Wednesday, May 15, 2002
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Wednesday, May 15, 2002 |
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Rep. Collins' support of PTC airport is appropriate Thank you for publishing the letter from Cathy Nelmes, chairman, Peachtree City Airport Authority, regarding my previous letter to the editor erroneously criticizing Rep. Mac Collins for the use of general U.S. taxpayer monies, or the federal pork barrel, to pay for improvements to Falcon Field in Peachtree City. I am happy to retract my statements regarding the congressman's involvement in the financing plan. Mac Collins is a solid conservative, and I am glad he refuses to "bring home the bacon" and provide our federal tax dollars to finance local projects unrelated to the Constitutionally sanctioned expenditures of national security and government infrastructure. Millions in federal dollars would be saved every year, and the President's tax reduction plan could be made permanent, if we could only convince the liberal tax and spend crowd in Congress to act as well. It should further be noted that Rep. Collins voted against the farm bill just approved in the Democratically-controlled U.S. Senate. This bill increases farm subsidies by 80 percent, and will cost every U.S. family $1,800 over the next 10 years. His "nay" vote in the House again demonstrates his commitment to fiscal responsibility and Constitutionally-sanctioned expenditures by the Congress. I join Cathy Nelmes in applauding Rep. Collins for his protection of our federal taxes, and his dedication to lowering them. As noted in Cathy Nelmes' May 8 response to my original letter, FAA funds for airport improvements are financed by "aviation user taxes on airline fares, airfreight, and aviation fuel." Although there are no commercial flights or airfreight operations at Falcon Field, according to airport manager Jim Savage, taxes are paid on the corporate and private aircraft using the airfield facilities thus, there is a local commitment to the grant of federal funds. My concern is with the use of federal money in particular, and the continuous growth of government at every level that results from its participation in every facet our lives. William Fielder Peachtree City
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