Drafter
Clerk 09/24/2024
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to public transportation, revising Water Taxi rates of fare; amending Ordinance 18411, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 4A.700.820 and establishing an effective date.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. K.C.C. 4A.700.820 provides for fares for regularly scheduled county passenger ferry service, including fares for adults paying in cash or with a prepaid fare product, children, youth, seniors and persons with disabilities, and low-income riders.
2. The current fare rate on the West Seattle Water taxi route for adult cash fares is $5.75, and for adult regular prepaid fares is $5.00. The current fare rate on the Vashon Island water taxi route for adult cash fares is $6.75, for adult regular prepaid fares is $5.75.
3. K.C.C. 4A.700.820 establishes that " fare categories and rates are subject to, and defined by" several factors, including that "[a]ll fares shall be established only for a one-way trip," "[a]ll fares shall be rounded up to the next whole twenty-five cent increment," "[t]he cash fare is determined by adding a fifteen-percent surcharge to the regular prepaid fare and applies to cash and ticket purchases," and "[t]he low-income fare shall be twenty-five percent less than the regular fare."."
4. The King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, 2021-2031, as adopted by Ordinance 19367, includes a strategy to "Align fares with other service providers, meet revenue targets, and advance equity through Metro's income-based approach to fares."
5. Washington state Ferries will implement a 4.25 percent increase to adult fares in October 2024.
6. Plans for water taxi service and capital investments assume periodic fare increases to adult fares.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. 18411, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 4A.700.820 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A.1. Except as may otherwise be provided by ordinance, the following fare categories and r...

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