State airport funding lagging
Georgia lags far behind the spending of surrounding states on capital improvements for their airports.
A study by the Georgia Airport Commission found that regional airports in Brunswick, Valdosta, Albany, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and Augusta need $83.5 million for capital improvements.
Georgia spends $2.8 million a year, with another $16 million from the Federal Aviation Administration, to support the airports.
In North Carolina, commercial airports get $89 million annually for capital projects. Tennessee airports receive $33 million a year.
Rob Burr, executive director for the Glynn County Airport Commission, served on the committee that conducted the study.
“The study was written because Georgia is not investing in airports like other states,” he said.
The Brunswick airport has the capacity to expand, which may benefit more than passengers taking daily Delta flights to Atlanta and home. Burr said expanding infrastructure at the airport could benefit air carriers and industrial services.
Federal funding does not pay for economic development, which is why the state needs to do more to support regional airports before they lag farther behind surrounding states.
“Our responsibility is to attract new services,” he said. “We have the infrastructure in place to bring industry here.”
One possible solution to close the funding gap is for Georgia to begin collecting an aviation tax on fuel dedicated to supporting airports, which is how Tennessee and North Carolina fund their airports. In Georgia, state funding for airports comes from the general fund balance.
Ralph Staffins III, president and CEO of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce, said airport funding will be an issue discussed during the annual visit to meet state lawmakers in Atlanta during the General Assembly session.
“We support the airport and our airport authority,” Staffins said. “We are blessed to have that airport. Our airport is poised for growth.”
No comments:
Post a Comment