FISCAL COURT FINALLY SAYS “NOA”!!!

 

The Oldham County Airport Initiative is Dead

 

 

Today, February 17^th, 2009, the Oldham County Fiscal Court unanimously voted to terminate the airport initiative and dissolve the airport board.  It will also return all money remaining for further airport studies to the Kentucky Department of Aviation—close to $109,000.

This is a great victory for the county, as the overwhelming majority of its citizens did not want the airport.  In a recent county-wide survey conducted by ETC Institute, an independent polling firm, reported the following:

·         70% of the respondents did not support the development of an airport; 17% support an airport; and 13% were either neutral or unsure.

·         65% of the respondents would not support the airport, even if local taxes were not increased;  22% would support it under this condition; and 13% were neutral or unsure.

·         89% of the respondents would not support the airport if it resulted in additional long-term taxes; 7% would support it even under this condition; and 4% were neutral or unsure.

·         71% of the respondents did not want any more state department of aviation funds spent on studying the airport initiative; 18% would support spending more money for more studies; and 11% were neutral or unsure.

The only immediate concern remaining is the number of arm injuries encountered in fiscal court today, as some members patted themselves (and the airport board) on the back for taking such extraordinary measures to ensure the airport initiative was fully studied.  This is county politics at its worst!  Had NOA not kept the pressure on the airport board and fiscal court, there would have been an airport built in Oldham County.

The fact of the matter is the survey (which NOA supported from the beginning) provided the political top cover for the magistrates to vote against the airport initiative.  Without the survey results, this airport initiative would have continued—despite overwhelming evidence it was going to cost the county a great deal of money over the long term.  The costs would have been financial and environmental, and measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

One question that just will not die is, “What was the true charter of the airport board?”  While some members of the fiscal court and the airport board itself may truly believe the board’s charter was simply to weigh the pros and cons of building an airport, the role of an airport board is clearly spelled out in the Kentucky Revised Statutes.  The airport board has a very clear purpose—to build and maintain an airport.  Nothing Judge-Executive Murner can say will change this fact.  He does not write the rules for airport boards, nor can he re-define the role of an airport board to suit his liking.  So, it appears those in charge of local government did not take time to read the rules before taking money from Kentucky Department of Aviation–an action which could have cost the county dearly. 

As it turns out, the big loser in this airport initiative is the Kentucky Department of Aviation, which lost nearly $100,000 when it funded the Oldham County Airport Feasibility Study—before the county even determined whether or not the citizens of Oldham County wanted an airport.  However, Oldham County lost in the process as well, as the credibility of some of its elected officials is now clearly in question.  In the past two years, airport proceedings have provided plenty of evidence showing the “good old boy network” is alive and well.  I have no intention of documenting all the questionable actions surrounding the airport initiative.  However, there is a bit of good news in this whole debacle, and this is what I’d like to close with.

Two magistrates—Mr. Scott Davis and Mr. Bob Leslie—were quick to recognize the airport initiative for what it was—an attempt to establish flying club for Oldham County aircraft owners.  There was no substantiated evidence the airport would provide significant economic growth in the county, or bring any major business investment. Both Davis and Leslie understood this and tried to end the airport over a year ago.  Their open and frank assessments were largely ignored by other government officials.  Perhaps now is the time to let them take the lead in returning some credibility to county government.

WHY YOU REALLY DON’T WANT AN OLDHAM COUNTY AIRPORT

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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!