In the Telegram today, it looks like we have another six month extension thru December 31 st of this year, added to the six month extension that ends June 30th of this year, which was added to the six month extension that ended December 31st of last year, which was preceded by a three year agreement that ended June 30th of 2007, that followed the five year agreement that ended June 30th of 2004.
The key element being MassPort will continue paying 68% of the Operating Deficit, but none of the Debt Service. That leaves 32% of the Operatings Deficit and 100% of the Debt Service for the tax-payers of Worcester. Looking at page 120 of the City Auditor's 2007 fiscal, it appears to me that last year the total deficit was 1,520,762, of which 664,018 was Debt Service and thus the Operating Deficit would be 856,774. The tax-payers of Worcester in turn pay 32% of Operating Deficit or 274,158 and 100% of the Debt Service or 664,018 for a total of $938,176. In other words it costs the tax-payers of Worcester $78,181 per month to keep ORH open.
This is even more bad news, an airport in limbo, for ORH. Do you all remember the lone bidder of the land parcel that, although they won the bid, they have not bought the land? I believe their deadline to pay up was March of this year. Not knowing what the future holds, I would imagine makes their decision more difficult and they will most likely pass on the bid.
I only hope that we actively solicit potential buyers like National Express, etc to come buy our airport and not only deal with MassPort. As someone, who believes in ORH, the tax-payers of Worcester can not afford to keep paying for "untapped potential" and we have to market this airport to every Airport Authority, Airline, Casino, Craigs List, Wall Street Journal that we have an AIRPORT FOR SALE.
This is very bad news for ORH.
Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
6 months ago
11 comments:
I don't understand why we need another year and a half to figure out what to do with ORH. As a citizen of Worcester and it being the 2nd largest CITY in New England it needs to have a commercial airport to bring in and retain business. Maybe I just don't understand negotiations but it's to bad we will not see any progress for another year.
Tim:
That is my point exactly. What has changed since June 30th of 2007and what is going to change this year? "it is what it is".
The problem with this negotiation is that we are only talking to one buyer.
We need to market the airport nationwide or should I say worldwide, not just parcels of land!!
Bill
Bill, wasnt that a land LAESE?
Was the winning bidder named Winward?
Should we add Winward to list ... i.e. almost here and probably about to leave?
No one sees any significance to last sentence in the T&G article today?
I hope the last line doesn't refer to noise due to increased air traffic. If you don't like the noise in your neighborhood then you shouldn't have moved near an airport.
Jahn:
Yes it was a land lease and I do not see Winward pursuing this. Would you make an investment like this not knowing exactly who or what the management will be on January 1st, 2009? Tim and Jahn, I translate the last line the same way you guys do.
Bill
My take on the last line:
Massport is planning on a sizeable increase in air traffic of larger aircraft............which = larger noise............and someone ( council) is telling OBrien we cannot have this.........call it the ROAR mentality........
So MP is telling Worc that until we (Worc) see it their way...thet we can all take a long walk on a short pier.....do you blame MP?
Frankly, I dodnt see thsi as being about the amt of $ involved
But what is ++++ing me off is that is high time we attacked teh expenses and strated whacking some of the deadwood up there........why does a $2 or $3 million business need a fuultime director and a fulltime accountant whne the place HAS NO GOD DAM CUSTOMERS......
Last year $1,251,211 in salaries and expenses. In other words over $100,000 each month in salaries and benefits.
I live along the flight path into the airport and the noise isn't that bad when the larger planes come in. Plus it is never going to handle the amount of traffic that Providence or Hartford airports have unless there is major road and facility improvements. Give Massport the airport to do what they can with it, Cargo, Commercial and General avition all mean money to the city of Worcester. I know these things take time but I hope the manager gives title to Massport soon.
Let us also not forget that Massport has eminent domain powers. I am guessing they may only be limited to airport expansion/operations and not extend to road building............but one never knows.
I was thinking about running for State Representative in the 16th Worcester District. One of the reasons that I am thinking of running for office is that I want to get the money to upgrade the airport, build an access road and get the airport going. I figure that at the most it would take 200 million to upgrade everything at the airport and build the access road.
Louis J. Desy Jr.
Democratic Candidate for State Rep,
16th Worcester District
47 Heywood Street
Worcester, MA 01604
Phone: 508-853-1215
Fax: 508-754-1881
LouisDesy@aol.com
Louis@louisforstaterep.com
P.S. I wouldn't have the access road go through a school and grave yard like one of the old plans had it.
I'm tired of all this hooey. Just do it, we know they are going to do it. Take people out of Limbo and make a move. Stop the crazy studies they are doing. They all say the same thing.
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