Another "Crime Scene"...
With the holiday season approaching like a jail on wheels, one would think that the LAST thing that could happen would be the loss of several hundred jobs in our area.
Well, think again.
Problem-plagued Kitty Hawk air cargo service has "turned turtle", and given up the ghost, laying off about 300 people. All services at the FWIA's facility have ceased. But that's only part of the "crime" here.
There is this little thing about a $24 million bond that was floated (by the city for Kitty Hawk)...and someone's got to pay the piper. How's THAT for a "tax incentive"? I wonder what other tax abatements and perks they received that we don't even KNOW about (that will never be repaid)?
The original plan was for Kitty Hawk to pay $2.4 annually on a 20-year lease on the space (a 240,000 sq. ft. cargo warehouse) utilized by the carrier. I sure hope they have a "plan B", because that first plan didn't quite pan out too well...did it?
The former FWIA board president, Skip Miller (who "jumped ship" for greener pastures in Louisville several years ago), had said the lease payments would be paid through the airport authority general revenue and budget cuts. Any shortfall would have to be paid by...(I trust all of you are sitting down)...INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES.
(This better NOT be Plan B!)
What have I been TELLING you all along?
See how these people work?
I suppose this will put SOME kind of kink in the FWIA'S plan to get that SECOND North-South runway parallel to 2-3 built. Oh well, at least they got a brand new TOWER up before this $hit hit the (turbo)fan. Guess that "20 year master plan" will just have to wait. The major reasons cited for the cessation of operations was higher fuel costs, lower demand for overnight cargo hauling, and the already deteriorated financial condition of Kitty Hawk.
Airport spokespeople could not comment further (they're too busy looking for razor blades to slash their wrists, or some strong rope to hang themselves, I'll wager).
When Kitty Hawk first came to town in 1999, I had reservations, and when they promptly went into their FIRST bankruptcy in 2000, that should have sent a TON of red flags up somewhere. But the FWIA gave them the benefit of the doubt (as our taxes went up in the process).
Then there was the advent of two NEW carriers coming into FWIA, namely ARROW and CENTURION (both of which are based in either Miami or Central America), and heaven only KNOWS what kind of "tax incentives" THEY received. And although both these carriers have had fewer flights into the airport (as I can plainly view as they overfly my house coming into the airport UNDER the FAA minimum altitudes with their jumbo jetliners), they have to be considered as "players" in Kitty Hawk's demise.
So...did the FWIA authority try burning the candle at BOTH ends here?
It would seem so.
And who winds up with hot wax all over them?
The taxpayers, probably.
All the while, the FWIA meanders along, impervious to challenges by the taxpaying populace, as well as oblivious to what they've done TO the citizens of this city. And you KNOW that whatever they present to city council will most likely be passed (that would be increases in taxes somewhere).
Consider Kitty Hawk Air Cargo "bagged and tagged".
I think it's time we called the "FINANCIAL FORENSICS" people in on this to determine the REAL cause of death, because I don't think we're quite done with the head count on this crime.