TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins took a strong stance Wednesday, saying he will not entertain any plans to privatize the Toledo Express Airport.
Collins went so far as to say he would veto any measure to privatize the airport passed by city council.
Keeping the airport city-run will insure it continues to receive funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Mayor Collins. The airport is set to receive $6 million from the federal government for improvement projects.
Port Authority officials say the airport is doing well and showing signs of growth.
"I think everybody just needs to understand from a passenger standpoint that things are stabilized out there. We continue to see great growth, good numbers," said Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority President Paul Toth.
Dock David Treece, who along with his father and brother has floated a plan to buy the airport, says he is not giving up just yet.
"Somebody needs to have solutions because from what we have seen there is no long term plan. There is no real plan for what will happen if the FAA pulls some of its resources or closes our tower," said Treece. "There are problems with tenants not being able to expand tofacilities that can accommodate them. There's clearly a problem with expandingcommercial service. There's a problem with air cargo."
The Treeces say they will release more details of their planThursday morning, and that the mayor's statement is not stopping them.
"We know that the problems that are facing Toledo's airportsaren't going anywhere and somebody needs to have solutions and from what we'veseen there is no long term plan," said Treece.
