**
***
TOP TEN REASONS TO STOP THE AIRPORT
10. General Aviation airports rely heavily on federal, state and local tax money in order to meet annual expenses. When you look at 13 Kentucky airports of similar size to the one proposed in Oldham County:
· Total governmental funding amounted to an average of 70% of the total revenue required to operate the airport.
· Local governmental funding alone amounted to an average of 13% of the total revenue required to operate the airport. This is the part you will pay directly through increased taxes.
9. Property values will be adversely affected by an airport. In fact, a study by the University of North Carolina concluded that even the selection of an airport location can reduce property values by over 9% within a 2 ½ mile radius around the proposed site!
8. There are some unfavorable trends in general aviation which signal long-term financial problems in the industry:
· Since 1980, there has been a 28% reduction in pilot certification.
· From 2003 to 2006, there has been a 3.2 million hour decrease in general aviation flying, especially in single engine and multi-engine piston aircraft.
· From 2000 to 2003, there has been a 4% decline in the number of single engine aircraft flown. In the same time period, there has been a 13% decline in the number of multi-engine aircraft flown.
· The cost of aviation fuel continues to skyrocket.
7. Aviation gas contains lead which contaminates the environment: air, soil and water. In 2002, general aviation emitted 125.5 annual tons, or about 88% of lead from all mobile sources.
· Lead poisoning is most dangerous to our children.
· Lead is a neurotoxin and heavy metal.
· General aviation is a major cause of lead air pollution
6. Aircraft noise can cause an interruption in sleep patterns.
· NASA has reported that noise levels which can cause sleep disturbance cover a range of 35 to 70 decibels.
· The FAA only recognizes noise levels above 65 decibels as problematic, a level that is not supported by the World Health Organization.
· The National Commission on Sleep Disorders estimates that sleep deprivation costs $150 billion a year in higher stress and reduced workplace productivity.
5. Only 1% of all businesses surveyed said they would use an Oldham County Airport! Total number of businesses surveyed exceeded 400. (Source: Entran Study commissioned by the Oldham County Airport Board).
4. General Aviation continues to resist Homeland Security measures and does not screen passengers, cargo & baggage. Hazardous materials, drugs, guns and other illicit materials and people are easily transported through General Aviation airports.
3. While personal flying makes up only half of all general aviation flying, they have disproportionately higher number of accidents. For 2005, the percentage of accidents attributed to personal flying, were as follows:
a. 73% of all takeoff/climb accidents
b. 84% of all descent/approach accidents
c. 84% of all go around accidents
d. 64% of all landing accidents
2. Oldham County Fiscal Court has refused to adopt–in writing–a “No Eminent Domain” policy. Therefore, it retains the right to seize land to build and/or expand the airport. While the Airport Board has renounced the use of Eminent Domain, this power actually lies with fiscal court.
1. An airport in Oldham County will allow Fiscal Court to increase our property taxes by creating an airport taxing district. This tax can be increased without restriction. If you think this can’t happen, take a look at the Fiscal Court’s current initiative to create a Storm Water Runoff Taxing District.
For more information on why an airport is a bad idea for Oldham County, go to www.nooldhamairport.com. Don’t forget to sign the petition!
NOA Weblog 