UPDATE: Charging a toll on Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry continues to move forward in Raleigh

April 18, 2011 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach

UPDATE: Charging a toll on Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry
continues to move forward in Raleigh

By CONNIE LEINBACH

Charging a toll on the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry is inching closer to reality, and islanders are being urged to act now to voice their opinions.

On April 14, the state House Appropriations Committee on Transportation released a draft budget that reduces the Ferry Division budget and authorizes it to raise tolls on existing routes, add tolls to remaining routes, and reduce ferry routes if necessary.

However, according to Ocracoke resident Tom Pahl, the subcommittee has not yet voted on the line-items regarding ferry tolls.

That action is scheduled for Wednesday, April 20, when the committee next meets. The committee plans to vote out the proposal, including tolls on ferries, no later than Thursday.

Pahl received this information from Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina, a non-profit, non-partisan citizens’ lobby organization. Pahl noted that Phillips was acting in a personal capacity and not as the head of Common Cause.

Pahl suggested that in the next two days concerned islanders and others should call, write, and e-mails the chairs of this committee:

Rep. Phillip Frye, R- Mitchell County. 919-733-5661. Phillip.Frye@ncleg.net
Rep. Ric Killian, R-Mecklenburg County. 919-733-5886. Ric.Killian@ncleg.net

According to Pahl, since the ferry appropriation is a line-item in the proposed budget, there might not be public hearings, and it will proceed through the legislature, along with the entire rest of the budget—to the Senate and then to the Gov. Bev Perdue, all by June 30.

Along the way, the sections of the budget can be changed, but that may be difficult since Republicans control both the House and the Senate.

Before the end of April, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is gathering information as to the effect these changes might have. Wilbur Smith Survey Associates will be at the Volunteer Fire Department Hall on Ocracoke from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, to listen to the public’s concerns and ideas.

Further solidifying the legislators’ wish to toll all ferry routes, a draft special provision accompanying the budget proposal states that “All ferry routes shall be tolled in an amount established by the Secretary,” effective Jan. 1.

Rep. Timothy L. Spear, a Democrat whose district includes Hyde, Dare, Washington, and Chowan counties, confirmed that this is a draft budget and has not been approved.

“The ferry division budget is $41.5 million, and they’re looking to recover about 25 percent of that from tolling, or $10 million,” Spear said in an interview. Currently, the ferries yield $2.2 million in revenue.

He stressed that he is opposed to a toll on the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry and is interested in doing all he can for the people of Ocracoke.

“I am working to get that language removed or not applicable for Ocracoke,” he said. “Ocracoke is the only island in the state without another way on or off.”

He explained that he will be working to make it known to the transportation committee members about the uniqueness of Ocracoke as a tourist destination and home.

“We’re not going to produce a concrete pavement for (the island),” he said. “The ferry is your highway. This is what (the residents of Ocracoke) should receive based on the taxes they pay.”

He said he will continue to make these points to the committee leadership.

Both Spear and Pahl urged residents and all others who are concerned to write to the committee representatives now and continuously to express their feelings about this issue.

Pahl especially urged residents who are Republicans and are against these tolling recommendations to contact these legislators and make their feelings known.

“We are not asking for a special privilege,” Pahl noted in an e-mail he sent to Ocracoke residents as to the points they should make. “On the contrary, we do not want to be singled out as the only residents in North Carolina who must pay a toll to get home.”

Ocracoke is not a rich resort town as some legislators might assume, Pahl continued.

“The median family income (according to the 2000 Census) on Ocracoke is below that of the state as a whole ($34,315 vs. $38,829) and less than that of the United States,” Pahl said. “This is a (lower) middle-class community with high property values due to the scarcity of land.”

The following legislators, all Republicans, are on the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation: Sen. Kathy Harrington, co-chair; Sen. James Forrester, co-chair; Sen. Bill Rabon; Rep. Phillip Frye, Rep. Ric Killian.

Spear also suggested that residents include the Speaker of the House, Thom Tillis, in their emails.

Email addresses, phone numbers, the draft budget and provisions are on the state legislature website: www.ncleg.net.

To get to the recent sessions, do a search on House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation. Then find the long sessions.

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