Wed, Sep 08, 2004
Efforts Pay Big Dividends For Supporters In Elections
Anti-airport publicity didn't win
over voters in Martin County (FL). On August 31, voters rejected
all three of the county commission candidates running on a platform
of downsizing Stuart's Witham Field.
Thanks largely to the National Air Transportation Association's
(NATA) efforts, including a Town Hall meeting and editorials in the
local newspapers, the three incumbents (Smith, DiTerlizzi and
Weberman) -- who were supportive of keeping Witham Field open --
defeated their challenging candidate in each district election. The
opposing candidates were openly opposed to the airport and funded
by the anti-airport group called "WAAM."
NATA president James K. Coyne countered the WAAM propaganda with
editorials in the local newspaper, carefully laying out the facts
about the airport and the benefits that it provides to the
community.
"Witham Field is a significant economic and community asset
benefiting the citizens of Martin County," Coyne wrote in the
editorial. "It is not, as a small, extremely vocal minority of the
county believes and would have others agree, an economic burden, a
safety hazard or - especially when compared to other activities in
the county - a major source of noise."
The voters in Martin County supported the three incumbent county
commissioners who all are in favor of continuing to take state and
federal funds to improve and continue Witham Field
operations.
"We are pleased with the election results in Martin County," stated
Coyne. "The current commission is mindful of the sensitivity of the
community to noise issues and their course of action in solving the
problem is appropriate."
NATA hopes that the re-election of the incumbents will put the
airport issue to rest in Martin County.
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