Things are looking up as we rapidly move toward the beginning of a new fiscal year. The Texas Legislature approved an increase in our airport grants budget from $1.85 million to $4.25 million beginning September 1, 1993, making available an additional $2.4 million each year for the next two years to be used for airport projects. It could not have come at a better time; however, we are still faced with monumental challenges ahead.
“We currently have a very large number of communities statewide which require immediate financial assistance to improve and maintain their airports far exceeding our present funding capability.”
We also have the unfortunate probability of seeing another federal funding cut for airport development following a year when we received $2.5 million less in federal funding than we had anticipated. As a result, we are being forced to inform communities that their airport projects will be postponed farther and farther into the future when, in fact, many of these projects should begin immediately.
Future prospects for increases in federal funding for general aviation airport development are bleak. In fact, it is highly likely that federal funding for general aviation airports will continue to decline. The only solution, of which I am aware, to obtain the funding necessary to develop the state aviation system, is to substantially increase state funding. It is our view that we must find a way to provide $30 million in state grant funding for airports each year to begin to significantly improve our aviation system. To move from a funding level of $4.25 million to $30 million per year is an ambitious undertaking, but one that must be accomplished. In future articles, I will share some of my ideas on how we can reach our goal.
As always, I encourage you to share your ideas with me. We must reach our statewide air transportation development goals. The people of Texas deserve it.