Santa Barbara County, CA November 7, 2000 Election
Smart Voter

Improved Air Service

By Victor H "Vic" Bouquet

Candidate for Director; Santa Maria Public Airport District

This information is provided by the candidate
Improved commercial air service for the SMPAD. The Santa Maria Central Coast Regional Airport!
Perhaps the longest standing, and legitimate complaint our constituents of the SMPAD have voiced is their continuing frustration with the lack of adequate air service in the local area. I can assure you that this issue has also been a source of continuing frustration for the Board of Directors and Staff of the District as well. In this regard the Board has directed staff to continue their efforts to attract improved air service to the Snta Maria Airport. I have personally supported the following legitimate efforts to attract improved air service to Santa Maria:
- Promote the airport in the local area (radio and newspaper) including all commercial carriers currently operating at the airport.
- Offer financial incentives in the form of deferred landing fees, counter rent, etc. I have personally discouraged the use of direct subsididies or financial assistance targeted at a single air line.
- Encouraged the General Manager to continue efforts to promote the airport through local travel agents and to personally solicit improved air service from air carriers that may be interested in serving Santa Maria.

Upon my re-election to the SMPAD Board of Directors I intend to promote another initiative to attract better air service to our airport. I am convinced that we should recognize the value of our airport as a regional airport that is able to offer regional jet service for the entire Central Coast attracting east-bound passengers from Paso Robles to Gaviota. Our geographical location as well as our aeronautical and terminal facilities are far superior to any other facility on the Central Coast. Discussions with several commuter airlines that are adding regional jets to their fleets have high lighted their concern over air traffic delays resulting from congestion at both Los Angeles and San Francisco airports - they would much rather bypass these west coast choke points and offer commuter service directly east bound to link with their major airline partners in Phoenix, Salt Lake City or Denver. In addition, federal legislation was recently introduced to provide funding for upgrades to regional airports in an effort to relieve congestion at the nation's major hubs. We need to take advantage of this unique opportunity to promote regional jet service east bound from Santa Maria. I intend to make this my primary objective during my coming four years on the SMPAD Board of Directors. To this end I will encourage a name change for our airport to "Santa Maria Central Coast Regional Airport." We have to take every opportunity to promote our airport as the airport of choice on the central coast of California - a true regional airport in every sense of the word.

Next Page: Position Paper 3

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2000 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


ca/sba Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 25, 2000 09:50
Smart Voter 2000 <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © 2000 League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.