July 14--Gov. Pat McCrory on Monday reaffirmed his belief that Charlotte Douglas International Airport should stay in city hands and that politicians should "stay the heck out."
The airport, long run by the city, has been a source of contention since state lawmakers last year created an independent authority and then a commission to run it.
The matter is tied up in court as both sides await a ruling by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Though the House and Senate each approved a bill last month that clarifies the commission is a city agency, it's still uncertain whether the City Council or the new commission will end up in charge of the airport.
"I think it should belong to Charlotte," McCrory said during an interview with WFAE's Mike Collins.
Collins asked the former seven-term Charlotte mayor why local lawmakers initially proposed the authority.
"They were asked to by members of the business community," McCrory said, "because some of the Charlotte politicians were getting too active, frankly, in the running of the airport. ...
"I don't think the state politicians ought to do the same ... The state politicians and the local politicians ought to stay the heck out of the airport."
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