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Michael2012: This story about Philadelphia Airport and USAir is all over the Internet:

"US Airways balks at Philly airport expansion"

"The biggest airline in town says it doesn't want to pay for a new runway at the Philadelphia International Airport. The runway is part of a $6 billion expansion plan backed by the city, which says it will reduce delays."

The fact is USAirways, by far the largest airline at Philadelphia is actively campaigning to stop the expansion there.

Besides that, RIAC has not identified one penny that can be borrowed or otherwise lined up to pay for the expansion at Green. Its idea to use federal letters of credit to float bonds is very naive. No airport has been able to pull that off without showing a track record of increasing passenger counts. RIAC's passenger counts will be down once again for the calendar year 2011. Fitch ratings has warned RIAC that future borrowing will cause ratings downgrades. Such borrowing is not allowed by Rhode Island law - the debt ceiling statute.

This may all be "old school" but it is the way government operates around here - borrow to build. Now, in 2012, the borrowing party is over. This is not my opinion but that of Fitch Ratings and former General Treasurer Frank Caprio.

By the way where do you get the information that Warwick is "better off financially?" If that were true they would fix the fire code violations in the schools and the terrible roads residents face every day.

From: Council working on demands of airport

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