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Stafford Regional Airport catches a break, but profitability is still elusive Date published: 10/18/2009
BY JONAS BEALS When Stafford Regional Airport opened in 2001, officials thought it would quickly become a revenue engine for the county. Instead, Stafford has paid a subsidy every year to run the airport--a total of $794,983 since 2002, with another $660,070 in loans. And this year, the Board of Supervisors appropriated more than twice the normal amount of money in case it needs to cover debt service on airport loans. At the same time they increased the appropriation, supervisors voted to essentially eliminate the personal-property tax on aircraft--an $84,000 annual hit to county coffers. Supporters say the move will spur growth at the airport. If all goes as planned, the change will save the county money in the long run by bringing corporate planes--and possibly corporate offices--to the area. But critics say the move is a desperate bid to create a demand that never existed. Some worry that it is the next step toward what they have long feared: expansion of the airport to handle freight, and a subsequent increase in air traffic. According to members of the Stafford Regional Airport Authority, the tax rate was the last significant obstacle on the road to success and profitability. Now that it is gone, hangar rentals have increased--only six of the 40 are vacant--and the total number of aircraft based there has jumped from 34 to 56. Despite growth at the airport, the opening-day promises of 2001 remain elusive. There are many possible reasons, but the simplest conclusion is also the most obvious: The economic downturn has not been kind to airplanes or the businesses that use them. "We want companies to build corporate facilities," said Airport Authority member Hank Scharpenberg. "We want to bring jobs to the area and have them pay the associated lease rates and taxes. Now is the worst time, because of the downturn, but it won't last forever." Those same sentiments were expressed when the airport first opened and the technology sector was taking a beating. The familiar refrain has led some residents and officials to conclude that the airport is not simply a victim of economic circumstance, but rather a flawed project that may never succeed on its own. RELYING ON SUBSIDIES
Read more stories about Stafford Date published: 10/18/2009
and has few houses near the runway. Dulles also has the road infrastructure of I-66, Route 28 and the Dulles toll road.The Stafford airport is 570 acres with many homes impacted near the runway and only one major road. I guess they could build the Western Transportation Corridor through the middle of Hartwood and turn it into a freight airport to make the Airport succesful.
As a Fairfax County resident in the 60's and 70's, I recall all the noise about why on earth would they build an airport 50 miles from DC, and on, and on, and on.
For the first 10 15 years, Dulles was WAY underutilized and these arguements kept getting louder and louder.
Forward 30 years and Dulles is a huge economic magnet to Fairfax and Louden counties, with hundreds of corporate offices and tens of thousands of high paying jobs.
This will be a huge benefit to the region...in time.
hasn't built a commercial passenger terminal as did Manassas. Next time you're out that way visit the nice restaurant that sits atop the main FBO. That done, go next door and see a real waste of taxpayer funds and view the art work in the very nice, but vacant, terminal. It's enough to make Jack Murtha proud.
i new this would happen stafford had a case of keeping up with the jones and wasting federal and local money. Hope stafford residents love there airport and higher taxes i left because of the high northern va taxes and attitude. Is there anyone in stafford been there more than 25 years left ?
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