Airport funding helpful
In these tough economic times, local governments are struggling to find ways to fund much-needed public assistance departments such as the fire and police departments.
The best way to fund them is through tax revenue- the only problem is, tax revenues are down. The only way they will grow is to either raise the tax rate- a potential death sentence to politicians- or to create jobs to stimulate the economy.
Russellville Municipal Airport plays a key role in attracting new industry prospects to the area since it provides potential businesses easy access to the community.
The airport received good news this week when the Federal Aviation Administration awarded the facility $141,365 for upgrades.
The money will be used for work on the runways and for perimeter fencing.
This is a good thing for Franklin County as it will assure visiting business people they can land safely in Russellville and that their plane will not be stolen while they are researching prospective locations. Both ideas provide peace of mind when conducting business in a new area.
The best thing is this is grant money, which means there is minimal out-of-pocket costs to local governments. This allows the facility to improve, while tight budgets can continue to be directed to important items.
Franklin County can expand on the government’s dime with little additional costs to area taxpayers. It is a win-win situation for county residents and local governments.
