Abraham Lincoln National Airport: Will it fly or die? Peotone, IL – Since the political downfall of former congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., many people seem to have written off his efforts to bring a third airport to the south suburban Peotone footprint.
Twenty municipalities and member communities joined forces by adopting an intergovernmental agreement to promote development of a new commercial airport in the suburban region south of Chicago, Illinois. The group created a Joint Airport Commission, as authorized in the Illinois Constitution (620 ILCS 20/2). This organization is known as the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission.
he Commission mandated its members to plan, develop, finance, construct and operate a commercial airport with passenger and cargo facilities near University Park, Illinois. The group committed to a public-private partnership. Under terms of a Master Agreement, the Commission plan is to grant a lease to a Master Developer for a term of 40 years. Through this arrangement, the Commission intends to sponsor the development of a commercial airport that is financially attractive for air carriers, passengers, and shippers in the region. It will provide economic benefits to the State of Illinois, taxpayers in the local and member communities, and other businesses that will be attracted to the airport.
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich outlined his support for the development of the Abraham Lincoln National Airport in his State of the State address in February 2005. The Governor acknowledged that the airport would provide a major infusion of new investment and full-time employment “in an area of our state that desperately needs jobs.” This issue is where the problems and challenges began, and have yet to end. The former Second District Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. long held the view that this third airport would complement O’Hare, not compete with it or the Midway airport.
The ALNAC committee, formed to support the development of the proposed airport in Will County, has always worked independently of the former congressman. Many questions remain to be answered in the post-Jackson era. While Jackson was a primary supporter of the Peotone airport proposal, he was also a divisive figure, sparring with Will County leaders over control of the facility. So only time will tell if ALNAC and its plans will survive the congressman’s political demise.
ALNAC Chairman Al McCowan said the commission stands steadfast on this issue, and the jobs and economic benefits the airport could bring remain his primary focus. One can only imagine what must have been going through this former mayor of University Park’s mind as he sat through a meeting of community leaders at Governors State University, listening to them unfold legislation mirroring what ALNAC has proposed for years, with even acknowledging their ALNAC’s efforts.
I must admit that the meeting struck me as a bit propagandist. Ann Schneider of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) opened the meeting by pointing out which legislators sponsored and got the recent Senate Bill 20 and House Bill 215 passed. This legislation, on the surface, is surely great news. However, with the gubernatorial race looming, one has to wonder, considering Illinois’ lack of political candor.
State Senator Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields, had previously announced that she had written a proposal to create a South Suburban Airport Authority to oversee construction; one cannot help but wonder with whom she consulted. It goes without saying that this south suburban region needs a leader in government to bring all parties together. More than ever, people seem to understand that the airport is the most important issue not only for the south suburbs but also for Kankakee and Will counties. The challenge is simply a matter of good people wanting to sit down and compromise.
Many constituents are speaking out about the increased unemployment, homelessness, and rising property tax rates that have created an economic crisis in this region. With this being the case, it is amazing that Southland legislators have done such a lousy job of standing up for their constituents in Springfield when it comes to jobs, economic development, minority participation, and development.
Since Quinn was elected governor, Jackson has always contended that ALNAC's concept was protected by three different confidentiality agreements with the State of Illinois and ALNAC. Based on what I heard during this meeting, I am skeptical as to how well this “confidentiality agreement” has been honored by the governor and/or his office; I simply do not believe in glaring coincidences such as these.
The potential rewards to all Southland communities are worth fighting to protect, so this prompted me to place a call to State Rep. Al Riley in order to ask him directly about the parallels between what ALNAC has promoted to date and these proposals now being laid out as being new and innovative; especially those 3 P’s, public-private partnerships.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Abraham Lincoln National Airport: Will it fly or die?
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