In November, residents of Mackinac Island will have the final say over who will have authority over ferry services to and from the popular tourist attraction.
Under the city section on islanders' ballots, voters will decide whether Mackinac Island will "regulate all aspects of ferry service" and "set all charges and prices for, or in connection with, transportation of people and property by ferry."
The Florida-based company Hoffman Marine purchased Shepler’s Inc in 2022 and Mackinac Island Ferry Company, now Arnold Transit Company, in 2024.
The company has been in an ongoing legal dispute with island officials over who controls the price of ferry services.
State Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, introduced a bill in 2025 in response to the dispute to expand the island’s authority over ferry services.
“The whole region is dependent on people being able to access Mackinac Island affordably,” Damoose told WCMU at Glen Arbor's Cherry Pie Debate on Oct. 5. “It really hurts our economy if they don't, but the island is literally dependent on this.”
Currently, one ferry ticket and overnight parking can cost over $60.
Rob Klco has been a resident on Mackinac Island for about seven years. He said he wants friends and family to visit him, but often the cost of getting to the island is too expensive.
“When they start crunching the numbers and doing the math, they realize coming to visit me is going to cost them a couple 100 bucks," he said.
Mark Bearss became a full-time resident in 2016 after spending summers on the island in the 1970s and 1980s. He said that parking is one of the biggest expenses as a worker on Mackinac Island.
“It's very expensive for people to try to find a decent place to park within a reasonable distance from the ferry dock and leave your car there for weeks,” he said. “As someone who lives on the island, there's a lot of support for this bill.”
Senate Bill 304 went through a lengthy voting process since it was introduced by Damoose.
After quickly passing through the Senate in 2025, SB 304 remained in the state House’s Committee on Government Operations for over a year until it was passed this past May and later signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
However, since the law is an amendment to the island's charter, it must be approved by a majority of residents.
Mackinac Island is the only municipal government in the state that requires the legislature’s approval before any changes can be made to its charter.
“We got our part done; now I'm expecting that (voters) are going to pass this,” Damoose said on Oct. 5. “I'll be shocked if they don't. Overwhelmingly, the residents of the island asked us to take this on, which is why I did it to begin with."
Hoffmann Marine previously told WCMU that they were "disappointed" by the state intervening.
"A regulatory approach that limits operational flexibility risks undermining the very investments required to maintain safe, efficient, and high-quality service, ultimately impacting both residents and visitors alike," the company wrote in a statement after the law passed in the state House in May.
If the proposal is passed, the island would have authority over the parking services that are located in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.
The island’s neighbors have expressed concern about the island’s possible new level of control.
“At worst, they could try to utilize that 'all aspects' language to further their governmental overreach into our jurisdiction,” Mackinaw City Village Manager Dean Martin said. “At best, it creates confusing legal situations over who has power over what.”
Thomas Sullivan has lived on Mackinac Island for nine years. He said he will support the proposal but believes the island shouldn’t have control over parking services.
"I guess I will support it... but I am a little concerned about how that's going to affect the cities of St. Ignace and Mackinaw City,” he said. “Will they also share in that revenue?"
In June, Mackinaw City officials voted to impose an annual franchise fee of $200,000 on ferry lines to help capitalize on its heavy tourism and support city departments like public safety and sanitation.
“How do we pay for these services equitably, when we have all of these visitors coming in, and we have to create a safe, clean, hygienic and friendly environment for them,” Martin said. “The equitable answer is one that is already figured out by the island, which is implementing a ferry franchise fee.”
The village manager declined to comment when asked if Mackinaw City would take legal action if the proposal passes in November.
