It Figures That A Politician Would Utter Such Nonsense
In yet another example
of anti-airport propaganda, it seems that the opposition to Stuart,
FL's Witham Field is getting a little out of control. Some Martin
County (FL) Commissioners are pushing for a change in the future
direction of Witham that may include down-sizing or even closure.
Due to pressure from home-owners who built their homes around the
airport or moved in to the area with the knowledge that an airport
was close by (as if they could miss it...), there is a push among
some to get Federal money to buy out surrounding property to
provide more of a noise buffer around the field. Others don't want
to take the money, and favor the closure or severe restriction of
the airport, instead.
Mind you, the airport's been there for some fifty years... so
the johnnny-come-latelies assert that IT is the problem... not the
fact that they chose to move next to an active airport that was (in
most cases) there LONG before they were.
An anti-airport organization known as WAAM is also pushing for
the down-sizing of the airport and the elimination of much of the
economically desirable jet traffic that has come to use Witham
Field for fuel, hangarage, maintenance and other needs (feeding
untold millions into the local economy). WAAM has indicated such a
downsizing would free former airport lands to be used for Office
Buildings, a "Cultural Center", an expanded Golf Course or a
Convention Center. Additionally; the organization openly advocates
increased airport costs in the from of landing fees and
increased fuel flowage fees. Anyone want to bet that there's a
developer (or lawyer) or two working with this
organization?
Sure sounds familiar, doesn't it?
While a $100K study has suggested that down-sizing or
closure is not a good idea, the resistance to the airport is
none-the-less taking on some bizarre attributes. Unfortunately;
Commissioners are still looking at a number of unpalatable measures
(apparently suggested, in part, by WAAM) to deal with the problems
they think they have with a busy airport... such measures include
closing/removing one or two runways, increasing a number of access
or usage fees, and imposing mandatory noise rules.
While there are moderates on the Commission, most of them fear
the legal challenges and costs associated with restricting airport
access such as those experienced by Naples, FL, in their allegedly
illegal bans on so-called noisy airplanes. The Naples fight has
reportedly cost the municipality over $750K for the studies they
used to validate their restrictions and over a $Million$ more to
fight the legal challenges that have arisen as a result [Note: this
is where the value of the Naples fight truly starts having
some long-term value and truly pays for itself--E-I-C].
In a Palm Beach Post article published this past weekend, the
anti-airport rhetoric took on hellish proportions. Commissioner
Susan Valliere's district that includes the airport property,
and reportedly believes that 'one of the only ways to slow jet
traffic is to stop accepting grant money.' Valliere asserts that
the use of federal money leaves the county with less control over
airport growth.
She is particularly critical of the FAA, telling the PBP that,
"The FAA is a demon... It's a branch of the government that's for
aviation. It's not for the people."
How Ms. Valliere separates aviation (and the people who populate
its ranks) from other "people" is a bit curious, but it's obvious
that the political rhetoric in Martin Country is not only reaching
new lows, but that politicians like Valliere have a strong
anti-airport agenda in the works that is going to make the future
survival of Witham Field questionable.
We'll keep you updated on this story as it develops... and if
those demonic attributes attributed to the Federal government don't
get in the way.
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