Members: Tell reps. to increase funding for airports

Members: Tell reps. to increase funding for airports

AOPA is calling on New Hampshire members to contact the House Finance Committee and urge them to increase funding for the state's airports. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division has requested $125,000 for its joint state and local grant program, which would allow the state to pay 80 percent of an eligible airport's improvements instead of the current 50 percent. It also requested the renewal of more than $60,000 currently allocated by the state for private and public airport grants. But Gov. John Lynch wants to slash the allocated $60,000 to $38,000, and he has proposed reducing the division's request for $125,000 to the current $24,000, with the state's level of support remaining at 50 percent. AOPA encourages pilots to attend public meetings sponsored by the Finance Committee to support increased funding that would make it easier to maintain and upgrade New Hampshire airports.

March 9, 2007