Airport board meeting heats up

Former county commissioner takes shot at raceway, saying it provides part-time jobs at minimum wage and pays little real estate taxes.
Scott Seitz2
Sep 12, 2013


Maybe it was the hot weather Tuesday afternoon or possibly the Huron County Airport kettle has finally come to a boil.

Whatever the reason, things got testy during the audience participation portion of the airport board meeting. Among those speaking was former county commissioner candidate and Norwalk Township resident Sharon Ward, who condemned the idea of selling the airport to Summit Motorsports Park. The raceway only provides part-time jobs at minimum wage and pays little real estate taxes, according to Ward.

A story about the meeting was published in Wednesday's Norwalk Reflector.



"Winkle said the airport is not a "rich man's play yard." I like Joe Scranton's comments.

Now The Rest of...

According to the Huron County Auditor, Summit Motorsports Park pays $16,322.24 in property taxes on their 100 acres on SR18, not to mention the sales taxes and income to local business from lodging, restaurants and retail. How much does the airport contribute?


And just how much tax does the county engineers office pay for the roads and bridges?
Or the schools in the county pay for their property.
How about the taxes on the Courthouse? Shariffs Office? Welfare Office?


I work in Norwalk and as a pilot, the closing of the airport is one of my chief reservations to moving to the City (and county!) Pilots bring money and taxes into county... Plane sales have huge taxes (County Sales tax rate on purchases of $25,000-$500,000+), based on what county you base your plane in.


To all of you self serving spoiled rich folks that think of the airport as your personal boys club I have no sympathy! It is obvious that the commissioner see the writing on the wall and represent us the tax payers. bear in mind we are the majority that cannot afford to carry your pleasure sport with little or no profit! I speak for many of my coworkers when I tell you to suck it up an do what is right for the majority as this is how a democracy works. So dry your sniffles and allow us to do what is needed and sell to the highest bidder where the tax revenue is immeasurable based on the amount of revenue the speedway generates. Many businesses reap the rewards as opposed to the elite fly boy club that wants to have their cake and eat it too! Shame on you, you self righteous self centered spoiled silver spoon children! Do what is right and go away!


Do you work for or get food from the Farmers who have their fields sprayed? You ready to lose your job or pay more for that food?
It is not the $s made at the airport but those that the airport makes possible by providing access for the local companies connection with other then local markets.
If you want to talk about "rich man's toys" then look at all those that use the track. Many of which do NOT spread their $s to other local businesses. How many of them park their campers and trailers at the track when they get there and go nowhere else till they head home?
You call those who use the airport "elite fly boy club", "self righteous self centered spoiled silver spoon children!" and "self serving spoiled rich folks"
Many racers fly in in planes that could double the net value of aircraft on the field. Many other racers have campers, cars or both, that either of which exceed the value of any plane based at the airport.
Most of which come in as late as possible and leave as soon as possible without ever stopping anywhere else in the county and possibly the state.


Yes pray to the Lord Bader fill his pockets with local state and federal dollars designed to make our infrastructure strong. YOU can do what's right and go make some cornbread.


There is an easy solution:

Total cost of operations and upkeep vs what it is bringing in.

If its close...keep it. If not sell it.


Lets see the numbers for each road and bridge in the county and close those that do not meet your arbitrary levels.


Horrible comparison. 99% of people use roads and bridges that drive. Also those who do not drive, ride in a car, so their tax dollars collected ARE being used for something they use daily and multiple times daily.


I used that comparison to point out how ill concieved you idea is.
The benefit to the community is not from how much the "airport" earns but from how the access it provides helps the local businesses.
It is the local exit/entrance to the aerial highway. close it and the area will suffer like those places that didn't get the railroad or interstate highways to come through.