Your political cartoon criticizing Washington State Ferries is...just everyday grumbling about ‘government’? There’s no news article that it is related to. Ferries aren’t in the news currently — because they are doing their job and doing it well. WSF is almost miraculously maintaining service at a 99% rate in spite of being down 7 out of 21 boats in recent months due to the age of the fleet. The next new ferry to launch won’t be for quite a few months to come. Boat construction is funded by the Legislature--not out of sailing operations. Most of the cancellations have been weather-related along with the usual low-tide cancellations at Keystone.

WSF had to recruit a large percentage of new staff after many retirements during the pandemic years. And they can’t just assign new hires off the street to operate the system; it takes years of training to staff the boats both above and below decks. Safety is the first priority, no corners to be cut.

If you aspire to be worthy of the name “Leader” then do your homework. WSF is in the trusted, tested hands of some of your own neighbors.

Forest Shomer

Port Townsend