Meigs now enjoyed by all!

Jay Honeck wrote:
That Bushie rag is losing readers like PlayBoy in a school for the
blind. Unless you like
the latest missing sweetie-pie coverage.

You talking about the Trib?

You betcha, Colonel Robert McCormick's "never endorsed a DEM
president" Tribune.

JG


Please quote/copy/paste whatever it is you're responding to.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

wrote in message
oups.com...

What does the non-pilot get?


I'll answer your question after you answer mine.



Funny the authority doesn't mention it on their website:
http://www.dupageairport.com/
But they claim to be a:
"Independent, non-elected, business-oriented Airport Board of
Commissioners"


Perhaps that's because tax revenues aren't supporting the airport.



From http://www.napervillehouses.com/property_taxes.htm:
Taxing Authority 2003 Tax Rate
DuPage County .1999
DuPage County Forest Preserve .1419
DuPage Airport Authority .0230, (over $20 from yours truely)


But is that $20 supporting the airport?

wrote in message
ups.com...

It's one of those subdivisions with the houses and hangars facing a
private strip, props, no jets.


In other words, the fire station is there to serve the community.



No need for foam trucks in downtown,


Did they have foam trucks?



maybe an engine would respond to a museum call, thats about it.


In other words, they did not serve only Meigs.



Other stations serve the rest of downtown, and I doubt
airport regulations permit the trucks to leave.


You just said they could respond to a museum call. That would require them
to leave Meigs.



And if there was a wreck and the trucks were away, many of YOU would
complain.


Not so. Firefighters need to leave the station to respond to calls, pilots
understand that.



Then join the common folk at MDW or ORD. Those SWA lineups aren't too bad.


That will require more time and expense. Perhaps I'll simply cease doing
business in Chicago. Are they charging enough for the concert tickets to
compensate for the lost revenue?

By the way, what makes the pilots who use MDW or ORD common folk and those
that used CGX jet-setters?

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

What does the non-pilot get?


I'll answer your question after you answer mine.



Funny the authority doesn't mention it on their website:
http://www.dupageairport.com/
But they claim to be a:
"Independent, non-elected, business-oriented Airport Board of
Commissioners"


Perhaps that's because tax revenues aren't supporting the airport.



From http://www.napervillehouses.com/property_taxes.htm:
Taxing Authority 2003 Tax Rate
DuPage County .1999
DuPage County Forest Preserve .1419
DuPage Airport Authority .0230, (over $20 from yours truely)


But is that $20 supporting the airport?

Well-well, read 'em and weep:

A top official at DuPage Airport made a cautious prediction Tuesday
that the airport could accomplish by 2009 what DuPage politicians have
been urging for more than a decade--eliminate its need for property-tax
revenues.

"In five years, it is very likely that there would be no tax levy at
all," said Daniel Goodwin, Airport Authority board chairman.

Goodwin made the prediction toward the end of a 40-minute presentation
to the DuPage County Board, during which he ticked off the changes that
he and other allies of County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom have
made since they took control of the Airport Authority board in 2003

The authority is a quasi-independent government agency responsible for
operating the busy general-aviation field. But its nine-member board is
appointed by the DuPage County Board chairman, and Schillerstrom is the
latest in a succession of politically ambitious chairmen who have
promised to remove the airport from the property-tax rolls.

Once used mostly by recreational pilots, the West Chicago airfield
launched an ambitious expansion plan in the late 1980s to attract more
corporate jet traffic.

The project resulted in longer runways and first-class facilities, as
well as a temporary spike in property taxes that made the authority a
target for criticism.

"It was almost like they were an independent nation out there, with
**********no accountability**************
to the taxpayers," Schillerstrom said.

That has changed, he said.

"I think they've turned the corner. I'm very proud of what they're
doing," Schillerstrom said. "My goal is to get them off the taxes as
soon as possible." (before we leave IRAQ?, the race is on)

The Airport Authority now collects about $6.5 million annually in real
estate taxes--about 20 percent of its $29.9 million a year budget. None
of the property-tax revenue is used to pay airport operating costs.
Instead, the funds are used to retire debt.

