Daley Changes his story (Meigs)

[wildblue 7]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-meigs09.html

Check out http://www.aopa.org/ for more interesting stories - I personally like the full page ad/open letter from the AOPA to the Mayor.

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[mnischalke 0]

Thanks for the update, Wildblue. It's refreshing to see a slug of a man squirm and shrink when the salt hit's his back. That fucker should pay out of his pocket for the repairs to the field, IMHO.

On the other hand, Tom Ridge is a badass. I talked to him in Philly a few years ago and got the feeling he's truly a genuine guy and an anomaly in politics. My condolences to PA for losing him, but I think the country got a very good man in terribly tough position.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[RevJim 0]

For those that don't want to click....


Daley's Meigs alibi crumbles

April 9, 2003

BY LYNN SWEET AND FRAN SPIELMAN SUN-TIMES WASHINGTON BUREAU









WASHINGTON--Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge blew Mayor Daley's cover story on Meigs Field on Tuesday.

Around the same time, in Chicago, the mayor confessed he bulldozed the airport to make it a park and not because of security fears.

Ridge said his agency was never consulted over whether the lakefront airport presented a security threat to the city and was personally "disappointed" to see Meigs closed.

Daley invoked homeland security to explain why, under cover of darkness and without any prior public notice, he ordered a series of giant X's and slash marks carved in Meigs' sole runway on March 30.

The mayor's initial explanation was met with skepticism because for years he has wanted to close Meigs and convert it to a park.

On Tuesday, the mayor changed his tune. Daley dropped all pretenses about fears of a private plane flying into a Chicago skyscraper and acknowledged his real motive was to create more open space as envisioned by planner Daniel Burnham and others some 100 years ago.

"That's what makes Chicago unique from the rest of the world: that we have protected this wonderful lakefront. That's the greatest asset we have here,'' Daley said. From the Calumet River on the south to the Evanston border on the north, "we want to eventually fill in all the way ... for parks and open space," the mayor said.

Daley's number may have been up anyway when Ridge said he was under the impression that Daley's decision to shutter Meigs had nothing to do with terrorist threats.

"I know that the decision to close the field was made prior to Sept. 11, at least that's what was communicated to me," Ridge said.

"I am not about to second guess any mayor or any governor for making an executive decision to do or not to do something they feel will have or have not an impact on their community," Ridge said.

Ridge was asked about Meigs during a session with reporters to announce that Chicago and six other cities were targeted to share $100 million to guard against or respond to terrorism.

Chicago must submit and win approval for a plan to use its $10.97 million allocation. Chicago, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Houston were judged to be high-risk potential terrorist targets by the FBI, CIA and Ridge's department.

Users of private planes have been the most vocal opponents of Meigs' closing, though some have raised concerns that the airport is needed by "first responders'' in an emergency.

Asked if Chicagoans were now safer, Ridge said, "from the mayor's point of view, they are." And from Ridge's point of view?

"Well, from my point of view, that is a local decision and we can't micromanage those kinds of decisions," Ridge said.

The mayor's action will be discussed at a House aviation subcommittee hearing today. Steve Hansen, spokesman for subcommittee chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), said his boss was not pleased with the closing.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) called the closing an "act of arrogant recklessness" and hinted the consequence may be a loss of federal transportation funds for the city.

Daley brushed off suggestions that the heavy-handed maneuver would cost the city state and federal money.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[RevJim 0]

And a good one:

Sen. Inhofe blasts Daley's arrogance
Apr. 8 — Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chair of the Senate committee that determines how much federal money will be designated for various public works projects in Illinois, came out swinging against Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley yesterday.

"I'm a little ashamed of Chicago right now," Inhofe told a public hearing in the Windy City. He called Mayor Daley's midnight raid on Meigs Field "an act of arrogant recklessness reminiscent of the 1920s, not the 21st century."

And Inhofe intimated that Daley's destruction might have an impact on federal funding for other Chicago projects. "Tearing up a runway is destroying infrastructure," Inhofe said during the hearing. "If you willfully go out and destroy infrastructure, the way that the mayor did, then it is a little inconsistent to came back and have a hearing to see what kind of infrastructure needs there are in Illinois."

Later, in an exclusive interview with AOPA, Inhofe reemphasized the point. "How can Mayor Daley expect me to be sensitive to Chicago's infrastructure needs when he goes out in the middle of the night and tears up millions of dollars of infrastructure?"

"I hope this isn't over yet," Inhofe continued. "I think it's still worthwhile to replace the runway, and that will be taken into consideration as we consider other funding requests for Chicago."

Inhofe, a CFI and AOPA member, was in Chicago to conduct a field hearing for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which he chairs. Inhofe will have a huge say in what federal money Chicago gets for highways and other public works. But Daley's actions so enraged the senator that he was tempted not to come to the hearing in protest. "Sen. Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) convinced me to come," Inhofe told AOPA.

