Post by jean on Jun 26, 2017 20:46:59 GMT -5
The following is my response to a Letter to the Editor penned by Greg Westrup which you can find online at the Greensburg Daily News (GDN) Website. Greg's letter in full is below my response.
MY RESPONSE: To Greg Westrumps Letter to the Editor:
Mr. Westrup states that the Greensburg Municipal Airport operate with NO LOCAL taxpayer funding. What he neglects to say is that there is a budget the airport board submits yearly to our City administration and that budget started many years ago at roughly $50,000.00, now it is over $80,000.00. If they are not utilizing any LOCAL TAXPAYER money...why did that amount increase and why are they still in the City's budget? There is also the balance on the original amount of money that is still owed to the Jackson County Bank which was used to purchase the hangars etc.
When they say the airport is supporting itself they are talking about the current 32 acre facility not the over 200 acre facility that they plan to expand this airport to. Another thing that we never hear discussed in the monthly meetings is what the manager's salary and benefits are, and is the airport or the city covering these expenses to do business? We do not hear about the costs of doing business. The lawn mowing , the snow removal etc. We do not hear that if they expand and receive a grant will they be able to financially sustain all the required compliances the FAA will demand for a 20 year period on each grant they receive for this proposed expansion? There has been NO Return on Investment performed to see if this facility can sustain itself and whether the costs will justify the investment.
Mr. Westrup plays down the impact of eminent domain on the lives of these people greatly by indicating they will receive "fair market value" and "significant tax advantages". He acts as though things have changed for these landowners...it hasn't ! They are still devastated as many of them do not want to sell especially since no need for this project has ever been proven. This land has great historical value and prime farm ground and the location next to too many large public gathering facilities for the people of our community is not wanted.
Mr. Westrup also made a comment concerning the 32 million dollars that i quoted from the Airport Board's Airport Layout Plan (AIP). Here is the chart from their AIP (Notice the words: Summary of Capital Improvement Program on the top of this chart:
www.greensburgairport.com/expectedpricetag.php
While Mr. Westrup touts how little it will cost the local taxpayer because of the grants....these grants are paid through taxes on ticket you buy for airfare , fuel that is bought for airfare, and yes some still comes from the general federal fund. Mr. Westrup states no where about the funds to operate this expanded facility when it goes from 32 to over 200 acres and comply with the costs of the mandates that will be required by the FAA will come from for a 20 year period .
If anyone has any questions or wishes to clarify anything that I am saying...you only need call me or stop by.
Please go to this Public Hearing and Please stand up for your neighbors right to own his property. Start asking the City Officials and the Airport Board where is the STATISTICAL PROOF of a return on this investment that warrants taking the land from these landowners. Stand against eminent domain of prime farmground and the taking of our individual rights according to our republic.
Jean Johannigman
Greensburg IN
Greg Westrup's Letter to the Editor on the GDN website
Greensburg Airport Expansion
6 hrs ago
Letter to Editor:
It is time to address some of the issues that have recently been raised regarding the project to expand
the Greensburg Municipal Airport and to bring to light a fact that has been largely overlooked in the past, That Is: The Greensburg Municipal Airport operates with local NO LOCAL taxpayer funding, in fact, since the acquisition of the complete airport property in 2007, the city and county together have saved an estimated $200,000! This savings is due to the fact that the airport annually required $20,000 in joint city-county funding. The Airport now is supported by the revenue generated by fuel sales, and hanger rental.
Now to address some recently raised issues:
“Prime Farm Ground Taken Through Eminent Domain”
There are actually two Issues here: “Eminent Domain” being One and “Prime Farm Ground” being the other.
“Eminent Domain”: One could incorrectly assume that land is being confiscated, when in fact the owners of the affected property needed for the airport expansion will receive fair market value for their land as determined by an arbiter, there are also significant tax advantages in this process, and the affected owners know this, further, some of the principal property owners have expressed a willingness to sell at this time.
“Prime Farm Ground”: There are hundreds of acres of farm ground currently for sale in and around Greensburg, which will probably be converted to Commercial or residential use when sold. The majority of the acreage needed for the airport expansion, will not be paved over but will remain “ green space”, and available for agricultural or public use, for instance, during events such as the County Fair, some of the airport property could be made available for parking, or exhibits, etc.
“Cost”
The 32 Million Dollar Cost cited by opponents, was actually the cost projected for construction of a n entirely new airport, at a different location; expansion of the airport at the current location will cost considerably less, further regardless of the cost of the expansion, 95 % will be paid for by State and Federal Grants which come from Trust Funds specifically established for this purpose, the remainder will not come from local income or property taxes.
“Shorter Runway requirements for the newest planes and Flying Cars”
This is pretty much mythology, aerodynamics being what it is, the type of aircraft that the expanded airport will be capable of serving will not appreciably change for the foreseeable future. As far as flying cars are concerned, check the cost of a helicopter verses a conventional airframe!
“Unneeded and Unwarranted”
Not too many years ago, the owners of the railroad tracks that served this county wanted to abandon and remove them and they were at the time “Unneeded and Unwarranted”, However, some far-sighted local individuals took the actions necessary to insure that those tracks remained in place. The selection of Greensburg for the Honda plant was influenced by the ready availability of the railroad.
The Board of Airport Commissioners has worked tirelessly for over ten years to make our airport an even more valuable community asset that it currently is, one which can be substantially improved with no cost to the local taxpayers, they should continue to be supported in their efforts.
