3/26/2008 9:38:00 PM
Shuttle companies oppose new LAX flight
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PRESCOTT - The prospect of a city subsidy for a new airline link between Prescott and Los Angeles generated opposition this week from a competing transportation sector: the shuttle services that annually drive thousands of passengers to Phoenix.
Representatives of two local shuttle companies - Prescott Transit Authority and Shuttle U - appeared before the Prescott City Council on Tuesday to oppose the financial incentive the city was considering to attract Horizon Air to Prescott.
Even so, after hearing others in the audience refer to the plan as a significant opportunity, the council unanimously approved the contract.
That means that by September, Prescott residents should have Horizon's new Prescott-to-Los Angeles International Airport flight to choose from, along with the Mesa Air Group's existing links to Phoenix and Las Vegas.
When council members initially discussed the Horizon contract at this past week's study session, they were receptive to the plan to spend as much as $365,000 of local money to bring the airline to the Prescott Airport to provide a non-stop flight to LAX.
That positive review landed the Horizon contract on the council consent agenda this week - a move that normally would have led to its approval, along with a list of other non-controversial items, with no further discussion.
But because questions came up in the meantime, the council took the matter off its consent agenda on Tuesday and opened it up for further discussion.
Steve Silvernale of the Prescott Transit Authority Airport Shuttle kicked off the discussion by noting that he objected to "giving funds to somebody who was going to compete with me directly."
Added Silvernale: "I do not oppose this airline coming here. What I do oppose is you subsidizing it. This will be detrimental to us."
Chuck White of Shuttle U voiced similar concerns. "I heartily disagree with us providing them $365,000 ..." he said, adding that during his recent six-month-long effort to get the necessary city permits for a new location for his business, "Nobody offered me any money to help me out."
The local contribution to Horizon would include a $142,000 revenue guarantee, which the city would pay only if the airline does not reach its customer projections. In addition, the contribution would include money for advertising, startup information technology, and airport improvements.
Prescott Economic Development Director Jane Bristol noted that the plan had been well-received by a number of area governments in the past week, including the Prescott Valley Town Council, which expressed support for contributing $42,000 to the local incentive, and the Flagstaff City Council, which approved its own contract with Horizon.
Along with this week's objections, the council has heard plenty of positive comments about the airline plan. Mayor Jack Wilson said the e-mails and comments he has received have been about "10-to-one in favor."
Prescott Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer David Maurer added his support, noting, "Every once in a while, you get something that perhaps can make a huge difference."
The passenger numbers from Horizon's 74-to-76-seat airplanes should help the city to reach the 10,000-per-year passenger mark - a goal the local airport has long worked to achieve, Maurer said.
Local resident Edward Burdick agreed, calling the Horizon proposal "one of those things that comes once in a lifetime."
Contact the reporter at cbarks@prescottaz.com
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Posted: Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Article comment by:
Adam
James Beam questioned the statement by Jack Wilson that he had 10 to 1 positive feedback about this issue. I did a request with the City of Prescott to obtain the emails. The total is 4 opposing and 2 in favor of subsidizing the airline. Jack Wilson said emails and comments where 10 to 1 in favor; for the record emails where 2 to 1 opposing. I cannot verify the comments he received in person but find it difficult to believe that he heard comments 10 to 1 from the citizens that voted him into office, especially in light of the conflicting emails obtained from the city. Hardly a capital offense, but the citizens of Prescott would be wise to verify the statements of our mayor before accepting them as fact. Our new mayor may have an honesty issue. Although this issue is a little dated, I hope that the mayor is questioned about the potential inaccuracy of his statements.
Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Article comment by:
Bill
Also, the shuttle companies should consider getting these visitors to Whiskey Row to spend all their money! They could make a lot more than the $35 a person fee for a 3 hour trip!! Change is inevitable --- they should be ready for bigger and better things!
Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Article comment by:
bduncan_2000
There are interesting opinions here --- a need for more money for infrastructure, yet a fear of outside investors. Investment in your town brings must-needed tax dollars. Prescott is such a beautiful escape I'm happy to have easier access from California.
Posted: Sunday, March 30, 2008
Article comment by:
Caslaneh
Subsidizing big-business goes against all the free-enterprize principles that have created our country and our town. Let them invest themselves of their own coffers if their committment is genuine. Why would a huge and successful corporation need taxpayer help? This makes no sense. Fair play means they must stand on their own just as the business owners in Prescott and P Valley have already done. It's grieving that the city leadership seems more invested in this non-priority than the actual priority needs of the community. Infrastructure first, fluff later. With streets, sewers and infrastructure suffering, is this not the cart before the horse? Prescott and Valley must tend to itself first, or it's suffering will literally worsen. Priorities, people. from Wisdom First
Posted: Saturday, March 29, 2008
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
As a friend, I should suggest to Mayor Wilson to sell, the airport, golf course and resturant and perhaps the city owned Trash pickup service. Then use the money to repair the poorly maintained leaking water and sewer system. Let free enterprise decide when a regional airport is viable. Are we giving the shuttle companies a subsity?
