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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 02281995 - 1.22 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: J. MICHAEL WALFORD, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR DATE: February 28, 1995 SUBJECT: Letter of Support for Airport Improvement Program Funding SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. Recommended Action: APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Chair, Board of Supervisors, to send letters to this county's Federal Congressional delegations to support the Airport Improvement Program. II. Financiallmpact: The potential impact is in the millions of dollars if adequate Federal Trust Fund money is not made available for capital improvements to our airports. III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is a user funded program and paid for by airline ticket taxes, air freight taxes, general aviation fuel taxes, and international departure fees. This program, over the years, has funded airport capital improvements-of all sizes. The Byron Airport alone has received approximately$18 million in AIP funds. Over the past ten years, the Buchanan Airport has received in excess of $10 million. This program is a 90% federal, 10% local match. At the present time, the mood in Washington is to eliminate funding for all general aviation airports including busier airports such as ours. Our Buchanan Airport is currently ranked approximately the 40th busiest airport in the nation out of 17,000 airports. The airport, however, is approaching being 50 years old and.will continue to need approximately $1 million a year for the next several years to maintain its operational and safety integrity. The ability of the County and/or the enterprise funds to generate the kind of money needed to do these large capital improvements is not feasible. Continued on Attachment. X SIGNATURE. RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD O APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS //OTUNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: 1 hereby certify that this is a bw and correct COPY Of HEW:kd an action taken and entered on the minutes of the c:BOAIP.tl Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: °Ly A 9 Orig Div: Airports (Contact - H. Wight 646-5722) PHIL BATCHELOR. rk of the Board of Supe wwm and County Administrator cc: County Administrator Public Works Director Deputy Public Works Accounting Auditor/Controller ` t Aviation Advisory Committee ,).A:— P Federal Aviation Administration t-w P W j Letter of Support for Airport Improvement Program Funding February 28, 1995 Page Two At the present time, the Aviation Trust Fund has approximately.$13 billion with a 4.5 billion surplus. In the current year, only $1.45 billion was authorized for all airports across the United States. The revenue being generated into the trust fund is approximately $6 billion per year. The trust fund continues to grow. Diverting revenues from the trust fund into the general fund is breaking faith with the public by not using the trust fund in the way it was intended. IV. Consequences of Negative Action: The loss of the AIP program will make it impossible to complete the Byron Airport much beyond its current status. Approximately $2 to 3 million dollars will be required over the next five years. The aging of the Buchanan Airport would become seriously apparent within less then five years. Phil Batchslbr .The Board of Supervisors Contra Clerkbf the Board Costa and County Administration Building County Administrator 651 Pine Street, Room 106 (510)646-2371 Martinez,California 94553-1293 County Jim Rogers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District e L Gayle Bishop,3rd District Mark DeSaulnier,4th District Tom Torlakson,5th District oi- .r. February 3, 1995 Representative George Miller 367 Civic Drive Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Dear Representative Miller: The Board of Supervisors is seriously concerned about current signals from Washington indicating that the future of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is questionable. The AIP program is an user funded program and the current balance in the AIP Trust Fund is $13 billion, and the Trust Fund surplus is $4.5 billion. Approximately a year ago, Congress became very concerned when Los Angeles made an attempt to divert revenues from Los Angeles International Airport to support city services. Fairly strong action was taken by Congress in reauthorizing of the current AIP bill. We feel that diversion by Congress of the trust fund revenues would constitute a major breach of faith with the traveling public by not using the trust fund in the way it was intended. Our County has utilized over $30 million in AIP funding for our two airports over the past ten years. One of our airports is approximately 50 years old and continues to need substantial capital improvements to maintain its operational and safety integrity. Our second airport in Byron is one of the newest airports in the United States. It also needs considerable capital improvement support to complete the facilities to bring them up to full operational capability. We would most strongly urge your support in preventing the complete loss of AIP funding for all airports. We would also support the idea of taking the AIP program "Off Budget". Sincerely, A61- t!