Mayor Says Airport Should Stay Under City Ownership
Ken Mann
1/14/2010
http://www.900chml.com/Channels/Reg/...spx?ID=1184861
Selling the airport is not an idea that sits well with Hamilton's mayor.
Fred Eisenberger says Munro International is a good strategic asset for the city, adding that selling it off would amount to "short-term gain for long-term loss".
He notes that their current lease agreement with airport operator Tradeport has gotten them out from under a "million dollar operating loss".
Councillor Chad Collins plans to table a motion calling for an investigation into the sale of the airport when City Council meets later this month.
He believes the sale would return tens of millions of dollars that could be used to address Hamilton's infrastructure deficit.
Eisenberger adds that he is in favour only of trying to improve the lease when the opportunity presents itself in 2012.
He admits he'd like to see Tradeport "add a couple of dollars to its airport tax", to help the city raise the money to buy land for future expansion.