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Resident questions disparity between road-maintenance budget and water-taxi subsidy
Summary
Jeff Schnells told the council he found roughly $1.5 million for local road maintenance versus just over $2 million subsidizing the water taxi in 2023 and urged better funding for island road work; the council moved on without immediate action.
Jeff Schnells reported results of his inquiries into King County spending and said Vashon's road-maintenance allocation is about $1,500,000 while the water taxi subsidy in 2023 exceeded $2,000,000. He said the disparity concerned him given the island's road-maintenance needs and suggested funding priorities be reconsidered.
"Our road crews here... have a budget of 1,500,000. And this water taxi was subsidized to the tune of just over $2,000,000 in 2023," Schnells said, adding that fewer than 5% of island residents use the water taxi. Council members thanked him and noted time constraints; no formal motion or study was launched during the meeting, though later agenda items consider strategic-plan and transportation discussions and the topic may be raised at future meetings or committees.