�� Gayle Bishop, Supervisor District III HEW:kd c:BOLet.tl . The-Board of Supervisors Contra CerkoofftheBiard and County Administration Buildingo Costa county administrator 651 Pine Street, Room 106 (510)W-2371 Martinez, California 94553-1293 County Jim Rogers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District aE t Gayle Bishop,3rd District Mark DeSaulnier,4th District Tom Torlakson,5th District February 3, 1995 Representative Bill Baker 1801 No. California Blvd., No. 103 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Dear Representative Baker: The Board of Supervisors is seriously concerned about current signals from Washington indicating that the future of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is questionable.' The AIP program is an user funded program and the current balance in the AIP Trust Fund is $13 billion, and the Trust Fund surplus is $4.5 billion. Approximately a year ago, Congress became very concerned when Los Angeles made an attempt to divert revenues from Los Angeles International Airport to support city services. Fairly strong action was taken by Congress in reauthorizing of the current AIP bill. We feel that diversion by Congress of the trust fund revenues would constitute a major breach of faith with the traveling public by not using the trust fund in the way it was intended. Our County has utilized over $30 million in AIP funding for our two airports over the past ten years. One of our airports is approximately 50 years old and continues to need substantial capital improvements to maintain its operational and safety integrity. Our second airport in Byron is one of the newest airports in the United States. It also needs considerable capital improvement support to complete the facilities to bring them up to full operational capability. We would most strongly urge your support in preventing the complete loss of AIP funding for all airports. We would also support the idea of taking the AIP program "Off Budget". Sincerely, Ai� e-41� Gayle Bishop, Supervisor District III HEW:kd c:BOLet.tl Phil Saticholbr Jh6.Board of Supervisors Contra Clerleof the Board and County Administration BuildingCosta County Administrator 651 Pine Street, Room 106 (510)646-2371 Martinez, California 94553-1293 County Jim Rogers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Gayle Bishop,3rd District .- Mark DeSaulnier,4th District ; Tom Torlakson,5th District =-.4 February 3, 1995 Senator Barbara Boxer 1700 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 Dear Senator Boxer: The Board of Supervisors is seriously concerned about current signals from Washington indicating that the future of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is questionable. The AIP program is an user funded program and the current balance in the AIP Trust Fund is $13 billion, and the Trust Fund surplus is $4.5 billion. Approximately a year ago, Congress became very concerned when Los Angeles made an attempt to divert revenues from Los Angeles International Airport to support city services. Fairly strong action was taken by Congress in reauthorizing of the current AIP bill. We feel that diversion by Congress of the trust fund revenues would constitute a major breach of faith with the traveling public by not using the trust fund in the way it was intended. Our County has utilized over $30 million in AIP funding for our two airports over the past ten years. One of our airports is approximately 50 years old and continues to need substantial capital improvements to maintain its operational and safety integrity. Our second airport in Byron is one of the newest airports in the United States. It also needs considerable capital improvement support to complete the facilities to bring them up to full operational capability. We would most strongly urge your support in preventing the complete loss of AIP funding for all airports. We would also support the idea of taking the AIP program "Off Budget". Sincerely, Gayle Bishop, Supervisor District III HEW:kd c:BOLectl The. Board of Supervisors Contra Cel Baheh�rd ^ and County Administration BuildingCOSta CoutyAdmi istr for 651 Pine Street, Room 106 646-2371 Martinez,California 94553-1293 County Jim Rogers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Gayle Bishop,3rd District =„ Mark DeSaulnier,4th District Tom Torlakson,5th District TT` COL"r February 3, 1995 Senator Dianne Feinstein 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 305 San Francisco, CA 94111 Dear Senator Feinstein: The Board of Supervisors is seriously concerned about current signals from Washington indicating that the future of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is questionable. The AIP program is an user funded program and the current balance in the AIP Trust Fund is $13 billion, and the Trust Fund surplus is $4.5 billion. Approximately a year ago, Congress became very concerned when Los Angeles made an attempt to divert revenues from Los Angeles International Airport to support city services. Fairly strong action was taken by Congress in reauthorizing of the current AIP bill. We feel that diversion by Congress of the trust fund revenues would constitute a major breach of faith with the traveling public by not using the trust fund in the way it was intended. Our County has utilized over $30 million in AIP funding for our two airports over the past ten years. One of our airports is approximately 50 years old and continues to need substantial capital improvements to maintain its operational and safety integrity. Our second airport in Byron is one of the newest airports in the United States. It also needs considerable capital improvement support to complete the facilities to bring them up to full operational capability. We would most strongly urge your support in preventing the complete loss of AIP funding for all airports. We would also support the idea of taking the AIP program "Off Budget". Sincerely, Gayle Bishop, Supervisor District III HEW:kd c:BOLet.tl II