The $12.8 million in long-term debt is scheduled to be paid off in
2007, at which time the property-tax levy could be cut in half, Goodwin
said.

But the airport expects to borrow money to finance the construction of
a hangar addition. Goodwin said he is cautious about promising to
eliminate the need for property-tax funds until the airport is
debt-free and until a proposed high-technology research center on
airport-owned land along Roosevelt Road and Fabyan Parkway begins
generating revenues for the authority.

(SO, don't bet the kids college tuition on it. The TECH PARK
is a JOKE, miles away from the tollway and high office vacancies
already.-JG)

But for the first time, officials say, it appears that operating
revenues from hangar leases, the sale of aviation fuel and other fees
are enough to cover the day-to-day costs of running the airport.

(ALOT of Maybes, and It Appears)

The bottom-line has been helped by nearly $1 million in cost savings
implemented by the board, Goodwin said, including reducing paid
holidays for staff, eliminating the airport's lobbyist and ending
employee junkets.

Also Tuesday, airport officials defended security at the field after
reports that daytime patrols by private security guards were
eliminated.

David Bird, the airport's executive director, said the field is now
patrolled by West Chicago police officers and DuPage sheriff's
deputies. He also noted that more than 30 airport employees in
radio-equipped vehicles typically are on the field during the day.

Bird said the airport is shifting money in its budget to implement
other security measures, including surveillance cameras.

"We think we have actually increased the level of security because we
now have trained officers from law enforcement agencies doing patrol,
instead of unarmed private security firm personnel," he said.

David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
writes:

The Park District is a seperate unit funded by property taxes, with the
Meigs fence gone, ALL can enjoy their property.

If I understand correctly how they're using the property now, it's of
no interest to *me*. Whereas the previous use, as an airport, was of
considerable recreational interest to me. (I'm not a pilot, have
never flow into Meigs, and in fact have never so much as *ridden* in a
single-engine fixed-wing aircraft.)
--

Perhaps the term "Park" District is not clear, i.e. its not an AIRPORT
DIST.
Do they have "Parks" in your town, Dave?

JG

David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

wrote in message
ups.com...

So by your definition, 9/11 was nothing also, a wreck is a wreck.


Please show me where he defined 9/11 as nothing.



This place has had more wrecks on a percentage of operations basis than
ORD.


Does it? What are the operations counts for ORD and LL22 and how many
wrecks have they had in the same time period?

wrote in message
ups.com...

Well-well, read 'em and weep:

A top official at DuPage Airport made a cautious prediction Tuesday
that the airport could accomplish by 2009 what DuPage politicians have
been urging for more than a decade--eliminate its need for property-tax
revenues.

"In five years, it is very likely that there would be no tax levy at
all," said Daniel Goodwin, Airport Authority board chairman.

Goodwin made the prediction toward the end of a 40-minute presentation
to the DuPage County Board, during which he ticked off the changes that
he and other allies of County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom have
made since they took control of the Airport Authority board in 2003

The authority is a quasi-independent government agency responsible for
operating the busy general-aviation field. But its nine-member board is
appointed by the DuPage County Board chairman, and Schillerstrom is the
latest in a succession of politically ambitious chairmen who have
promised to remove the airport from the property-tax rolls.

Once used mostly by recreational pilots, the West Chicago airfield
launched an ambitious expansion plan in the late 1980s to attract more
corporate jet traffic.

The project resulted in longer runways and first-class facilities, as
well as a temporary spike in property taxes that made the authority a
target for criticism.

"It was almost like they were an independent nation out there, with
**********no accountability**************
to the taxpayers," Schillerstrom said.

That has changed, he said.

"I think they've turned the corner. I'm very proud of what they're
doing," Schillerstrom said. "My goal is to get them off the taxes as
soon as possible." (before we leave IRAQ?, the race is on)

The Airport Authority now collects about $6.5 million annually in real
estate taxes--about 20 percent of its $29.9 million a year budget. None
of the property-tax revenue is used to pay airport operating costs.
Instead, the funds are used to retire debt.

The $12.8 million in long-term debt is scheduled to be paid off in
2007, at which time the property-tax levy could be cut in half, Goodwin
said.

