Guemes Island Ferry

Ferry Operations Manager: Rachel Rowe

2027 Ferry Budget and Fare Schedule Proposal

The Skagit County Ferry Division is preparing for the annual meetings with the Skagit County Commissioners to set the 2027 ferry division budget and 2027 ferry fare schedule. The current fare schedule expires at the end of 2026, and we will be adopting a new schedule to be in effect on January 1, 2027.

The following documents have been prepared for review by the public and the County Commissioners:

2026 Ferry Fare Revenue Target Report
- This document also includes the draft 2027 ferry fare schedule.
2026 Ferry Budget Monitoring Report (January to June 2026)
2026 Preliminary Ferry Expenditure Report
2026 Preliminary Ferry Revenue Report
2025 Detailed Actual Revenues
2025 Detailed Actual Expenses
2025 Budget Monitoring Report

How to Comment

Early public comment will be taken by e-mail or mail on the 2027 budget documents and proposed 2027 ferry fare schedule.

Email: ferrycomments@co.skagit.wa.us (use subject line: Ferry 2027 Fare Proposal)

· Please include your comments in the body of the email and not in an attachment.

Mail: 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 ATTN: Ferry 2027 Fare Proposal

Upcoming Meetings

The Ferry Division will be meeting with the County Commissioners and presenting this information over the next few weeks. These meetings are open to the community; however, public comment will only be taken during the public hearing.

The public can join meetings either in-person in the Commissioner’s Hearing Room at 1800 Continental Place, or virtually via Zoom at the link below. All televised public hearings, presentations, and deliberations will also be available to watch on TV21. TV21 recordings can be found on the TV21 archive . Non-televised work sessions are recorded via Zoom. Zoom recordings can be requested by emailing commissioners@co.skagit.wa.us

Join Skagit County Commissioner Zoom Meeting HERE

You can also join a Commissioner meeting remotely by dialing 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 871 8000 1980 Passcode: 143573

Date	Time	Meeting	Description	How to Join	Recording
August 4 – August 18 Preliminary Public Comment Period for Ferry Fare Revenue Target Report and Draft 2027 Ferry Fare Schedule
August 6^th	9:30 – 10:30 a.m.	Non-Televised Work Session	Initial review with County Commissioners of budget and ferry fare documents. **No public comment will be taken at this meeting.	Zoom and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon	Video
August 18^th	8:30 – 9:30 a.m.	Televised Presentation	Ferry staff will present the proposed ferry fare schedule and fare setting methodology. **No public comment will be taken at this meeting.	TV21 , Zoom , and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
August 19^th	3:00 – 4:30 p.m.	Annual Community Meeting	Public Works staff will host the annual community meeting at the Guemes Community Hall to review the 2027 ferry fare revenue target report, draft 2027 fare schedule, and upcoming ferry projects.	In-person, Guemes Island Community Hall
September 3 – September 22 Public Comment Period on Draft 2027 Ferry Fare Schedule
September 22^nd	8:30 – 10:00 a.m.	Public Hearing	Open public hearing to take testimony on draft 2027 ferry fare schedule.	TV21 , Zoom , and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
October	Various	Non-Televised Work Sessions	Commissioners will host annual series of budget works sessions with Department Directors and Elected Officials to review 2027 budget proposals. The schedule of work sessions will be available on the Budget and Finance website . **No public comment will be taken at these meetings.	Zoom and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
October 20^th	8:30 – 9:00 a.m.	Televised Deliberations	Commissioners will consider adoption of the 2027 ferry fare schedule.	TV21 , Zoom , and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
December 7^th	11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Public Hearing	Commissioners will host public hearing to consider testimony on the preliminary 2027 Skagit County budget.	TV21 , Zoom , and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
December 14^th	2:00 – 2:30 p.m.	Televised Deliberations	Commissioners will consider adoption of the 2027 budget.	TV21 , Zoom , and in-person, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon

Background on Ferry Fare Methodology

On July 27, 2023, the Skagit County Commissioners adopted Resolution #20230152 , amended by Resolution #R20250015 , which sets the ferry fare revenue target methodology, including the formula used to calculate fares each year. The County Commissioners stated they intend to reach a 65% fare box recovery target by December 31, 2028, which requires ferry fares to increase steadily from 2023 – 2028 to reach that target.

The ferry division is directed to prepare an annual report pursuant to the revenue target formula found in Exhibit A of Resolution #20230152, amended by R20250015, and recommend a ferry rate schedule for the upcoming calendar year with an estimate of revenues based on those rates. The methodology for fare calculations uses the past two years of actual expenditures, the current year’s approved budget, and the next two year’s projected expenditures using cost escalation factors to establish the new ferry fare schedule.