Airport tower on list to close

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The air traffic control tower at Jefferson City Memorial Airport may be closed in about a month, unless efforts to keep it operating are successful.

The airport is one of 173 small- and medium-sized airports included on a list of towers to be closed April 7 because of forced spending cuts by the federal government. Also included on this list of tower closures is Columbia Regional Airport.

Britt Smith, Jefferson City operations division director, said the city’s airport is part of a contract tower program where the Federal Aviation Administration contracts with another company to provide tower services to the airport. The costs of running the tower are split between the federal government and the city, with the federal government covering 82 percent currently.

Smith said the amount is determined by how busy the airport is and noted the Memorial Airport is the sixth busiest in the state.

Shutting down the tower wouldn’t stop operations, though it would sacrifice safety, he said. Many airports operate without a tower, but there are some businesses with private planes and jets that have insurance stipulations that require flights to go in and out of airports with air traffic control towers, Smith said.

Without the tower, Smith said, air traffic control would rely on pilot-to-pilot communication, where a pilot looking to land on a specific runway would make an announcement and hear from any other pilots in the area if they were planning on taking off nearby.

“It would certainly not be ideal,” Smith said. “Certainly, having a tower provides us with the safest control for the traffic at the airport.”

At this point, Smith said, the federal government will consider keeping a tower open if “it’s in the national interest,” which he believes it would be as the Memorial Airport serves the state’s capital.

The City Council passed a resolution Monday confirming the city’s support for the airport and requesting the airport’s tower be removed from the list of towers to be closed. It also authorized Mayor Eric Struemph to communicate the resolution to the city’s congressional delegation.

Struemph said his plan is to make that communication personally and as soon as possible.

“We have a good relationship,” Struemph said.

Struemph cited the airport’s 16.9 percent increase in traffic last year as an example of its importance to the city.

“I’ve heard in the past that the economic development of that airport is in the $15 (million) to $20 million range,” Struemph said. “That’s huge for a city our size.”

More like this story

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

The TeaParty type, congressional people did this! We have to pay the bills even the 10 trillion that BUSH 2 ran up! Why don't we put ol Rand Paul in charge, read his 2013 budget proposal, and 20 of those senators voted for it? We get what we pay for! ROB

JCLifer 2 months, 1 week ago

With the Sequester and the dismal City finances, now is an opportune time to close the JC airpirt in the floodplane and consolidate operations at our nicer regional airport just 20 miles down the road.

The waste of tax money for the duplicative effort can easily be eliminated and save us taxpayers some money for things to benefit us instead of state government and rich old boys in the private airplane club.

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

Obummer with his tax and spend Liberal/Feminist/Unionist entitlement crowd has wracked up more debt in four years than all US Presidents before him combined. He cannot be bothered with presenting a budget as even his own party won't agree to the pork laden favoritism of his regime's spending habits.

Now they are attempting to cut only those services that most benefit the greatest number of Americans, especially those who didn't swallow the Liberal kool-aid and vote for him. Like some teenage child throwing a hissy fit because Daddy cut their allowance or something.

It's not even a spending cut but simply a reduction in the increase however these temper tantrum actions will result in cuts as they reduce what little economic progress we have been making despite Obummer's failed economic policies.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

The debt at the end of Bushs term was $10,699,804,864,612. by the end or Obamas first year the debt was up another $1,611,544,812,900. Who the heck left the mess? It sure was not Obamas 2 wars on credit cards, and economy in the tank, and one step from a DEPRESSION! It is time to pay the bills, and Congress cannot seem to find the strength to do it, RAISE THE TAXES, AND CUT THE WASTE! The change from the end of Clintons term to Bushs first year was 300 Billion, Bush was the culprit of this entire economy tanking, and we are still dealing with it even today? CUT EVERY DEPARTMENT 5%, and FIRE EVERY FRONT LINE SUPERVISER, PRIVATIZATION DOES NOT WORK, and that is why those supevisers need to be let go with the Federal Goverment, they are to busy saving their jobs, drinking coffee, and being arm chair warriors! Cut everything within the Goverment 5%, I bet you those private contractors can find 5% of waste! The other day I commented about 3 trucks and a 4th one moving in front of Lowes, I neglected to say their was 2 guys each, in 2 of the trucks, and I did not see the other 2, but there was at least a total of 6 guys, and 4 Jefferson City trucks shopping at 2.30 in the afternoon? FIND THE WASTE! ROB

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

Clinton's failed policies are what caused the "mess" Obummer inherited, although I question how anyone inherits something they supported and then volunteered to re-try themselves.

Failed social engineering experiments in areas of housing especially through bigoted legislation like community reinvestment acts and pressure on lenders to offer loans that were bound to fail or suffer government supported tyranny in the name of "equality". It looked good on paper as the banks transferred these toxic assets to the Federal hand-out government and foreign investors while new construction boomed until the truth reared it's ugly head anyway. Then the bubble popped and the work stopped.