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Jon Elkin
To all registered voters and voter-eligible residents of Prescott, come next election remember the elected officials who vote to give away your tax dollars at a time they are crying poor mouth and wanting to sell us into further tax slavery to support their giveaways.
What we need around here is not subsidized direct flights to LAX, but filled potholes, paved streets, extended sewer lines, and more public safety presence in the byways of the city.
Prescott indeed needed change, and we did well to rid ourselves of a couple of people who needed to go. Now, we simply need to continue making changes each election until we get some people in place who have their priorities aligned with the needs and desires of the paying citizens of our fair town.
What many of us don't need or want is more taxpayer subsidies to big business, especially corporate outsiders.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Adam
James Beam, If you want to see Mr. Wilsons email's just go to city hall and do a public documents request. If it is on a city computer it is yours.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Tired.......
I often wonder if people like Jack Wilson and Little Man (Norwood) read this stuff that is posted here? Oh heck, I'm sure they are way TOO busy but it would sure be nice to know that people are being heard by someone that "cares". OK, someone at City Hall then :-). Hey Jack, when you get back from Office Depot, drop us a line with a comment.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Merry
There have been complaints about the LA people coming to Prescott. (Think of tourist dollars spend in Prescott!) And... doesn't anyone want to go TO LA? What's wrong with an escape to the Coast, especially in the summertime?
As for the shuttle people opposing. If they carry THAT much traffic to connect to LA, then it IS time for direct flights to LA.
I suspect, the LA shuttle is only a small contingency, and there will be plenty of other "takers" to other destinations.
Progress is not always a bad thing.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
It's still Highway 17
Hi, Let me get this straight as I tend to be a little slow here. It appears that some folks think the gawds of people will be flying here from L.A. as tourists to experience our fine dining, layout on the boat ramp at Lynx Lake to enjoy the sun and maybe catch a mini- trout, or spot an eagle somehwere in the bark beetle infested pines. Uh, I don't see a big draw from LAX to Prescott that will be enough to support tourism. The airport carriers will primarily exist by the support of business travelers, those that fly out and return here every week. The tourism part will be minimal. There are however, many, many folks that live in Prescott that make a living by traveling all over the country as a representative for companies outside of Arizona. I am one of them and have been doing this for 30 years. It doesn't matter where I live as long as I have an airport relatively close. For me, relatively close has been 100 miles. The biggest challenge in Prescott has been getting consistent, reliable and convenient service. I'm not going to whine about it because, until we get something good here, I'm still going to drive to Phoenix to catch my flight. The Horizon idea doesn't really do it for me because I am not enamored with Alaska, or American as a flying partner. I have years of elite status on some of the other airlines and I am not going to give that up just to make an easier connection to an airline that doesn't go to where I need to go without multiple connections. Alaska Airlines? Give me a break! And I don't care how comprehensive a market research study Horizon has done. They are receiving a no risk gift from the city. That sums-up the research study.
Argh! The drive, or shuttle ride to Phoenix isn't that bad compared to the present semi-crippled services out of Love Field.
Horizon, Alaska?
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Frequent Flyer from Prescott, not
JC, Many of us don't fly Alaska, or American and don't want to. If I have to choose between Alaska and American to make travel palatable through LAX, I'll pass and stick to the drive to Phoenix for a direct flight. Nothing against Alaska, or American. It's just that I'm not going to change my preferred carrier for the sake of rationalizing the need to fly from Prescott.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Ernest1657
The town governments, their masters, (the "Good Ole Boy " network), the landowners, developers, and real estate cabal want this airline. They will give away the taxpayers monies to get it ...why?
To make it easy to fly in retirees and "investors" so they can sell them empty promises in a rural high desert area without enough water. They will glad hand them and smile but when the busineses and dreams fail . The Good Ole Boys will chuckle to each other on the golf course and be out looking for new victims.
Ernie
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
bobstechman
Wouldn't the volume of travelers being California folks conveniently coming to Prescott, versus Prescott connecting through LAX? I'd think the Shuttle companies would want what is best for their customer base, even if that means losing some business. More convenience to Prescott airport, will likely be a good thing for the Shuttles in the long-term. They should not act selfish.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Patrick
Local small business trampled so the City Council and City Staff can give tax money to some out of town large business interest? What else is new? This is what they do. It defines them. As to the mayor's 10 to 1 in favor, he must have a very selective filter on that mail, or those that disagree with him have already given up on communicating with him. I know I have.
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
Article comment by:
JC
Frequent Flyer from Prescott, not - it appears as though you are contradicting your own statement. Horizon is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, thus there are ample connection opportunities on Alaska Airlines to Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Canada & Mexico. With American's code-share, you've got connections to Hawaii, the lower 48, and Europe. And don't forget Qantas to Australia. Since there is far more demand to fly from Prescott to LA than to Phoenix, yes LA passengers will benefit most. However, they won't be the only ones to benefit...not by a long shot. Horizon performs its own comprehensive market research and they will NOT enter a market if they aren't convinced they can be in it for the long-run. Just look at Horizon's track record of pulling out of markets...it just doesn't happen with them! It's now time for Prescott to have a real airline.
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