Pair of stories show competing interests | Letter to the editor

Posted

I think that there is validity in the article “Ferry report” (The Leader, Nov. 18) regarding the potential problems and the terrible economic impact the reduction or possibly the suspension of the route between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island would have on both the town and Jefferson County.  

The county and Port Townsend depend in a large part on the ferry traffic to support the tourist trade and the commercial traffic that uses the ferry route between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, all of which is propelled by internal combustion engines.  

It seems ironic that on the very next page there appeared an equally valid article highlighting the large negative effects that cars and trucks (ferries, too) have on Port Townsend and Jefferson County’s greenhouse gas emissions in the amount of 66 percent in 2018. Certainly not all of the vehicular traffic that ply Jefferson County roadways get here by ferry.  

I wouldn’t argue with either stance, they’re both valid and important to our lives in Port Townsend and Jefferson County. I do think that the Leader maybe should have printed both articles on the same page so people would have been more prone to read both points of view. Even though neither article was challenging the other directly nor likely intentionally.  

Ultimately both ideals are diametrically opposed to one another. If either position were to achieve their ideals completely the overall outcome would eventually be disastrous for all Jefferson County residents.  

Ross Budden
PORT LUDLOW