked the SSA to pass those savings along to ratepayers and repeal the rate hike.
At Tuesday’s meeting, SSA general manager Wayne Lamson explained why, after reviewing the petition and current oil price forecasts, he still thinks the SSA needs the extra revenue that higher fares bring. First, he said the SSA will have to spend $1.3 million more than was budgeted for vessel and dock maintenance in 2015. Further, he argued that fuel costs are unpredictable.
“We still don’t know where crude oil prices will end up this summer and beyond,” Mr. Lamson said.
He added that any leftover savings would be transferred to the replacement fund and applied toward future capital improvements.
“I want to say we value everyone’s opinion on this matter, and I respect Todd Rebello for raising the issue . . .” Mr. Lamson said.
Todd Rebello of Oak Bluffs started online petition protesting rate hikes.
Todd Rebello of Oak Bluffs started online petition protesting rate hikes.
Mr. Rebello, an Oak Bluffs resident, posted the petition to the grassroots campaign site Moveon.org on the first of January.
On Tuesday, he made his case for lowered rates and challenged the “spin” he said the SSA was putting on the numbers. “That fuel savings . . . is more than enough to cover the shortfall and the reason you raised the rates,” he said.
In addition to the yearly operating costs, the SSA is also financing the construction of a new $40 million vessel, a new parking facility and a new vessel maintenance facility. Reconstruction of the Woods Hole terminal building and adjoining slips is also coming down the pike.
Mr. Rebello questioned whether Islanders who rely on the ferry are in favor of these costly expenditures. But Vineyard governor and board chairman Marc Hanover refuted that claim.
“Those same people want reliable boats, clean boats, reliable terminals,” Mr. Hanover said. “They want the Steamship Authority to function at its best capacity for them.”
According to a tally provided by West Tisbury resident Thomas Hodgson, 60 per cent of people who added their names to the petition were Vineyarders.
He said 13 per cent were from Nantucket and 14 per cent from elsewhere in the commonwealth.
As of this week, Mr. Rebello said West Tisbury selectman Richard Knabel, Tisbury selectman Tristan Israel and Oak Bluffs selectman Gregory Coogan had also endorsed it. “People on the Vineyard are increasingly stressed by the high cost of travel back and forth,” Mr. Hodgson said, especially in light of rates that have been “relentlessly increasing year after year.”
Mr. Rebello and other petitioners also put a wider frame on the discussion, calling for more transparency among the SSA ranks.
“Island voices need to be heard,” Mr. Rebello said.
Mr. Hodgson agreed.
“One of the big perceptions out there is that the SSA is an opaque organization that does not want to be bothered with public comment,” he said. He said information pertaining to boat line operations is not accessible to the public. Just this week, Mr. Hodgson said he spent three hours trying to find out how to get a free pass to cross attend a Steamship Authority meeting. Vineyarders who want to attend a meeting can get complimentary passenger tickets at the Vineyard Haven terminal prior to boarding the ferry.
Vineyarder Warren Gosson said he had taken advantage of the free passage and would make a hospital call while he was off-Island. “We need to accommodate and make some recommendations for people in dire need,” he said.
Two Island boat line governors: Robert Ranney of Nantucket (left) and Marc Hanover of the Vineyard.
Two Island boat line governors: Robert Ranney of Nantucket (left) and Marc Hanover of the Vineyard.
Mr. Hanover promised to make minutes and other information available to the public on the SSA website.
“We are also going to clean up the website so that you can find all the information of who you can contact for what,” he said.
The SSA is already working on a newspaper insert that will explain rate structures, he added.
Mr. Hanover plans to host a dialogue with Vineyard riders on the Island in March.
Though most of the public testimony addressed perceived problems, it was peppered with praise for the boat line.
“Again and again there is appreciation for the people who work for the Steamship Authority, for the people who work on the boats, for you guys, for sitting in these meetings, for making sure the boats mostly run on time,” Mr. Hodgson said.
Still, the public’s overarching message was one of critique:
“You also have some serious failings as an organization,” Mr. Hodgson said, but added that his goal was to encourage the SSA to better serve its ridership.
The meeting began with a moment of silence to recognize the recent death of the former Falmouth governor, Catherine Norton. Mrs. Norton died in died Dec. 22 after battling cancer. She was 73 and had been the Falmouth SSA governor for about one year.
