Your Tax Dollars at Work (Not)

Airports in all 50 states have seen construction on infrastructure projects, large and small, grind to a complete halt. Why? Because Congress failed to pass an extension of the FAA’s authority to collect the taxes deposited into the Aviation Trust Fund that pays for a substantial part of most major airport projects. Many of these airport projects have important safety or delay-reduction benefits. Of course, everyone knows the benefits of runway extension projects or new taxiways – but even resurfacing a runway or taxiway can have important safety and capacity impacts. And these projects affect everyone working at the airport, including ramp workers. While press reports have focused on 4,000 laid-off FAA employees, the bigger impact will really be felt at the airports. Thousands of construction workers will be laid off and critical projects put on hold as billions of dollars in federal assistance are cut off. The cost from equipment left idle is itself staggering. (Not to mention the millions in uncollected ticket taxes that could have been used for future airport projects.) Of particular concern to GSE operators is the continued disruption caused to their operations from construction projects that are delayed, especially when that delay has no end in sight. This means, in some cases, wasting fuel to go around torn-up pavement that can’t be resurfaced until the federal money is freed up again. Or operating on rough, uneven surfaces wearing equipment and fraying nerves. As a long-time airport worker, the impact of this impasse on critical aviation projects is so dismaying. I can only hope for all of us that it ends soon and safety and operational projects can resume once more.