Greg Westrup
Greensburg
www.greensburgdailynews.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/greensburg-airport-expansion/article_e26bb746-46ef-55d8-ad46-8f88d56b2a9d.html
MY RESPONSE: To Greg Westrumps Letter to the Editor:
Mr. Westrup states that the Greensburg Municipal Airport operate with NO LOCAL taxpayer funding. What he neglects to say is that there is a budget the airport board submits yearly to our City administration and that budget started many years ago at roughly $50,000.00, now it is over $80,000.00. If they are not utilizing any LOCAL TAXPAYER money...why did that amount increase and why are they still in the City's budget? There is also the balance on the original amount of money that is still owed to the Jackson County Bank which was used to purchase the hangars etc.
When they say the airport is supporting itself they are talking about the current 32 acre facility not the over 200 acre facility that they plan to expand this airport to. Another thing that we never hear discussed in the monthly meetings is what the manager's salary and benefits are, and is the airport or the city covering these expenses to do business? We do not hear about the costs of doing business. The lawn mowing , the snow removal etc. We do not hear that if they expand and receive a grant will they be able to financially sustain all the required compliances the FAA will demand for a 20 year period on each grant they receive for this proposed expansion? There has been NO Return on Investment performed to see if this facility can sustain itself and whether the costs will justify the investment.
Mr. Westrup plays down the impact of eminent domain on the lives of these people greatly by indicating they will receive "fair market value" and "significant tax advantages". He acts as though things have changed for these landowners...it hasn't ! They are still devastated as many of them do not want to sell especially since no need for this project has ever been proven. This land has great historical value and prime farm ground and the location next to too many large public gathering facilities for the people of our community is not wanted.
Mr. Westrup also made a comment concerning the 32 million dollars that i quoted from the Airport Board's Airport Layout Plan (AIP). Here is the chart from their AIP (Notice the words: Summary of Capital Improvement Program on the top of this chart:
www.greensburgairport.com/expectedpricetag.php
While Mr. Westrup touts how little it will cost the local taxpayer because of the grants....these grants are paid through taxes on ticket you buy for airfare , fuel that is bought for airfare, and yes some still comes from the general federal fund. Mr. Westrup states no where about the funds to operate this expanded facility when it goes from 32 to over 200 acres and comply with the costs of the mandates that will be required by the FAA will come from for a 20 year period .
If anyone has any questions or wishes to clarify anything that I am saying...you only need call me or stop by.
Please go to this Public Hearing and Please stand up for your neighbors right to own his property. Start asking the City Officials and the Airport Board where is the STATISTICAL PROOF of a return on this investment that warrants taking the land from these landowners. Stand against eminent domain of prime farmground and the taking of our individual rights according to our republic.
Jean Johannigman
Greensburg IN
Greg Westrup's Letter to the Editor on the GDN website
Greensburg Airport Expansion
6 hrs ago
Letter to Editor:
It is time to address some of the issues that have recently been raised regarding the project to expand
the Greensburg Municipal Airport and to bring to light a fact that has been largely overlooked in the past, That Is: The Greensburg Municipal Airport operates with local NO LOCAL taxpayer funding, in fact, since the acquisition of the complete airport property in 2007, the city and county together have saved an estimated $200,000! This savings is due to the fact that the airport annually required $20,000 in joint city-county funding. The Airport now is supported by the revenue generated by fuel sales, and hanger rental.
Now to address some recently raised issues:
“Prime Farm Ground Taken Through Eminent Domain”
There are actually two Issues here: “Eminent Domain” being One and “Prime Farm Ground” being the other.
“Eminent Domain”: One could incorrectly assume that land is being confiscated, when in fact the owners of the affected property needed for the airport expansion will receive fair market value for their land as determined by an arbiter, there are also significant tax advantages in this process, and the affected owners know this, further, some of the principal property owners have expressed a willingness to sell at this time.
“Prime Farm Ground”: There are hundreds of acres of farm ground currently for sale in and around Greensburg, which will probably be converted to Commercial or residential use when sold. The majority of the acreage needed for the airport expansion, will not be paved over but will remain “ green space”, and available for agricultural or public use, for instance, during events such as the County Fair, some of the airport property could be made available for parking, or exhibits, etc.
“Cost”
The 32 Million Dollar Cost cited by opponents, was actually the cost projected for construction of a n entirely new airport, at a different location; expansion of the airport at the current location will cost considerably less, further regardless of the cost of the expansion, 95 % will be paid for by State and Federal Grants which come from Trust Funds specifically established for this purpose, the remainder will not come from local income or property taxes.
“Shorter Runway requirements for the newest planes and Flying Cars”
This is pretty much mythology, aerodynamics being what it is, the type of aircraft that the expanded airport will be capable of serving will not appreciably change for the foreseeable future. As far as flying cars are concerned, check the cost of a helicopter verses a conventional airframe!
“Unneeded and Unwarranted”
Not too many years ago, the owners of the railroad tracks that served this county wanted to abandon and remove them and they were at the time “Unneeded and Unwarranted”, However, some far-sighted local individuals took the actions necessary to insure that those tracks remained in place. The selection of Greensburg for the Honda plant was influenced by the ready availability of the railroad.
The Board of Airport Commissioners has worked tirelessly for over ten years to make our airport an even more valuable community asset that it currently is, one which can be substantially improved with no cost to the local taxpayers, they should continue to be supported in their efforts.
Greg Westrup
Greensburg
www.greensburgdailynews.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/greensburg-airport-expansion/article_e26bb746-46ef-55d8-ad46-8f88d56b2a9d.html