The latest on the airport

Yesterday, the City Council downtown voted to go forward with a study on a new, single-terminal airport for Kansas City and the region.

That's the bad news.

Here's the good news:

Three councilmen voted against it--John Sharp, Scott Taylor and Scott Wagner. To them I say kudos and thank you.

More good news, really: "Mayor Sly James admitted he is not completely sold on the current proposal" according to KSHB 41 News.

I'm thinking that, with good information gotten to the Mayor and the will of the people to not throw away our existing facility for all the reasons available--financial, environmental, practicality on so many levels and sheer fondness for and appreciation of the existing airport--I think he can be shown this new single-terminal airport idea is a poor one that should itself be abandoned.

I think the City Council can--and will--be shown and convinced this walking away from our existing airport and building a new, single and very expensive terminal, expensive in so many ways, is a patently bad idea, effort and investment.

Here's hoping.

Link to story:  City council approves single-terminal plan at Kansas City

2 Letters to the Editor at the Star that get it right on KCI

Exhibit A:

Keep KCI as is

I have a new suggestion for the city officials who think we should spend $1.2 billion for a new airport. Many, many fliers who go through Kansas City International Airport talk about how easy and great it is, yet city officials feel the need to destroy that.

You are now talking about building the new terminal on the site of Terminal A, destroying Terminal B and using Terminal C as rental for business offices. Here’s a great idea.

Why not leave Terminals A and B as is and rent out terminal C? Part of the reason we don’t have enough equipment for security scanning now is that the use of the airport has decreased.

This should be put to a vote of the citizens of Kansas City and not left to the few men and women on the City Council.

KCI is a great airport. Leave it that way. Just because you have a brand new sparkling terminal doesn’t mean more passengers are going to use it.

Harry Oliver
Kansas City  Exhibit B: KCI Traveler's dream
I travel about 50 percent of the time in my work and see a lot of airports. Kansas City International Airport is one of the most efficient airports in the country. To think of changing to be like other airports such as Atlanta, Detroit and Charlotte is a poorly thought-out concept and a huge waste of money. You have quick access and a great shuttle system to parking lots, compared with the nightmares of airports like those in New Jersey, Atlanta and California.

Why change something that works great only to waste so much money? This is probably being done by people who do not have to travel in their jobs.

Wake up and take a few sample trips. You will understand what I am saying.

Roger Justice
Olathe  Thank you, gentlemen. You're both so right. We couldn't agree with you more. 

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/09/4170530/kci-heartland-theatre-lobbyists.html#storylink=cpy

 Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/09/4170541/brain-drain-afghanistan-abortion.html http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/09/4170530/kci-heartland-theatre-lobbyists.html

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/09/4170541/brain-drain-afghanistan-I travel about 50 percent of the time in my work and see a lot of airports. Kansas City International Airport is one of the most efficient airports in the country.To think of changing to be like other airports such as Atlanta, Detroit and Charlotte is a poorly thought-out concept and a huge waste of money. You have quick access and a great shuttle system to parking lots, compared with the nightmares of airports like those in New Jersey, Atlanta and California.
Why change something that works great only to waste so much money? This is probably being done by people who do not have to travel in their jobs.
Wake up and take a few sample trips. You will understand what I am saying.
Roger Justice
Olathe

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/09/4170530/kci-heartland-theatre-lobbyists.html#storylink=cpy

abortion.html#storylink=cpy

You want faith in our economic and political leaders?

Well don't look for it here.

Or lately.

Check out this quote for why, exactly, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson asked for 700 billion dollars of our taxpayer money to bail out his cronies on Wall Street, according to a "Treasury Department spokeswoman explaining how the $700 billion number was chosen for the initial bailout, quoted on Forbes.com, September 23:

"It's not based on any particular data point, we just wanted to choose a really large number."


Makes ya' wanna vote for higher taxes, doesn't it?