To the editor:

It’s very easy for political opponents of Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen to play “armchair general” and talk about how she “could have done this or that” when it comes to Washington ferries. Where were these critics before?

They weren’t listening to Mary Margaret, who was pushing Washington State Ferries to change their shipbuilding priorities to replace our oldest boats first. She sent an e-mail newsletter to her constituents telling us about the need for new vessels before the Steel Electrics were pulled from service. That was when opposition was still saying we were spending too much money on ferries and not enough on freeways.

Long before special interest groups staged a phony call-in town hall teleconferences to help her opponent, Mary Margaret was working on legislation to reform Washington State Ferries. As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, she was able to make sure that we got a temporary substitute ferry as fast as possible, and expedient funding for new ferries to replace the retired Steel Electrics.

In addition to simply addressing the needs of the Keystone-Port Townsend run, Mary Margaret has been focused on the big picture of WSF reform and accountability, long before her opponents had anything to say on the subject. Her position on the Joint Transportation Committee led to the establishment of the 2007 Joint Transportation Committee Ferry Study, and she fought in the Legislature to sponsor and pass a bill to make sure that WSF adopted the study’s findings.

Sen. Mary Margaret has done more than simply talk about improving things at WSF. She has made sure they had a clear mission to reform the way they do business.

Her experience, 10 years in the state house and 15 years in the state senate, is needed more than ever. Re-elect Senator Haugen.

Trudy J. Sundberg

Oak Harbor