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Airport Turkey Keeps Flying

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

It's unfortunate that Gov. Charlie Crist, who otherwise demonstrated a healthy regard for public resources, failed to veto $12 million the Legislature approved for a new Panama City airport, a boondoggle with little purpose other than to promote development in remote Panhandle woodlands.

Florida TaxWatch, the independent agency that monitors state spending, identified the allocations - $4.5 million for the airport, $7.5 million for a road to it - as turkeys because they bypassed the legitimate legislative budgeting process. That's understandable. Any scrutiny would reveal the spending as a complete waste.

The airport is not needed. The existing Panama City airport is underutilized. The grandiose $331 million airport project in the middle of nowhere would destroy 2,000 acres of wetlands.

For lawmakers to support such a wasteful, destructive venture during a lean budget year when they've cut funding for schools, the disabled and needy kids is unconscionable.

But the proposal is being pushed by St. Joe Co., the state's largest land developer that plans to develop surrounding acreage. And the Legislature and Crist seem unwilling to buck the influential company.

Taxpayers and the environment lost out.

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