Though she served for a short time, Mr. Hanover said Mrs. Norton had been “very active on the board, and very instrumental in completing the building study for the Woods Hole Terminal and the design concept and wonderful to work with.”
Comments
We still don’t know where
Ted Murphy EdgartownWe still don’t know where crude oil prices will end up this summer and beyond,” Mr. Lamson said. - This is not a good argument. Crude oil prices for this summer (and beyond) can be easily hedged at prices well below those contained in the budget. It is irresponsible not to do so
I hope Mr Rebello forwards
Ken EdgartownI hope Mr Rebello forwards all petitions to the new governor and Mass legislature. Obviously our representation on the Vineyard has their head in the skies pertaining to rate increases. Several increases were due to fuel costs, time for a roll back.
We may not know where oil
jack oak bluffsWe may not know where oil prices will be this summer and beyond. But what we absolutely do know is that the marketplace has permanently shifted due to our ascent as one of the leading producers of oil in the world. That alone will keep prices from ever going way up. Of course, there is always the threat of catastrophes that could affect oil prices. But people usually don't buy futures based on those kind of threats. The SSA is being disingenuous when it cites "studies" about future oil prices. What studies? Who made those studies? And please by all means share them with the public that subsidizes your business.
The enabling legislation for
It's not just the rate hike.The enabling legislation for the Steamship Authority gives it the mandate to provide for transportation for the necessaries of islanders and for the necessary vessels, docks etc. to accomplish this. The first test case which tried to get the SSA to comply was in 1980 when the MV Commission attempted to regulate how many slips could be built in Vineyard Haven. Cora Medeiros led the charge against mission creep and the SSA agreed to build the slip, but for emergencies only and to never actually use it to increase service. The case went to court, and the document is online if people want to know the details.
Then there used to be a shack at the end of the parking lot that was the ticket office. After the SSA won the court case they felt no need to adhere to their enabling legislation and built the first ticket palace in Vineyard Haven. Then a second on in Oak Bluffs, a larger vessel that carries more cars for tourism, and one that is less able to handle the rough seas to serve the necessary travel of islanders.
The Steamship Authority should be held accountable for any deficits as part of a for profit public company, and should not be able to charge the towns if for any reason there are deficits related to these un-necessary expenses. Islanders should be insulated from fare hikes that include Ticket mansions, and cruise ship like vessels. The beloved islander was a bulldog, a reasonably priced vessel that could take on any sea, and did so for half a century. We need vessels akin to that.
There is a two tier system of pricing, but more and more we are being held accountable for their mission trot. Now that they have decided to indebt us and we can not have a voice, and our representative represents them, not us, we are left with a fait accomplis. How this can be resolved, I do not know. But surely, their mandate was not to incur expenses related to increasing tourism travel.
But the SSA is a powerful force, and has decided to regulate itself, which is to say, to not be regulated as a practical matter, but to be able to decide for itself, without input, without reasonableness, without concern for the necessities and necessaries of islanders but for selling of tickets to as many cars and passengers as is possible and to entice same with grandiose facades all to the detriment of islanders who must travel these roads and pay for these investments.
In metro NY they have the
George Stein EdgartownIn metro NY they have the Port Authority that runs 4 airports, PATH trains as well bridges and tunnels. The state legislatures and governors of NY and NJ are attempting to get control of this monster. The SSA has people running it that are primarily just regular people that are accessible and reasonable. To stand on a soap box and vent without identifying yourself eliminates all credibility of your thoughts.
Profits before people.
Kate McCulloch DenverProfits before people.
We pay now with the
Brenda OBWe pay now with the understanding we should have CLEAN boats but getting gross filthy boats and Woods Hole building could try too add heat while you're at it.
So how will it change?
Higher rates = less motivation to provide clean comfortable restrooms. What a joke.
Who needs a vacation or a renovation on their vacation home? ( paid for by US)
If there is going to be that
Kara Hume Woods HoleIf there is going to be that sufficient of an increase then there needs to be better justification of this; being that oil prices have dropped that is not a good argument. If they are going to continue to have beaten up decaying vessels that in my opinion are a liability i.e. edge of seats coming apart ripping clothing and skin, aged window plexy glass, inproper ventilation from monoxide on middle and lower decks, to name just a few, they need to keep their fairs as is. If, however, they want to be responsible owners of their fleets, then money needs to be put into them instead of their pockets. For crying out loud, the elevators don't even work properly.
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