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March 16,2000, Thursday

SECTION: NEWS, Pg. 3A

LENGTH: 711 words

HEADLINE: OHIO AIRPORTS TO LAND MORE DOLLARS CONGRESS PASSES MEASURE THAT RETURNS AVIATION FUNDS

BYLINE: Roger K. Lowe, Dispatch Washington Bureau Chief

DATELINE: WASHINGTON -

BODY:

Federal money for Ohio airport projects would triple under legislation that cleared Congress yesterday and is headed to President Clinton's desk for signing.

The Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century includes $ 37. 14 million a year for Ohio airports. In 1999, the state received $ 12.99 million in federal funding for airport projects.

Central Ohio airports would get at least $ 5.16 million per year under the legislation. The bill doubles federal money for each of Ohio's major airports, with Port Columbus due to receive $ 3.18 million a year. It received $ 1.59 million in 1999.

The House-Senate compromise version of the three- year, $ 40 billion bill was approved yesterday 319-101 by the House of Representatives. The Senate vote last week was 82-17.

"The greatest aviation system in the world is hurtling toward gridlock,'' said Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "This legislation will make our skies safer, modernize air traffic control, reduce flight delays and boost airline competition.''

The funding boost comes from a provision guaranteeing that money paid in airport taxes will be returned to airport projects. Previously, some of the tax receipts had been kept in a trust fund to help mask the actual size of the federal deficit.

"If we're going to ask Americans to pay ticket taxes, fuel taxes and excise taxes, then that money should be used to make our airports safer and more efficient,'' said Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Madison, a member of the panel. "This bill is going to free up millions to make our airports safer and it will enable us to expand runways and make other needed airport improvements.''

The bill also includes an allocation of money that will be spent solely on improvements at smaller county airports, said Rep. Bob Ney, R-St. Clairsville. His district includes many rural southeastern and eastern counties.

Committee documents estimate that 91 regional airports in Ohio will receive $ 12.37 million per year under this new program.

"For the first time, we're starting to take care of the little airports,'' said Ney, who also is a member of the panel.

Projected annual funding for central Ohio airports includes $ 150,000 each for Rickenbacker Airport, Bolton Field, Don Scott Field, Delaware Municipal Airport, Fairfield County Airport, Marion Municipal Airport, Newark- Heath Airport, and Ross County Airport in Chillicothe.

In addition, Madison County Airport in London would receive $ 144,444 annually, and Union County Airport in Marysville will receive $ 117,956 per year.

The legislation also includes $ 5.22 million per year for projects at four Ohio airports that have extensive air cargo operations. That funding, which is nearly double 1999 money, includes $ 523,368 for Rickenbacker Airport.

The legislation was criticized by top members of the House Appropriations Committee. They complained that funding guarantees for aviation projects interfered with their authority to determine how money should be spent.

Taxes now collected from tickets, fuel and other air- travel expenses are deposited in the general fund. The bill ensures that all money collected through those taxes would be deposited in the aviation trust fund and used exclusively for improvements in airport safety.

The legislation allows local airport authorities to raise passenger facility taxes from $ 3 to $ 4.50 for each leg of travel. Money from that increase, which could raise $ 700 million per year, would go toward airport safety, noise and capacity projects.

The Ohio delegation favored the vote 13-6. Central Ohioans voting for the bill were Reps. Ney, John R. Kasich, R-Westerville; Deborah Pryce, R-Perry Township; Michael G. Oxley, R-Findlay; and Ted Strickland, D- Lucasville. Rep. David L. Hobson, R-Springfield, voted "no.''

Rep. John A. Boehner, R-West Chester, another "no'' voter, blasted the bill because of its spending and increase in passenger taxes.

"Our constituents sent us here to curb spending and lower taxes; this legislation does exactly the opposite,'' Boehner said."This bill is the embodiment of everything that the American people are cynical about in the United States Congress.''

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LOAD-DATE: March 16, 2000