| PEPA - Purchase Environmental Protective Association

Westchester County Airport News

Mon, Feb 27, 2017 •

PEPA continues to monitor issues surrounding the Westchester County Airport Privatization Program proposal as it wends its way through the Board of Legislator's committees.

Earlier this week on February 21, 2017, a panel discussed the Airport Privatization deal on the Purchase College campus. Journal News Tax Watch columnist David McKay Wilson focused on the financial implications of the plan. Carolyn Cunningham, a board member of the FCWC (Federated Conservationists of Westchester County), spoke on the history of community involvement in the county's airport policy. In case you were unable to attend, a meeting summary follows.

David McKay Wilson cautioned the audience to "fasten their seatbelts" and warned that that the Airport will be the "top" economic issue for Westchester County during 2017.

Mr. McKay Wilson expressed that the airport privatization deal with Oaktree was designed to direct airport revenue to the county budget. He expressed that the deal amounts to the selling of a public asset to balance a 15-million-dollar shortfall, while keeping a no tax increase "brand" for County administration intact. Now as the Oaktree deal is stalled due to Board of Legislators committee reviews, the County has spent $550,000 to hire a consulting firm to formulate new requests for proposals. Further, he suggested that the County's $15 Million budget shortfall could be fixed by a 3% tax increase.

McKay-Wilson also discussed concerns (shared by FCWC's Ms.Cunningham) about the Master Plan for the Airport and noted that:

Westchester County received $1.3 million in 2012 to conduct an airport master plan
The Master Plan was due to the FAA on December 31st but was postponed to April
Numerous FOIL (Freedom of Information) requests for interim stages of the plan have not been met
There has been no opportunity for public input, but Airlines, professional parties and government entities have all been consulted

Finally, a sewage and deicing plant is not mentioned in the airport's master plan, nor has it appeared before the Board of Legislators. However Oaktree Capital has offered to build a treatment plant for deicing fluid and sanitary sewage on the airport grounds. Ms. Cunningham warned against building a sewage treatment plant adjacent to the Kenco Reservoir. About 100 citizens attended the meeting.

KEY LINKS

Westchester Airport in the News, Recent stories in case you missed them:

Flexjet Announces Strong Performance Results, Patch.com-Feb 24, 2017: A second private terminal will open at Westchester County Airport in New York
JetSmarter to launch first FBO lounge at Westchester County Airport, Westfaironline-Feb 23, 2017
"New York is our most important hub so it made the most sense to launch our first lounge in Westchester," said Ronn Torossian, chief marketing officer of JetSmarter. "We fly hundreds of private planes monthly to and from New York, so we wanted to make sure our members have the most luxe and upscale experience with JetSmarter at this essential location."

Read other Airport Stories have been archived on the PEPA website.

Westchester County Airport News

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