Editorials
Airport control tower necessary to help boost economic development
TBO.com
Published: April 9, 2011
The issue: $2.25 million control tower at Hernando County Airport. Our opinion: This should be a slam dunk.Published: April 9, 2011
When county commissioners meet Tuesday to discuss whether to support construction of a $2.25 million control tower at the Hernando County Airport, we're confident they'll see the benefits of such a vital project.
The Hernando County Airport is a shining example of what's positive about our county's economic future. The foresight of having such a facility surrounded by an industrial and business park shows that smart business decisions are made here. It literally is one of the few keys to our future economic viability — a component that will provide more than retail and service-sector jobs for our children's future.
How could you turn down the construction of a control tower at the airport? Isn't that what we want our airport to be — a regional airport that can attract aerospace industry away from the chaos and craziness of Tampa International Airport?
How can you do that without a control tower?
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation obviously see the need.
The best part about the control tower is that most of it will be paid for from a state grant — $1.8 million. The remainder — $450,000 — will come from the airport's capital reserve fund.
None of the cost of the control tower will come out of the county's general revenue fund. The FDOT money comes from aviation fuel taxes, not gas tax money motorists pay at the pump. The airport capital reserve fund comes from airport leases and other sources such as licensing agreements.
The average Hernando County property owner is putting nothing toward the bill, but reaps the benefits from having an economic development generator. Hovering around 15 percent, Hernando County's unemployment rate needs all the help it can get to improve the job outlook here.
While some oppose the construction of the control tower because they don't think there's enough airplane traffic to support it, we're delighted to see that, for once, an infrastructure need is not so far behind the curve.
A control tower at the airport will help boost economic development. It will be the crown jewel that propels the airport to greater economic opportunities for our county.
Build the tower.