Union workers asking lawmakers to better fund ferry system

 @Mike The ferries are part of the state highway system.  They move people and products.  That said, the state has consistently failed to reign in waste and fraud that is endemic in WSF.  That is where they should start looking for savings.  If you want to be upset about something though, look at the massively disproportional amount of transportation dollars that are spent on mass transit which moves roughly 3% of daily transportation and zero goods.

 @StevenRosenow  @snowman Not to mention it got rid of the DARE program for kids. I am sure the drug dealers are glad that happened.

 @StevenRosenow  @snowman You are the one who is wrong.  Your opinion does not overrule fact that is plainly documented.  The legislature put the provisions that became law into effect.  The court ruled that the entire initiative was unconstitutional.  They did not overturn the provisions that the legislature passed in January of 2000 as that was not their role.  Read the decision as written.  You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.

 

From the ruling...

"When reviewing any law's constitutionality, a court is to interpret a law in such a way as to preserve its constitutionality, so long as that can be done without reaching absurd results. The only way Initiative 695 could be constitutional would be for the Court to arbitrarily eliminate one or more sections and redraft others. As the Court has already noted, courts are not to engage in the legislative activity of rewriting an initiative in an attempt to make an otherwise unconstitutional law constitutional.

Based on the conclusions of law set forth above, the Court now grants relief as follows in all seven of the cases captioned above: 

1. This Court declares and orders that 

(a) Section 2 of Initiative 695 is unconstitutional and void and therefore cannot be enforced; the State and its subdivisions are hereby enjoined from taking any action to implement or enforce Section 2; other statutes, codes and ordinances requiring, permitting or otherwise governing voter participation remain in place and are not affected by this order; 

(b) Sections 1 and 3 of Initiative 695 are unconstitutional; injunctive relief is denied because the State has been implementing Sections 1 and 3 since January 1, 2000; it would be disruptive to enjoin their operation or enforcement before either the Supreme Court has issued its final rulings as to their constitutionality or a period of thirty days has passed from the date of this ruling without appeal; denying injunctive relief as to Sections 1 and 3 preserves the status quo pending completion of this litigation; 

(c) Because the Initiative as a whole is unconstitutional, Section 5 does not function to save any individual section; and 

(d) By virtue of the unconstitutionality of Sections 1, 2 and 3, and of the Initiative as a whole, the remainder of the Initiative is moot. 

2. Because of the importance of the constitutional issues addressed herein, and the likelihood that resolution of those issues will render it unnecessary to address the other issues raised by the parties, and the importance of timely final rulings on the constitutionality of Initiative 695 in order to remove uncertainty at all levels of government in the State of Washington, and there otherwise being no just reason for delay, this Court certifies the foregoing rulings as final judgments under CR 54(b). IT IS SO ORDERED this 14 th day of March, 2000."

 @LongBeachBum  @Common Sense OK. Show us.

@compdude787   And why is that MY problem?  When the commute from Tacoma (where I lived) to Seattle (where I found employment) got too long, too stressful and too expensive, I moved north.  IT HAPPENS.  I should not be forced to subsidize their commute.

 @StevenRosenow Sounds like the communities need to diversify and not be so dependent upon the ferry system for their economic survival. Basic business logic...

 @Marinechiefengineer  @oldster70 Out here in Port Angeles, Red Ball operates a privately owned ferry to Victoria, every year they haul it in Seattle to do repairs. You put a steel boat in a caustic environment you are going to have problems. Ask anyone who has a pleasure boat if he keeps it in a marina.

@d_2 @Just_Mike And why do I have to pay for frontage roads in Benton County? Or snow removal in Spokane? or a bridge in Yakima?  Because I am part of society, that's why. As the folks "over there" are part of society, they have the duty to assist in funding the ferry system.

@K00lGuy @StevenRosenow tax the ones using them like they do the bridges and roads

 @Marinechiefengineer  And you are beyond well compensated for your job.  The moment you and your Union cronies don't get what you want... you pout like little friggen children.  Call in sick... manipulate the system.  I'll bet you were the first one to impact the Mukilteo/Clinton runs last summer.  I'll pay when I ride the Ferry or the Bus.  I won't drop names.. but I know a few personally.  They are the most egotistical children I know.  They laugh at the thought of impacting those that use the service.  There is no retribution, they don't care.  Oh... and you want to throw stress around... how about my neighbor, Mr. United Airlines pilot.  Maybe it's time to source to a private outfit (United Ferry System?) and have persons pay for the service as opposed to the masses who do not.  I don't expect to to consider this at all....  again, I know a handful of those WSDOT slackers.

@StevenRosenow   That explains your bias.

@StevenRosenow @jenshens  Has she ever used it??? probably not. and could she do it now ?? . they cant fire them and when women get older they lose strength to do it. Bottom line let them go on strike and then replace them with some of the unemployed that are qualified.the union should not deman

 a pay  raise like the FIRE DEPARTMENT and the POILCE DEPARTMENT.