🆇 ANC Opposes Matt Benjamin 🆇
Matt used his clout on Council to try to torpedo the ANC’s ballot campaign in 2024. A pilot himself, he is seen as a champion by the pilot community. He strongly advocates for the city to keep the airport, drop the lawsuit, and resume taking FAA funds that bind the city to ever-extending timelines of FAA control over Boulder’s land. He has also lied to the public about the airport and the ANC. On one memorable occasion, he stated that our campaign wanted to put low-income residents on an unremediated contaminated site (we emphatically do not). He has also repeated such whoppers as the airport is critical for wildfire fighting (it is not) and that a federal judge took the decision over the airport out of Boulder’s hands (she did not). In answering our questionnaire, Matt states that the Boulder airport cannot grow “bigger”. While it is true, as he describes, that runways can’t be extended due to geographic constraints, Matt fails to acknowledge that the airport could still double or triple the number of flights using our runways by modernizing and adding airport facilities and developing more hangars on the existing 174-acre airport site. Matt expressly says the city needs to “enhance the existing infrastructure and maintain the airport at a higher standard.” Hard NO on Matt.
Here are Matt's full answers to our questionnaire.
1. What do you think the city should do about its lawsuit against the FAA to clarify how long the city is legally obligated to run the airport?
▢ Drop the lawsuit indefinitely. Keep this site an airport no matter what.
▢Keep our legal options open. Appeal or pursue legal clarification about who controls this land when the time is ripe. Don't accept any more grants that would extend our contractual obligations to the FAA past 2040. Find other ways to fund airport needs, which amount to a fraction of a percent of the city's annual budget.
▢ I’m not prepared to answer at this time.
▢ I can’t comment for legal reasons.
✔ Other - I think we should drop the lawsuit.
Elaboration: The city lacks the financial resources to fight a protracted legal battle and maintain the airport for the next 15 years (compliance with our current grant assurances). This is money that we can better spend on core services that have been harmed by the city's declining revenues.
2. Assuming that the City of Boulder establishes local control over the future of the airport site, what do you personally think is the highest and best use of these 174 city-owned acres?
▢ Airport
▢ Primarily housing / mixed use neighborhoods
▢ Primarily open space / public park
▢ The people of Boulder should decide through a public process or vote
▢ I’m not prepared to answer at this time.
▢ I can’t comment for legal reasons.
✔ Other
Elaboration: If we gain local control, then that's a community conversation to have.
3. In the event that Boulder keeps the airport (either because of judicial decision or city decision), what kind of airport should we have?
✔ About the same as we have now
▢ Smaller! There are already too many flights out of Boulder airport. Keep it safe but minimal.
▢ Bigger! We should expand the airport with more tenants and better facilities and attract more aviation activity to Boulder.
▢ I’m not prepared to answer at this time.
▢ I can’t comment for legal reasons.
▢ Other
Elaboration: There is no need to make the airport bigger; in fact, it can't get physically bigger. meaning the runway cannot be extended to accommodate larger aircraft because of the physical obstacles both to the west and east of the runway. We just need to enhance the existing infrastructure and maintain the airport at a higher standard than it has been.
4. Is there anything else you would like the ANC and the public to know about your policy positions regarding the airport and the future of the site?
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