Community Opposes Expansion, Wants Tax Money
A long-standing dispute between the Connecticut communities of
Bridgeport and Stratford, over control of Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial
Airport (BDR), may be coming to a head. Stratford Mayor James Miron
said this week he thinks the time is right to make an offer on the
800-acre property.
On Tuesday, Miron told reporters this is a "perfect time to
jump-start negotiations again on the airport," according to The
Connecticut Post. He plans to meet Monday with Bill Finch, mayor of
Bridgeport, to discuss a potential agreement.
Bridgeport now owns the airport, although it is located within
the Stratford town limits. The two communities have bickered for
decades over which community should hold the title to the land, and
reap the tax dollars collected from it.
"We have made no secret of our desire to obtain the airport so
we can have more control over what happens there and also be in a
position to receive taxes on the property, which we have never been
able to do," Miron said. "I believe this is a very realistic
possibility now, and that the new Stratford Town Council can do
something truly great by helping to facilitate this process."
For the aviation community, there is a deeper philosophical
issue at stake as well. Bridgeport has long espoused expanding the
airport, or at least making needed safety improvements to the
runway... moves Stratford has vehemently opposed.
As ANN reported, the
Connecticut DOT signed off on an expansion plan for the field in
June 2007, one month after a proposed takeover of BDR by the state
failed. Faced with a ballooning budget deficit, Bridgeport
officials have become increasingly open to the idea of selling off
municipal properties, including the airport.
Former Bridgeport Mayor John M. Fabrizi entertained the notion
of selling the airport last year, for a price in the "$20 million
neighborhood, which we consider fair-market value," he said. "We're
not just going to give the airport away."
Fabrizi didn't find any takers at the price, saying that
informal discussions between the two communities yielded proposed
bids of around $10 million... but newly-elected Mayor Finch says
he's open to hearing any 'reasonable' offers on the property.
"I'm certainly interested in listening to Mayor Miron's ideas. I
have not heard from him yet, but I am eager to," Finch said. "We
would be foolish not to entertain any reasonable offer that the
town of Stratford is willing to put forth."
The airport is located across Stratford's Main Street from a
former Army Engine Plant, which the US Army is now selling for
redevelopment purposes -- adding impetus to discussions on the sale
of Sikorsky Memorial.
"With Bridgeport eager to sell properties, and plans for the
Army Engine Plant's development, I can't think of a better time to
work out an agreement on the airport," Miron said.
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