Say There Are 'Serious Concerns' About President Trump's Plan

Following the announcement by the White House in support of privatization of the nation’s air traffic control system, a bipartisan group of over 35 Mayors from 28 states across the country released a statement critical of the plan.

“We have serious concerns about the principles put forth by the President to privatize our air traffic control system. While we all agree that investing in American infrastructure should be among our highest priorities, privatizing the air traffic control system would harm communities like ours, threatening jobs and hampering the economic activity that depends on our public air transportation system," the Mayor's said in the statement released by the Alliance for Aviation Across America.

“Cities and towns across the country depend on general aviation and local airports to access critical services such as law enforcement, disaster relief, and medical care. These airports and aircraft make it possible for patients in need to travel to receive ongoing specialized medical treatment in urban areas, help farmers to manage and oversee crops, support companies to oversee power lines and transport supplies to communities in need. They are also vital to helping small businesses to operate more efficiently, reach far off plants, transport tools and supplies to job-sites, and travel to multiple locations in one day.

“But privatization of the air traffic control would put decisions about infrastructure investment, routes, access, and market entry for low-cost competitors in the hands of the big airlines. These are the same airlines that have cut flights to small- and mid-sized airports by over 20 percent in recent years. We simply cannot leave small- and mid-sized communities to fend for themselves.”

• Mayor Suzanne Jones, Boulder, CO
• Mayor Edward Owens, South Boston, VA
• Mayor Robert Mielke, Wausau, WI
• Mayor Jeff Tilton, Zanesville, OH
• Mayor Kendall W. Lane, Keene, NH
• Mayor Jim Ewing, Jonesville, VA
• Mayor Mark Warba, Big Rapids, MI
• Mayor Tom McNamara, Rockford, IL
• Mayor Joseph Gunter, Salinas, CA
• Mayor Steve Williams, Huntington, WV
• Mayor Glenn Johnson, Pullman, WA
• Mayor Nicholas Helmer, Prospect Heights, IL
• Mayor Ruth Knight, Valdez, AK
• Mayor John Manchester, Lewisburg, WV
• Mayor Bob Jones, Pinedale, WY
• Mayor Stephen Galliher, Sedalia, MO
• Mayor Chuck Novak, Ely, MN
• Mayor David Rollins, Augusta, ME
• Mayor Marty Huether, Wall, SD
• Mayor Kent Guinn, Ocala, FL
• Mayor George Dini, Yerington, OR
• Mayor Michael J. Newhard, Warrick, NY
• Mayor Bobby Kilgore, Monroe, NC
• Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Worcester, MA
• Mayor Lauren Poe, Gainesville, FL
• Mayor Shaun Musil, Hayes, KS
• Mayor Jed Shaw, Walker, MN
• Mayor Michael Passero, New London, CT
• Mayor Allan Litman, Mesquite, NV
• Mayor Tyler Vincent, Brigham City, UT
• Mayor Gene Whitfield, Zephyrhills, FL
• Mayor Stephen J. Wukela, Florence, SC
• Mayor Paul Aylward, Huron, SD
• Mayor Brian K. Grim, Cumberland, MD
• Mayor Jack Smiley, Altus, OK
• Mayor Chuck Hane, Chillicothe, MO
• Mayor Jerry Marr, Gates, OR

(Source: Alliance for Aviation Across America news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.aviationacrossamerica.org