The Press Enterprise: Riverside rep seeks to stop airport cut
As Riverside officials prepare their 2013-14 budget, they’re bracing for six figures in federal funding cuts due to what’s known as sequestration. This week, their new representative in Washington went to bat for them, at least on one item.
The so-called sequester is a plan to reduce the national debt by forcing across-the-board federal spending cuts. Among those cuts, the Federal Aviation Administration will stop paying to staff control towers at more than 100 smaller, less heavily used airports, including the Riverside Municipal Airport.
Riverside airport officials said they will continue to operate after they lose their controller next month, but they worry about safety, especially with several flight schools on site.
On Monday, Takano wrote to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta urging him to keep Riverside’s control tower open, arguing it is “critical to air safety in Riverside County.”
Takano’s letter notes the Riverside airport is just 12 miles from March Air Reserve Base and is in the path of some routes to LAX.
“The close proximity of military air operations, flight training activities, and commercial flights increases the likelihood that air space will be shared and poses a serious safety hazard,” he wrote.
Takano also cites the potential economic hit from the cuts. Riverside City Manager Scott Barber said earlier that though the air traffic controllers are under contract to the FAA and don’t work for the city, “…that’s still five jobs.”