USDOT sorry for ferry funding oversight, will provide $7.6 million to Washington

Hours after The Seattle Times ran a big headline in its morning edition blaring that Washington State had been snubbed when the United States Department of Transportation announced ferry grants, the feds have taken immediate action to soothe the egos of the state's most powerful politicians, and ensure the nation's largest ferry system gets a healthy slice of funding.

Senator Patty Murray says USDOT will provide some $7.6 million for Washington State Ferries, drawing this reaction from Governor Chris Gregoire:

This is great news for Washington state and our ferry system. I thank Senator Murray for her leadership and determination to secure this funding. Washington, with the nation’s largest ferry system, has now received the most federal recovery funds for ferries, as it should.

Does she have to make it sound like we're entitled to the money? Maybe a little more gratitude for this speedy reversal of fortune would have been in order?

The governor is reliant these days upon federal grants to keep a steady stream of positive press releases coming out of her office, after she and the Legislature uncourageously decided not to raise revenue to offset painful budget cuts.

It's not yet clear how WSDOT intends to use the money, but we'll ask. It might be invested into that new terminal in Anacortes that WSDOT wants to build.