The number of takeoffs and landings at Griffiss International Airport is down since 2011.That is a nose-dive in flights no matter how you look at it. Our officials are blaming the economy and they are right -- THE LOCAL ECONOMY. Oneida County has been shedding jobs and people from long before the national malaise due to the high cost of doing business here -- and spending another $1.5 million on this facility on top of the tens of millions previously spent before has only worsened the situation.
Recent figures from the Federal Aviation Administration show a drop-off of more than 30 percent, from 60,265 in 2011 to 40,474 in 2012.
How much money have we lost on our "investment" so far?
Griffiss "International" has been a boondoggle of get-rich projects for the connected elite... but the average tax payer has nothing to show for it... less than nothing because a perfectly good airport in Whitestown was destroyed for it. Griffiss International will mire the region in debt and other expenses for years to come.
And the sad thing is . . . by applying a little common sense this outcome would have been known from the very beginning.
6 comments:
EDGE was developed to slowly strangle the life out of the area. I am not sure, but didn't that no good DiMeo just get another 5 Million in government money? Between the old base and the pie in the sky nanotech venture there is no money left for much more needed ventures to benefit the poor taxpayers. End EDGE before it ends us.
By closing the Whitestown airport the County had to commit to spending a minimum of $20 million on Griffiss to compensate the FAA for its investment there. The former county airport was sacrificed solely for the benefit of the GLDC and EDGE
C&S engineers validated the false promises and assumptions about Griffiss because it stood to be paid 15% of the cost of the capital projects at Griffiss.
The Feb 2005 commentary was on point with the exception of the hope for cargo operations at Griffiss. That, too, has proven to not be feasible.
Picente should be run out of office for saddling the taxpayers of this County with this fisaco for decades to come. And he still makes excuses in an attempt to deceive the taxpayers into falling for this farce. Picente should be recalled before he puts O.C. in it's grave & bankrupts this County.
Not to defend Mr. Picente, but (to switch metaphors) Oneida County has been on track for a train wreck for at least 20 years. He was just coming in as an APPOINTED C.E. when the decision to move the airport was made, so I think he had little to do with it. I blame the progressive Republicans (and some Democrats) who have been at the helm (or pulling the strings from behind the scenes) for years. Look at who is behind our sprawl. It's the same interests. So many people are on the take that its hard to put on the brakes. I don't see anyone throwing the switch on this. We'll all just have to wait to see what's at the end of the line.
I believe you can trace Picente's prior involvement with Griffiss back to 2001 through 2006 when he worked in the Empire State Development Corporation.
Picente had his fingerprints on all local politcal/development decisions going back to his being an aide to Ray Meier, which then got him his state job and the county executive appointment. All major local decisions have been driven by Rome based politicians. Picente is but one.
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