Ok, I knew I shouldn't have done it, but I did.
I knew I'd be ****ed and I am..... but still I had to go and do it. I read
the newspaper article. Pardon me while I loose my mind.....

The editor claims that the city is forced to lay off firemen because of a
budget deficit. Obviously if they really needed that many fireman, they'd
raise taxes in order to keep the fire department adequately staffed and the
tax payers would be more than happy to foot the bill. The fact that they
CAN safely cut firemen from the force proves that they have been employing
too many whether they have a budget deficit or not. This bozo should be
chastising the fire department for over hiring and over spending! He
compares a municipal service that I assume is entirely funded by taxpayers
(fire department) to one that is 50% funded by it's users (airport).
hmmmm... now which service is pulling more of it's own weight? In my mind
the city is getting at least a 100% return on it's annual investment in the
airport. Maybe Iowa City's budget is soooo bad that they need a part time
or volunteer fire department that would be forced to hold fund raisers,
raffles, and apply for government grants to help subsidize itself.... wait!
some towns actually do that! Oh My GOD!!! How insane and radical!

Jay, you might hate this idea, but I've seen it work at several airports,
especially if all the hangers are full. The city sells it's hangers and
also sells lots for building new hangers. If the airport has debt on the
hangers, they could sell the hangers to the tenants and pay the debt. I
know several airports where the city has sold the hangers to the plane
owners but maintains ownership of the lot that the hangers sit on. The
tenant then pays property taxes on the improvements (adding to the tax base)
but not on the lot. If they would sell the hangers at fair market value it
may be more than the current debt against them and they might end up with
money left over to re-pave the approaches in front of each hanger or build
new taxiways to new hangers. What an idea, sell the hangers, pay the debt
and increase the tax base. That's more than the whining baby-assed editor
of that newspaper could come up with.

Rant off

--
Jim Burns III

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"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:eTBPa.36352$H17.11174@sccrnsc02...
Our local newspaper is on the warpath again against the airport. See it
at:

http://www.press-citizen.com/opinion...edit070903.htm

Several of us have written letters, and I have spoken with anyone who will
listen about the "crown jewel" of Iowa City (as we refer to it -- it
really
IS the best G.A. airport in the Midwest) -- but with the budget cuts
coming
down the pike I'm afraid the idea of closing the airport is gaining
traction
amongst the university crowd. Any suggestions?

For those of you who have visited our wonderful facility in Iowa City, it
would be GREAT if you could send the editor a letter outlining your
positive
experiences here.

Thanks!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"