Update: March 6, 2009

Stop Squandering Taxpayer Dollars on For-Profit Private Aviation: Invest Instead in Public Transportation, Education, and the Social Services

Metro, the Portland Metropolitan area regional government, makes the point that "sustainable living renews rather than depletes the planet's resources." Their website (www.metro-region.org) further recommends walking, bicycling, carpooling, and public transportation as alternatives to driving cars. In a similar vein, an Oregonian PDX Green (2/6/09) column reported on how Washington County Commission Chair, Tom Brian and State Senator Bruce Starr are advising people to drive less so as to save on overworked infrastructure. In an effort to mitigate noise, air and water pollution; diminish the need for wasteful infrastructure investment; reduce dependency on foreign energy sources; to decrease global warming; and to promote sustainability, I strongly urge elected officials to extend the sustainable living message to the aviation sector as well. Washington County, in particular, has more aviation operations than any other county in the state.

Sadly, plans are currently underway to slash light rail and bus routes due to a $13.5 million Trimet shortfall. This is occurring despite recent increases in the use of public transportation in response to rising fuel prices and environmental concerns. Yet, at the same time the Port of Portland, with taxpayer dollars in hand, is poised to invest $13 million on a third runway at Hillsboro Airport, an amount that is nearly enough to totally offset all Trimet cuts.

The Hillsboro "Executive" Airport caters primarily to the following clientele:

• the less than 1/5 of 1% of the population who have obtained a private pilots license
• individuals and corporations wealthy enough to purchase private jets, fixed wing aircraft, and/or helicopters
• those with the financial wherewithal to charter private flights and air taxis
• those who can afford to rent (at $100 or more per hour plus fuel) aircraft for recreational purposes and flight training

Few Main Street Americans, many of whom are struggling to keep food on the table, can afford to fly in and out of Hillsboro Airport.  It is noteworthy that the price of a new Cessna 350 or 400 can exceed two times over the amount that an average Oregonian spends on a home, those that can even afford to buy a home that is.

Port of Portland data reveals that last year, the number of operations at Hillsboro Airport (259,263) actually exceeded those at PDX (252,572). By December of 2008 the Port reported a -4.5 decrease at PDX, the only commercial airport in the region, while operations increased at Hillsboro by 9.4 %. Thus while Oregonians across the state were altering their travel plans, carpooling, using public transportation, bicycling, and walking more, the general aviation sector was sabotaging their efforts. It is important to bear in mind that PDX has the capacity to manage upwards of 500,000 operations per year. In addition there is three times more acreage at PDX than there is at Hillsboro. Obviously there is plenty of excess capacity at PDX which further renders the need for a third runway at Hillsboro unnecessary and indefensible, particularly during these challenging economic times.

Clearly the time has come for our federal elected officials to put an end to wasteful Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spending, choosing instead to direct taxpayer dollars into environmentally sustainable transportation programs. Surely if Oregon legislators can shift monies from the Cultural Trust into the General Fund, they can advocate on behalf of public transportation projects that serve the common good rather than an entitled few. In addition to Hillsboro Airport there are a number of other general aviation airports in the region that add to the cacophony of aviation noise as well as to global warming and a host of deadly environmental toxins. In light of these disturbing impacts it is troubling that Oregon aviation law (ORS 836.608) sanctions unlawful activities engaged in by those wealthy enough to purchase their own private airstrips and airports. Oregon law further promotes unlimited take-offs and landings at many of these facilities regardless of the negative noise, health, safety, security, and environmental impacts on surrounding communities.

In light of the foregoing I recommend to all of our elected officials on a federal, state, and county level the following:

1. Cease immediately the practice of funneling taxpayer dollars into infrastructure on behalf of for-profit private aviation activities. This money should instead be invested in high speed rail and public transportation projects that promote the greater good rather than the interests of a privileged few.

2. Ban all flight training in Washington County. Communities and homeowners should not be subjected to the noxious noise and pollutants generated by this activity nor should their safety be compromised by inexperienced pilots flying relentlessly over their homes and neighborhoods. This decision alone would sharply decrease congestion and thereby the need for additional taxpayer funded runways.

3. Levy a steep fuel tax on all general aviation flights based on miles flown and/or gallons of fuel purchased. The monies accrued in this way could then be devoted to a general fund designed to offset cuts to education and the social services.

4. Commence a public relations promotion, modeled on the anti-smoking campaign, with a clear message that the enduring well being of the earth and its inhabitants is of far greater importance than establishing a playground, at public expense, for the rich. Just as Metro discourages unnecessary automobile activity, this campaign should discourage inessential flight activity due to negative environmental and health impacts caused by noise, pollution, and carbon dioxide emissions.

5. Fold the Department of Aviation back into the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) as it was prior to 2000. This would help to insure that a comprehensive statewide transportation system is developed rather than one that grants special privileges to a few. It is troubling that a recent records request to the Department of Aviation revealed that their 2007 and 2008 annual reports are not yet available.  The annual reports from 2000 to 2006 revealed that during this 6 year period, this department funneled more than $66 million in taxpayer dollars into Oregon’s aviation industry, much of which was dedicated to for-profit private aviation interests.

6. Shift the $13 million currently earmarked for a third runway at Hillsboro Airport to TriMet in an effort to avoid cuts to bus routes and light rail.

7. Amend Oregon aviation law so as to address noise, safety, security, health, land use, environmental impacts, and global warming.

Only 25% of civil aviation operations in the US are commercial in nature. The remaining 75% are classified as general aviation and as such serve a small but well-heeled minority not unlike the Wall Street financiers and auto company CEOs who operate under the erroneous assumption that public money should support their lavish lifestyle choices. It is this kind of thinking that toppled the economic system and continues to lay waste to the environment. The time has come to change extravagant, elitist spending policies that are based on the now defunct notion that money spent on a well-off few will eventually trickle down to Main Street Americans.