PARSING PEARSON
In response to your recent piece “Air Supremacy” by Nigel Jaquiss [May 28, 2008], there are a number of inaccuracies that require correcting, beginning with the $4.2 billion figure for the project’s budget. CRC managers contend that this figure would prevent the project from happening.
Pearson is a valuable asset to both Vancouver and Portland inasmuch as it is the closest airport to downtown Portland. Data generated in 2005 by the Washington Department of Transportation Aviation Division estimated the total annual economic impact of Pearson Field at $38.4 million. Data from 1998 indicate that Pearson’s tenants and visitors in Clark County contribute to 603 jobs with a total payroll of $11.3 million.
Although it is true that, at present, there is no scheduled passenger service, Pearson is what is known as a Public Use airport, accessible to any aircraft able to use its runway. Business aircraft use the airport on a daily basis, as do search-and-rescue aircraft, police and USAF auxiliary flights, pipeline patrol aircraft and many others.
The airport does not get $150,000 annually from the FAA, although, on occasion, it receives FAA trust fund grants for such things as runway maintenance and improvements, as do all public use airports in the United States, including PDX, Hillsboro, Mulino and Troutdale. Furthermore, Pearson is operated as an enterprise fund and, as such, does not receive taxpayer funding from the City of Vancouver. It is a self-sustaining entity, and, it should be noted, is one of very few self-funded airports in the nation.
Mark T. Masciarotte
Vancouver, Wash.
Nigel Jaquiss responds: There are a number of factually inaccurate claims in this letter.
1. The $4.2 billion figure comes directly from a “fact sheet” published by the CRC staff, not from critics.
2. Pearson Field is the 23rd largest of Washington’s 30 airports in terms of annual operations. That makes it rinky-dink. It serves primarily those who own or have access to private planes; that, particularly in the context of its influencing the design of a project that would serve 180,000 vehicles per day, makes the private-club reference appropriate.
3. The story did not say the airport gets funding from the city of Vancouver. In addition, Mr. Masciarotte understates federal support. Here is a quote from the airport’s 2005 business plan: “The FAA has provided $3.3 million in funding to Pearson Field over the past 15 years.”
WW WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR VIA MAIL, EMAIL OR FAX. Letters must be signed by the author and include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words.
SUBMIT TO:
2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210.
Fax: (503) 243-1115
Email: mzusman@wweek.com
.nar.jpg)
We know you Bush, you're quite a standard. A standard only a genuine juxtaposition of your soul can pass. It can't be a watered down, flavored version of you. It can't be
a change in the wrapping, it has to be a change and at this point, I'm not sure what Obama means to the world. There's been an international reaction because there's an international impact coming from washington.
Are you American? Can you vote? I'm talking to you now, we have the underdog Obama, appointed to carry most of the disenfranchised and the peaceful on his bandwagon. They root, vote, rave, argue, and stand for him and what does the golden boy do? And specially when? ('cause timing determines priority)
Fresh from dominating the Democratic party, making history and all that good stuff he goes and pledges allegiance to a very obscure vow the US has going in the middle east. Just what Hillary would do, actually did, and just why we didn't go for her. But there he was at the AIPAC, paying his respects as he gets nominated and reassuring the strings that move the world that he too will bow before them. What is the AIPAC? The American Israeli Lobbing organization.
Check this out: "Democratic presidential candidates Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, and the top leaders of Congress, all pledged their support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship during the closing session of AIPAC