"Anything done in the middle of the night has to be suspect," Inhofe said. Referring to the previous agreement between Mayor Daley and former Illinois Governor George Ryan that would have expanded O'Hare airport and preserved Meigs, Inhofe called Daley's actions a "total disregard for ethical and courteous behavior. I was a mayor of a major city for three terms, and I would not have done that no matter what my personal feelings were."

Sen. Inhofe said that Chicago officials tried to convince him there was a security reason for closing Meigs. "I don't believe there is any substance to that rationale," Inhofe said. "Meigs was examined very careful by the Department of Homeland Security, and they determined it wasn't a threat."

Inhofe said that he would be looking at ways to restore Meigs and to protect other airports from similar destruction.

And he promised he would try to block federal funds from being used to replace the airport with a park. "I will use my influence to deter federal funds from being spent on something that is not as good a use of the land as an airport is," Inhofe told AOPA.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[RevJim 0]

Meigs Field Update

Nice to hear!
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/meigs.html
Illinois governor and AOPA president welcome first operations as Chicago's Meigs airport reopens
February 11 -- Chicago's downtown reliever airport, lakefront Meigs Field, reopened February 10 following a city-state compromise to continue operating the airport. Phil Boyer, president of AOPA -- which led the national fight to reopen the airport in concert with local pilots -- was among the first pilots to land at Meigs reopening day.
"Good morning, Meigs Tower, it's a pleasure to be talking to you again," Boyer radioed as he approached Meigs Field. AOPA frequently uses Meigs to conduct business in Chicago, as do hundreds of individuals and companies needing fast access to Chicago's business district.

Aircraft returning to Meigs Monday also included a single-engine Piper Archer flown by Rufus Hunt of the Tuskegee Airmen, which sponsors an educational activity program for inner city youth at Meigs. The large Gulfstream II business jet from Crown Equipment of New Bremen, Ohio, was also there early on opening day, transporting 13 employees to a trade show at nearby McCormick Place.

Governor Jim Edgar, who flew in aboard the state's business airplane from the Illinois capital at Springfield, told the crowd of reporters and airport supporters, "I'm delighted to see Meigs open. I think it will prove to be an even more important economic asset to the city and the state than it was before."

Recognizing AOPA's influential role in reopening Meigs Field, Governor Edgar asked Boyer to join him at the microphone. "Closing Meigs was more than a city or state issue, and more than a blow to the national air transportation system," Boyer said. "To the 340,000 pilots I represent, this closing also symbolized what could happen to their community airports. "We're proud to be able to come back today to a Meigs Field with no Xs on the runway."

The city-state compromise calls for the city to operate and promote the use of Meigs for five years and install a state-funded instrument approach system. The city has already made needed repairs to the airport, including fixing runway pavement cracks and sprucing up the terminal building.

Initially, the Meigs control tower will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. But the agreement also calls for the city to extend operating hours until midnight.

"These changes, particularly a new instrument approach, will greatly increase the utilization of Meigs," said Boyer. "The airport will become even more important to Chicago's economy."

Governor Edgar echoed Boyer's assessment, saying, "Give Meigs five years and it will prove itself."

Chicago's lakefront airport has operated continuously since 1946, providing direct air transportation to The Loop (Chicago's downtown business district) and Chicago's lakefront

McCormick Place convention center. Meigs Field has been in the national aviation spotlight since 1980 when then-mayor Jane Byrne first proposed closing the airport. Last year, Mayor Richard M. Daley said he wanted to turn the airport into a $27 million nature park.

AOPA and others -- including the National Business Aircraft Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and local groups such as The Friends of Meigs -- have been campaigning vigorously to prevent the airport's destruction. AOPA argued Meigs' value for regional business and commerce, for emergency air services, and, as the FAA-designated reliever airport, reducing general aviation traffic at overcrowded O'Hare and Midway Airports. Some 40,000 flights a year would have diverted to Midway alone had Meigs remained closed.

The Association first worked to convince Mayor Daley to change his park plans. It also mounted a public information campaign, including placing full-page advertisements in local newspapers.

AOPA also worked closely with Illinois Governor Edgar and Illinois Transportation Secretary Kirk Brown, both strong Meigs supporters. In September 1996, AOPA, NBAA, GAMA and other plaintiffs filed suit in Federal Court to stop Chicago from closing Meigs. The state of Illinois filed a similar suit in state court. When both courts declined to issue temporary restraining orders, Chicago closed Meigs Field October 1. But Governor Edgar, with the support of AOPA and other Meigs advocates, convinced the Illinois Legislature to pass a bill permitting state take-over of the airport. Chicago and Illinois then reached the compromise which lead to reopening and improving Meigs Field.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[diverdriver 7]

Dude, I just flew over Meigs. There ain't no concrete down there. Nice try.

That article is from 1997 I believe?

[RevJim 0]

Um, oops?

Too much TsingTao tonight, I guess.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[RevJim 0]

OK, correct update:

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2004/04-1-087x.html

FAA grants AOPA demand for investigation into Meigs closure
Feb. 11 — AOPA's claim that the city of Chicago violated federal law and aviation regulations when it shut down Meigs Field last March has merit, says the FAA, and will be investigated. AOPA filed a formal complaint following the destruction of Meigs's runway on Mayor Richard M. Daley's order, claiming the city failed to provide adequate notice, as required by the FARs. The complaint will not result in the airport's reopening but can lead to the mayor and the city being punished for their actions.