Obummer has simply exacerbated the problem with pork ridden Stimulus and more social spending.

I bet those shopping city workers all had union memberships as well.

Want to cut taxpayer costs? Start with the union leadership and then follow their bribe money to other targets.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

The numbers don't LIE, go spread the white wash somewhere else! Rob

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

The numbers don't lie and certainly the timeline doesn't. Only those Union supporting liberal's who want more of other people's money lie.

Or omit parts of the truth to suit their narrative.

JCLifer 2 months, 1 week ago

What has Obama done to get us out of the mess? How much has he reduced the deficit in his first four years? How much debt has Obama paid down his first term?

What is Obama's plan for the future?

Since he has never submitted a viable budget to plan for getting us out of this mess, I am not sure we can have any confidence that things will get better during the next four years. Sure, congress shares some of the blame, but it is not congress's job to provide the executive leadership and set the spending priorities and create the budget. Obama has failed for over four years to provide the basic components of leadership for our country, and because of it, we are wandering around, digging ourselves deeper and deeper into trouble.

Instead of blabbering rhetoric and blaming some old guy who was there 8 years ago, it is time for Obama to show us the leadership for getting out of this mess. The first step would be to propose a viable budget for the remainder of this fiscal year, as well as for next year and the remainder of his term.

The President’s budget, or the Budget of the United States Government as it is referred to in 31U.S.C. §1105(a), is a statement of the President’s policy priorities and a unified plan for the allocation of federal budgetary resources. The President’s budget is a set of recommendations. Congress is not required to adopt the recommendations contained within the President’s budget. Nevertheless, the budget is one of the President’s most important policy tools. Though it is not legally binding, the President’s budget initiates the congressional budget process and provides Congress with recommended spending levels for agency programs, projects, and activities funded through the annual appropriations acts. The President’s budget also includes budgetary projections based on existing law and provides Congress with estimations of the effects the President’s revenue and direct spending proposals will have on those projections.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

You are right JC LIFER, but that it is what it is! A recommendation, and I feel he has complied to that portion. The problem lies with the Congress, look at section 7 US Constitution: " All Bills for rasing revenue shall originate in the house of representatives; but the senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills." Mistakes have been made on the part of Obama, but the Congress has had the ball, and refused to run with it! I for one is very tired of these 435 do nothings, anyone involved should forfit their pay, and benefits until this is resolved! Including the HOUSE and SENATE staff right down to the Capital Janitor; When it finally sinks home then maybe we could see some COMPROMISE! Politicians like the Tea Party are the real culprits in this matter, for they REFUSE to pay the Bills the Republicans, and Democrats before them initiated, but will so gladly indulge in the fine benefits that this Great Nation offers? Rob

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

The goverment has not been without credit since Ford? 653 Billion was left to Carter, Carter left 930 billion, reagan left almost 2 5/8 trillion, Bush left 4 trillion, Clinton 5 5/8 trillion, Bush 2 10 3/4 trillion, left 16 1/2 trillion. Like I said do the math, Your Blessed Republicans own 9.75 trillion of the debt since Ford, to the Democrats 5.75 trillion at the end of Obamas first term?? It is time for the Republicans who are so conservative to come to table and fix their spending problem! If they wish to cut off all the cell phones in the ghetto please do so, (Reagen) kick all the illegals out please do so, (Reagen 1986) photo ID to vote please do so, but fix the problem! Compromise is the way this works, Not Rand Paul spouting hot air? 5% cut across the board, if that don't work take another slash, our politicians can get it figure it out? The teenager and daddy rhetoric is just your white wash of the subject matter! They can do this at all levels of Goverment! Rob

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

The 2008 deficit amount includes the Obummer porkulus bill which his regime created, negotiated and asked for, therefore he owns it.

Since that time we are now approaching 17 trillion in debt meaning Obummer has racked up almost 9 trillion in about five years.

Another interesting way of looking at it is deficit by year.

Bush averaged around 200 billion (give or take) per year from 2001 to 2008.

Obummer's yearly deficit? Well it's over 900 billion easy per year.

Ya some body has a spending problem and it ain't Bush.

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

Actually Obummers deficit average by year is closer to 1200 Billion.

Ya that's alot of zeros.

No one tell him or the Cleftwing Democrats what comes after a trillion.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

I Love your New math? Why don't you do your research instead of dumping the entire amount on Obama, people don't buy the rehtoric you are selling! Obama has followed in the footsteps of all the past presidents since Ford, as far as the debt, he has presented budgets, but the Republican Congress has refuse to compromise what so ever! Making the decisions on cuts should be across the board, they have followed the lead of the likes of Chenney and Rumsfeld. These two players who have been around since the late 1960s with their warped version of fix the economy, and as always slanted towards their rich political donors? Obama has only accomplished Health Care, and that is not good enough! The Republicans have managed to cut the Ham String of our great country, and have even been able to deny our ability to even run our country without a crisis every three months? If you wish to count the trillions by Presidents the Republicans have out spent their Democratic counter parts by far since good ol Ford! If you shifted the first year of each President onto his former, the numbers are even worse for the Republicans? If you leave the debt to the likes of Paul, or Ryan, with a choice of either, we will expierence some of the biggest budget cutting ever, and it will only satisfy their rich donors once again? Try cutting 5% at all levels of Federal, State, Local, and we would find we would not loose services such as our control tower for one! There is waste out there just look at Jefferson City, or all the help we give our Farmers, and Oil companies? Rob

