Daufuskie Ferry subsidy increased

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — The subsidy for the Daufuskie Island ferry on South Carolina’s south coast has been increased but some Beaufort County Council members wonder if there is a cheaper alternative.

The Beaufort Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/sG3TXZs) the council on Monday approved a 6 percent increase in the contract with J & W Corp. to cover higher operating costs. The ferry will transport about 6,800 riders this year to the island. The subsidy amounts to about $25 a passenger.

Councilwoman Laura Von Harten suggested one problem is that the county requires such a large boat and J & W was the only contractor to bid. She suggested a smaller boat could be used to cross Calibogue Sound between the island and Hilton Head and that would attract more bidders for the contract.

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Information from: The Beaufort Gazette, http://www.beaufortgazette.com