"AOPA intends to push for the appropriate penalty to be imposed on the city," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Mayor Daley and any other state or local official who may want to follow Daley's lead must be made to understand they cannot unilaterally change the National Airspace System."

The manager of the FAA's Enforcement Division sent a letter of response to AOPA's complaint against both the mayor and the city, saying "reasonable grounds exist" to begin an informal investigation into the allegations.

AOPA maintains that Daley and the city of Chicago violated both the U.S. Code and Federal Aviation Regulations. The U.S. Code states that an airport or landing area not involving the expenditure of federal money may be altered substantially "only if the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration is given reasonable prior notice, so that the Administrator may provide advice on the effects" of the alteration. In order for the administrator to carry out that obligation, Federal Aviation Regulations state that anyone intending to alter a runway, deactivate a runway or airport, or change the status of an airport must submit notice of that intent at least 90 days prior to taking such action.

The FARs do provide for immediate emergency action, such as in the case of national security, which was Daley's original claim. However, even in the case of an emergency, if the airport has a charted instrument approach, which Meigs Field did, a minimum of 30 days' notice must be given.

An informal investigation proceeds at the discretion of the assigned investigator, in this case the manger of the Chicago Airports District Office of the FAA's Great Lakes Region. At the end of the investigation, the FAA will issue an Enforcement Investigative Report. If the report suggests that there's evidence to proceed, then the FARs say "a notice of proposed order may be issued or other enforcement action taken." That enforcement could be anything up to and including fining the city for its action. There is no time limit for an informal investigation, but any civil penalty action must be taken within two years of the event — in this case by March 30, 2005.

To ensure that nothing like the Meigs debacle happens again, AOPA lobbied hard on Capitol Hill for the Meigs Legacy provision, which is part of the 2003 FAA Reauthorization bill. It provides for hefty fines against anyone who closes an airport or runway without giving the FAA the required notice.

"The fact of the matter is that nothing the FAA eventually does will bring Meigs Field back," said Boyer. "But the FAA's declaring that our complaint has merit sends a message to the next mayor or county supervisor or governor who gets the same idea to shut down an airport in the dark of night — 'don't try it!'"

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[diverdriver 7]

edit: Ahhhhh.....that's better.

[RevJim 0]

Quote

edit: Ahhhhh.....that's better.

Yea. I've been trying to keep up on this. The last thing I wanted was for Dailey to set a precedent with this by getting away with it scott free.

That would be quite uncool.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[freeflir29 0]

Wow....one more reason I hate Chicago.

[RevJim 0]

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Wow....one more reason I hate Chicago.

Gotta agree with you there, Clay.

Now Ottawa, IL..... hmmmmmmm

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

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Wow....one more reason I hate Chicago.

Same here.
And isn't the city of Morton Grove in Illinois -- the one that banned handgun ownership outright?

It's ILLINOIS I hate, not just Chicago.

-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[freeflir29 0]

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It's ILLINOIS I hate, not just Chicago.

Two words......."FOID Card."

[eeneR 3]

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FOID Card

That would be an acronym...and a word Heh, come on you fill out a piece of paper, give them a pic....and a few weeks later after they are suppose to do a background check you have a nice little card that says you can own a gun,......

Yes I do have mine.......

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[freeflir29 0]

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and a few weeks later after they are suppose to do a background check you have a nice little card that says you can own a gun,

Which they do when you buy a gun ANYWAY!!!! I think NC was worse actually. You had to get a PERMIT to buy a handgun. Some counties even limited you to 5 per month. It's crazy I tell ya. I like Montana....I walk in...show my driver's license and say...I'll take that one...and that one....and two of those. In and out in 20 minutes or less.

[eeneR 3]

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Which they do when you buy a gun ANYWAY!!!!

Heh, I never said I agree with IL politics..... and i will say I am damn glad to be out of the city of Chicago, spent 22 years there, that was enough

< ---- product of the City of Chicago Board of Education

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[freeflir29 0]

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and i will say I am damn glad to be out of the city of Chicago, spent 22 years there, that was enough

Yuck!! I have to visit there quite often and that's bad enough!

[eeneR 3]

Yea, now I just need to exit the state...... Just have to decide where....and when...and plans and all

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[freeflir29 0]

Just make sure to stay FAR away from Ohio too. This place sucks at a fairly high level as well.

[PhreeZone 20]

Oh just suck it up and think warm thoughts!

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[WFFC 1]

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Two words......."FOID Card."

Response - Gun owner, not a FOID holder...Got my letter from the state that says I don't have to have one but if I sell them the person that buys them better have one...
btw, I carry a Colorado drivers license...

-----
~~~Michael

[kallend 2,148]

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edit: Ahhhhh.....that's better.

Daley is another lying ba$tard inarticulate politician who thinks that he has a divine right to inherit the job from his daddy. They have 'em in both major parties.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.