20060824 KDDC Carroll Jt Neighborhood Assoc CC Regional Airport Exp Fact Sheet

Carroll Jt. Neighborhood Assoc. CC Regional Airport Exp Fact Sheet

August 24, 2006

I wanted to call to your attention a Fact Sheet e-mailed to me from the Carroll Joint Neighborhood Association concerning the issues of a possible expansion of the Carroll County Regional Airport.

For more information, contact Carroll Joint Neighborhood Association at cjna01@adelphia.net or (410) 857-1970

CARROLL COUNTY REGIONAL

AIRPORT EXPANSION FACT SHEET

Last Updated: August 13, 2006

Our Carroll County Government is promoting an expansion of the airport that would more than double the airport’s size, adding many more hangars and extending the runway by 1,300 feet, to a total of approximately 6,400 feet.

Airport Expansion Would Drain County Funds

The airport was expanded 12 years ago and it continues to lose money. Last year, there was a net operating loss of over $100,000.00. In the last six years, losses were more frequent than gains, and the losses were substantially greater than the gains. If the airport's size doubles, the potential exists for even greater losses. Since the airport is owned by the County and subsidized by County funds each year, who would make up for the increased losses?

If the airport is expanded, numerous security measures would need to be put into place. The County is attempting to acquire funds from Homeland Security. However, Homeland Security funds are very tight. If they cannot fund the added security, the County has said they would fund it. How much would that cost? Would the county, in fact, pay for added security, or would they leave us with an airport over twice the size, with inadequate security. (We were told on April 11, 2006 that current security at the airport consists of “somebody at the gas pump.”)

A County administrator informed us in the spring that County funds would pay $2 million toward the runway expansion. Now, they are waffling on this information. What are the real facts?

Taxpayer dollars are finite and are better spent on commercial revitalization projects and needed services.

Airport Expansion is Unnecessary

There is no evidence to suggest a need or demand to accommodate larger corporate jets. A County administrator told us for months that there was a long waiting list for corporate hangars. When asked for a copy of the waiting list, he replied, "I stopped keeping a waiting list."

At a June 7, 2006 meeting a County Commissioner remarked that “these numbers don’t add up,” referring to projections regarding future use of the airport. The community has never received updated or corrected data from the county.

Airports in nearby counties have ready access to major interstate highways. This makes them suitable for airport expansion projects. We have no such interstate highway access.

What Can I Do?

Go to ccramasterplan.com and learn more.

Write letters to the editor of Carroll County Times, the Eagle, the Advocate, Baltimore Examiner, Baltimore Sun, or the Gazette.

Ask the County Commissioner Candidates (including incumbents) where they stand on an expanded airport.

Help raise public awareness by sharing this information.

For more information, contact Carroll Joint Neighborhood Association at cjna01@adelphia.net or (410) 857-1970