Tuesday, August 31, 2010

N ew Airport - Not Again!

Iron County, through the Economic Development
Corporation and Julie Melchiori is once again
proposing that the county build a new, much
larger, airport. Unfortunately the reasons for a
new airport haven't changed since the last time
when a lot of people showed up for the county
board meeting to voice their opposition. If there
were some legitimacy for a new airport, other than
county funding for a private flying club for a few
wealthy individuals, I would be supporting the
concept.

In general, the public doesn't care about the money
needed to build an airport, perhaps 5% of the total
cost, but what of the ongoing expenses, with no
significant user base to support those costs.

Melchiori told then press that "corporate customers
don't want to make the long drive from Iron
Mountain airport." I have to ask, whose customers
are they? Three names are mentioned by
Melchiori, Hover Companies/Crystal View Place,
Oldenberg Group, and Pine River Hardwoods.

Each of those corporations are already doing business
in Iron County with specific financial and tax
advantages previously granted to entice them here
in the first place. Now they're double dipping at the
taxpayer expense? Get smaller airplanes if
you're coming to Iron County so you can use the
existing airports, yes, count them, two airports
already here. If they don't want to buy another
aircraft and hate the drive so badly (I know for a
fact that Julie Melchiori has provided free taxi
service for Hovey at taxpayer expense) then
rent a smaller aircraft the few times a year that
they actually come to Iron County on business.

Pine River Hardwoods personnel live nearby in
Wisconsin, not a fly-in situation. Oldenberg has
another fifteen or so years tax incentive to keep
the Iron River facility going, so he's not locked
into a new airport to come here. Besides, he has
facilities in nearby Wisconsin and Kingsford,
where he can easily rent a small aircraft if he
wants to fly into Iron River.

There's no justification for a new airport.

By the way, did anyone notice that as a prelude
to the new thrust to building an airport, Krist
Oil dropped the price of gasoline at Iron River
and Crystal Falls to match the regional prices.
Iron County Doings has asked for their
justification for charging typically 15 cents
per gallon above regional prices, driving
many who live here to buy their gasoline in
other counties, damaging the local economy
through reducing the road taxes collected and
available to our road commission. I didn't
really get an answer, but I never expected one.
But the timing of the price reduction is highly
suspect.

There's a lot more discussion on this topic
but alas I just don't have the time for it as
I am embroiled in a federal lawsuit against
the city of Iron River and Iron County. I
am specifically seeking articles on this topic.

In the meantime, if you have "No Airport"
sign from the last time this community fended
off building one, please put it out. I took this
photo today.


Bill Vajk

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