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

It is obvious that the Republicans spend the money! The old bumper sticker is correct: Cleaning up Republicans problems since 1933! Rob

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

Obummer has only submitted a budget for the two years when the Democrats controlled the House and they laughed at him. Even His own party wouldn't pass one of his Budgets and he has not submitted one since.

As for yearly deficits that's an easy number to look up. Obummer's yearly deficit was 1413 Billion in 2009, 1294 Billion in 2010, 1299 Billion in 2011, 1100 Billion in 2012.

Each year the Big Money Democrats under Obummer spend over twice as much money as any President ever has.

As for subsidizing agriculture and energy companies I would love to see those stop and then listen to all the entitled pensioners complain when they had to actually pay the full price for commodities and the EBT cards stopped working.

kentheco 2 months, 1 week ago

Folks, it is time to accept the fact that we (taxpayers) cannot pay for all of the governments programs. Whether it is wars, billions in support for other nations, funding the United Nations or providing Social Security Income for illegal aliens, we cannot continue to spend the way we are. We need to start taking care of our “citizens” and not forcing our way of life on others. When the gangsters of the 20’ and 30s extorted money for protection, it was a crime, now when a country threatens to stop being our “friend” the government opens its’ pockets and writes checks “we” cannot pay.

fctrfctn 2 months, 1 week ago

Back to the subject at hand, closing the tower at JC Memorial really won't affect operations that much...it will operate as a CTAF - Common Traffic Advisory Frequency - Pilots state their intentions and it's "see and avoid." It will be safe, just a little slower. The Tower has been operated on a Contractor Basis for some time and the city as incurred that cost. Face the facts, no matter whose fault, our government is broke and one of only two ways to fix that is to cut costs.

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

$5,037,588,850,915 that is what the debt increased under good ol George from 2000 to 2008, he did not start his war until 2003 with Iraq. Paint that with any color of white wash you wish, it is still white wash, add in those other Republican Presidents, and you still have the Republicans leading with 9.75 TRILLION of the Debt! The problem remains the American people need to pay the debt back, and you do that with good jobs with Benefits! Which increases your tax base, and now all you have to do is cut back on the spending, and find the waste? Why not cut back 5% and see what that gets us? That is the position of this Gun Loving, Baby Loving, Liberal? FEM? PROUD Union Member, who like teachers, women, and The GOOD OL USA! rob

connor 2 months, 1 week ago

It is a sad fact that so many, especially the spenders of the Lefty/Feminist/Union bent, can;t understand the difference between spending and the overall debt.

Deficit spending is Bad. Very Bad. And No President has accumulated more deficit spending per year than Obummer. Ever. However the debt has now reached the point, even at artificially low interest rates that there is almost no way it can ever be paid down. We have come to the part of the graph where even a record surplus year in income will still increase the National debt. In fact shortly even a 100% spending cut will no longer generate enough tax revenue to keep up with the interest alone on the National debt.

It simply does not matter how much Nixon spent, or Carter, Or Reagan or either Bush because the debt was not sitting at almost 17 trillion dollars then. They could spend 100 Billion and only raise the debt 102 Billion. At this point spending 100 Billion raises the debt something like 150 Billion. So not only is Obummer a big spender he is a big spender at the precise worst time to be one. It is also why the National debt has increased almost 9 Trillion under Obummer.

We are way past the point of token spending decreases and also past the point of any stimulus or government funded growth because the interest rates must remain low. This type of debt spiral can not be fixed from the top with a trickle down effect in so called job creation. It can only be fixed by eliminating almost all Federal spending and removing regulation to allow local hotspots to grow and spread. Something the Lefty democrat crowd will never agree to as it goes against every social engineering fiber of their being.

JCLifer 2 months, 1 week ago

If the national debt concerns you, this webpage will blow your mind:

usdebtclock.org

RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

The Debt concerns me JC Lifer, but not to the degree that for the last 3 years congress that does nothing because of partisan bickering amongst the big wig politicians, in 2003 wrote an editorial to NT on the debt,( and of course I was complaining about Bush) so whatever the problem is they need to fix it but not on the backs of hard working people alone, it needs to be all of us, it needs to be a reduction in spending, and it needs to affect the ultra rich/ corporations as well, and they will have to raise some taxes more than the 2% they reclaimed on Social Security? If they wish to fix this! Kentheco has a good start, bring them home, quit spending money on allies who could care less about our position, and bring the jobs back to these United States and rotate the Chinese! Rob

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