FAA Goes after Chicago on Meigs

For what it is worth, I just received the following notice:



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


APA 35
October 1, 2004
Contact: Greg Martin or Tony Molinaro
Phone: 202-267-3883 or 847-294-7427

FAA Proposes Legal Action Against City of Chicago¹s Meigs Field Closure

WASHINGTON, DC * The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) today announced
that it is taking legal action over
the 2003 closure of Meigs Field which
could result in penalties against the
city of Chicago. The FAA is citing the
agency¹s regulatory responsibility to
preserve the national airspace system
and ensure the traveling public with
reasonable access to airports as the
basis for its action today.

The FAA is proposing a civil penalty
of $33,000, the legal maximum, against
the city and, separately, is
initiating an investigation into
possible violations by the city of its
federal grant assurances and its
airport sponsor obligations.

The $33,000 proposed civil penalty
stems from the city¹s failure to
provide the required 30-day notice to
the FAA of the deactivation of Meigs
Field. The notice requirement is
intended to allow the FAA to study
proposed actions that may affect the
national airspace system prior to the
actions being taken. According to FAA
regulations, a maximum penalty of
$1,100 per day can be assessed for a
violation of this type.

Additionally, the FAA has initiated an
investigation to determine whether the
city improperly diverted $1.5 million
in restricted airport revenues to pay
for demolishing the runway at Meigs
and for its conversion from an airport
into a city park. The city has 30
days to reply to the FAA on these
issues.

The FAA has held several discussions
with representatives of the city to
reach an informal resolution of the
issues, but it will now move forward
with these formal actions to obtain
additional facts. In addition to the
possibility of a civil penalty of
$33,000, the city of Chicago could be
required to return monies to the
O¹Hare Airport Development Fund.
Should the city refuse to return any
improperly diverted revenue to the
Fund, further sanctions are possible,
including a civil penalty of up to
three times the amount of the diverted
funds.

Gary Orpe
A79228
E690190
Certified Virus free by Ed Norton.
All are absolutely free.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




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Gee, $33K? About the price of a used Cherokee 140?

Big whoop. Ten parking meters on Wacker Drive make that in six months...

I'm heartened that the FAA is closing the door after the cows have escaped,
and sincerely hope that King Daley is quaking in his boots.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Gee, $33K? About the price of a used Cherokee 140?

Big whoop. Ten parking meters on Wacker Drive make that in six months...

I'm heartened that the FAA is closing the door after the cows have escaped,
and sincerely hope that King Daley is quaking in his boots.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. And why wait so long to act?


Matt

On Sat, 02 Oct 2004 08:55:09 -0400, Matt Whiting
wrote:

Jay Honeck wrote:

Gee, $33K? About the price of a used Cherokee 140?

Big whoop. Ten parking meters on Wacker Drive make that in six months...

I'm heartened that the FAA is closing the door after the cows have escaped,
and sincerely hope that King Daley is quaking in his boots.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. And why wait so long to act?


Matt

Maybe because when you go after the bear in his own cave, especially
if it wasn't your idea, you want to take your time and prepare for it.

Or maybe they know it's a lost cause and were grudgingly forced into
any action at all.


Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news

The FAA has held several discussions
with representatives of the city to
reach an informal resolution of the
issues, but it will now move forward
with these formal actions to obtain
additional facts. In addition to the
possibility of a civil penalty of
$33,000, the city of Chicago could be
required to return monies to the
O¹Hare Airport Development Fund.
Should the city refuse to return any
improperly diverted revenue to the
Fund, further sanctions are possible,
including a civil penalty of up to
three times the amount of the diverted
funds.

The city should require Daley to pay these fines personally.

C J Campbell wrote:

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news
The FAA has held several discussions
with representatives of the city to
reach an informal resolution of the
issues, but it will now move forward
with these formal actions to obtain
additional facts. In addition to the
possibility of a civil penalty of
$33,000, the city of Chicago could be
required to return monies to the
O¹Hare Airport Development Fund.
Should the city refuse to return any
improperly diverted revenue to the
Fund, further sanctions are possible,
including a civil penalty of up to
three times the amount of the diverted
funds.


The city should require Daley to pay these fines personally.



No, they should put him in jail for a few years. I'm sure that $33K
isn't all that significant to even him personally. He probably gets
that much in union kickbacks every month.


Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
C J Campbell wrote:

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in
message

news

The FAA has held several discussions
with representatives of the city to
reach an informal resolution of the
issues, but it will now move forward
with these formal actions to obtain
additional facts. In addition to the
possibility of a civil penalty of
$33,000, the city of Chicago could be
required to return monies to the
O¹Hare Airport Development Fund.
Should the city refuse to return any
improperly diverted revenue to the
Fund, further sanctions are possible,
including a civil penalty of up to
three times the amount of the diverted
funds.


The city should require Daley to pay these fines personally.



No, they should put him in jail for a few years. I'm sure that $33K
isn't all that significant to even him personally. He probably gets
that much in union kickbacks every month.

It is not just $33,000. He stole $1.5 million and the city is on the hook
for that and possible treble damages. Daley should personally reimburse the
city for that as well.

Orval Fairbairn wrote:

For what it is worth, I just received the following notice:

YEEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

For what it is worth, I just received the following notice:

YEEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Howard? Howard Dean? Is that you?

We've been WONDERING what you've been up to lately!

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

Orval Fairbairn wrote:
For what it is worth, I just received the following notice:



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


APA 35
October 1, 2004
Contact: Greg Martin or Tony Molinaro
Phone: 202-267-3883 or 847-294-7427

FAA Proposes Legal Action Against City of Chicago¹s Meigs Field Closure

WASHINGTON, DC * The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) today announced
that it is taking legal action over
the 2003 closure of Meigs Field which
could result in penalties against the
city of Chicago. The FAA is citing the
agency¹s regulatory responsibility to
preserve the national airspace system
and ensure the traveling public with
reasonable access to airports as the
basis for its action today.

The FAA is proposing a civil penalty
of $33,000, the legal maximum, against
the city and, separately, is
initiating an investigation into
possible violations by the city of its
federal grant assurances and its
airport sponsor obligations.

The $33,000 proposed civil penalty
stems from the city¹s failure to
provide the required 30-day notice to
the FAA of the deactivation of Meigs
Field. The notice requirement is
intended to allow the FAA to study
proposed actions that may affect the
national airspace system prior to the
actions being taken. According to FAA
regulations, a maximum penalty of
$1,100 per day can be assessed for a
violation of this type.

Additionally, the FAA has initiated an
investigation to determine whether the
city improperly diverted $1.5 million
in restricted airport revenues to pay
for demolishing the runway at Meigs
and for its conversion from an airport
into a city park. The city has 30
days to reply to the FAA on these
issues.

The FAA has held several discussions
with representatives of the city to
reach an informal resolution of the
issues, but it will now move forward
with these formal actions to obtain
additional facts. In addition to the
possibility of a civil penalty of
$33,000, the city of Chicago could be
required to return monies to the
O¹Hare Airport Development Fund.
Should the city refuse to return any
improperly diverted revenue to the
Fund, further sanctions are possible,
including a civil penalty of up to
three times the amount of the diverted
funds.

Gary Orpe
A79228
E690190
Certified Virus free by Ed Norton.
All are absolutely free.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


How much will the FAA's legal team charge for pressing this suit?