Frank Lockwood, education coordinator for “Yes for DRO,” gave a rosy account (Herald, Aug. 3) as to why property taxes should be increased for a new $90 million airport. And $90 million is only for the first phase. Turns out, “Yes for DRO” is the citizen advocacy group created by the city of Durango to gain votes for the airport bond. Look up Lockwood on LinkedIn. You will discover he does “political/strategic consulting” and “candidate and issue campaign management.” So perhaps the title “education coordinator” is a bit of a stretch?
Lockwood quotes an unsubstantiated assertion that 100,000 additional people could choose to use the airport, but don’t. He blames it on the current terminal and facilities. We all know high ticket prices and cancelled or delayed flights are the real problem. It is disingenuous to think United and American airlines are going to drop their ticket prices in a new facility. Airlines will charge what the market will bear. Lockwood also hints that the airlines might leave us unless they get a new terminal. Apparently he overlooked the fact that American Airlines increased its seat capacity over the past year.
He also informs us that the airport generates $119 million in household income with 1,900 high paying jobs locally. Those figures mean the airport is bigger than Fort Lewis College, which is credited with 660 jobs. If you look at the most recent report done for Region 9, it attributes 618 jobs to transportation and trade and 4,954 jobs (direct and indirect) to tourism. It is impossible that the airport accounts for 38 percent of all tourism jobs. Nowhere do we learn why a more modest expansion at the existing facility won’t solve the TSA, baggage and parking problems about which we all know.
So, what is the greatest need? Most of us regularly make priority-based decisions in our daily lives. It is time for our elected officials to publicly state their priorities - from highest to lowest. Is it roads and bridges, a school bond or a shiny new airport?
John Ritchey
Durango
