(Middletown, PA – June 15, 2009) Congressman Tim Holden, (PA-17) today presented the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) with a check in the amount of $1,946,585 from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program for Environmental Mitigation and Rehabilitation of the Runway Lighting System at Harrisburg International Airport.“As part of the Federal Government's continuing investment into key aspects of our nation’s transportation infrastructure, today I’m pleased to deliver to SARAA slightly more than $1.9 million to be used on two important airport projects—one environmental related, the other safety related,” said Holden.
“On behalf of SARAA, I’d like to thank Congressman Holden, the FAA and our entire Congressional delegation for their continued support of aviation improvement projects at HIA,” said Tim Edwards, Executive Director. “Thanks to today’s announcement, we’ll be able to complete one major project and begin another important one here at HIA.”
The majority of the grant money delivered today is for the final construction of the airports new Waste Water Treatment Facility. The facility, scheduled to become operational in September, will be one of the first in the region to be compliant with the new discharge limitations established by the Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Strategy.
The remainder of the grant money will be used for a project to update and replace wiring, cabling and lighting along runway 13/31 at HIA.
Isn't that Tim Holden's name on the signature line of that check?
ReplyDeleteDid the money come out of his personal account?
This is an outrageous practice. Who does Holden think he is? Santa Claus. He has some nerve!
That line should say "The American Taxpayer."
It shouldn't have the name of some back bench congressional chump like Holden who really had nothing to do with getting the money.
The $1.9 million delivered by Congressman Holden is from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and is not funded by all taxpayers. The AIP program is funded only by those who purchase airline tickets. In addition to the price of a ticket charged by the airline, there are “government taxes and fees” added to each ticket sale. The revenue from these additional charges funds the program. The bottom line: If you don’t fly, then you don’t contribute to the program. The amount of grant money an airport is eligible for is mostly determined by the number of people flying from that airport on an annual basis.
ReplyDeleteThe charges are as follows:
Federal segment fee of $3.60 per flight segment. (A segment is one takeoff and one landing)
September 11th Security Fee of $5 per departure, $10 round trip
Airport assessed Passenger Facility Charge of up to $4.50 per departure (maximum of $18 per itinerary)
Hey Anonymous, get over it!!! This happens all the time, right wing included!! As a regular airport user it's nice to see the money going back into the airport. Now if only Airtran would do year round ATL service!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet's rally around the service to keep AirTran flying to ATL yearlong!
ReplyDeleteHIA, I don't see how the fact that the funds come from use taxes changes the point from Anonymous. It's great to give Holden his pat on the back for doing his job, but the bottom line is that the thanks need to go to the people who are actually paying for these improvements (who are not mentioned at all in your story -- you credit only Holden, Congress, and the FAA, none of whom paid for this). You may think it's a minor point, but continuing the implication that this is magical money that isn't coming out of anyone's pocket is why spending on projects where the cost-benefit analysis doesn't hold continues to increase.
ReplyDeleteThat said, thank you for including details about the source of the funds in your comment.