But the airport expects to borrow money to finance the construction of
a hangar addition. Goodwin said he is cautious about promising to
eliminate the need for property-tax funds until the airport is
debt-free and until a proposed high-technology research center on
airport-owned land along Roosevelt Road and Fabyan Parkway begins
generating revenues for the authority.

(SO, don't bet the kids college tuition on it. The TECH PARK
is a JOKE, miles away from the tollway and high office vacancies
already.-JG)

But for the first time, officials say, it appears that operating
revenues from hangar leases, the sale of aviation fuel and other fees
are enough to cover the day-to-day costs of running the airport.

(ALOT of Maybes, and It Appears)

The bottom-line has been helped by nearly $1 million in cost savings
implemented by the board, Goodwin said, including reducing paid
holidays for staff, eliminating the airport's lobbyist and ending
employee junkets.

Also Tuesday, airport officials defended security at the field after
reports that daytime patrols by private security guards were
eliminated.

David Bird, the airport's executive director, said the field is now
patrolled by West Chicago police officers and DuPage sheriff's
deputies. He also noted that more than 30 airport employees in
radio-equipped vehicles typically are on the field during the day.

Bird said the airport is shifting money in its budget to implement
other security measures, including surveillance cameras.

"We think we have actually increased the level of security because we
now have trained officers from law enforcement agencies doing patrol,
instead of unarmed private security firm personnel," he said.


Are you a product of the Chicago school system?

If you had actually read that piece you may have noticed this sentence:

"None of the property-tax revenue is used to pay airport operating costs."

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

It's one of those subdivisions with the houses and hangars facing a
private strip, props, no jets.


In other words, the fire station is there to serve the community.

The main HQ is 3 miles away with a FOUR bay station, plenty close by
modern
standards. This addition was built after one of the wrecks. Anyways,
most
residential areas can get by with VOLUNTEER FF's. The big money
corporate
crowd needs the pros for their edifaces. But thats another fish to fry.

No need for foam trucks in downtown,

Did they have foam trucks?

I assume so, H20 not as effective on avgas. Anyways, they were the
special
trucks you see on airport squads.

maybe an engine would respond to a museum call, thats about it.

In other words, they did not serve only Meigs.

Don't know, but being on a museum call keeps them in proximity to the
field
able to get back in about the same time it takes to put on the gear,
open
the doors and leave the station.
Anyways, the last fire in the area was McCormick place, in the 1960's.
And no museum has complained about service since Meigs closed.


Other stations serve the rest of downtown, and I doubt
airport regulations permit the trucks to leave.


You just said they could respond to a museum call. That would require them
to leave Meigs.

They could as in "there's no wall keeping them from leaving" don't know

about FAA regs.


And if there was a wreck and the trucks were away, many of YOU would
complain.


Not so. Firefighters need to leave the station to respond to calls, pilots
understand that.

Except when they wreck and it takes 30 minutes for MDW trucks to
respond.


Then join the common folk at MDW or ORD. Those SWA lineups aren't too bad.


That will require more time and expense. Perhaps I'll simply cease doing
business in Chicago. Are they charging enough for the concert tickets to
compensate for the lost revenue?

And the dollar volume and type of this "business" is?

Oh well, the construction crains are still swinging across LSD, the
condo
folk can sleep well and the building boom continues, Miss Ya!


By the way, what makes the pilots who use MDW or ORD common folk and those
that used CGX jet-setters?

The common folk are the non-pilot SWA'ers. If MDW gets too busy then...
maybe Romeoville or.. Peotone will be open. Have you heard or
video-conferencing?

JG

wrote:

Be gone, off my tax bill, Vamanos.

Where are you (plural) going? Whereever, I doubt any of us will be joining
you. But don't let that stop you.

- Andrew

Dave Stadt wrote:


"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
online.com...
Thomas Borchert wrote:

So what you're saying is: Nothing happened.

But nothing happened *twice*. What if it happens again? In fact, what
if nothing just keeps on happening over and over and over??

Nothing.

Just how much nothing will we have to bear before we do nothing about the
nothing? I think we need to get the politicians onto this right away.
They need to be doing nothing as soon as possible.

The world will become a better place as a result.

- Andrew