A hard-fought battle to keep the Hatteras/Ocracoke Ferry free appears to have been won as the North Carolina budget comes to a final vote. According to some excellent reporting from Connie Leinbach in the Ocracoke Observer, local representative Paul Tine was key to keeping the ferry, the only way on and off Ocracoke, free.
“With the N.C. Senate’s favorable first vote Tuesday night on the 2016-17 budget, the toll threat on the Hatteras/Ocracoke ferry appears to be over for now, and the NC Ferry Division will get much-needed funding for its aging fleet.
The $22.34 billion spending plan retains much of what the House had sought in the way of relief for the NC DOT Ferry Division.”
[box type=”bio”] The debate rages on, but for the time being there will be no fare on the Hatteras/Ocracoke Ferry.[/box]