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Airplanes are transportation, right?

Anthony Marino, director of aviation for Baton Rouge Metro Airport, reasons that a second budget surplus, along with the current star status of transportation needs, makes this a great time for Louisiana’s airports to “get off their butts” and lobby collectively for more state funding during the current regular session.

In the past, airports have pressed their cases separately. Inspired by the success the Ports Association of Louisiana has had in pressing ports’ case for more funding, Marino is spearheading an effort this session to get airports to act more like a coalition in going after funds.

Like the ports, Marino has a consultant’s report to help him argue for greater funding. And like the ports, airports have a backlog of capital improvement projects that he argues could help drive economic development if funding were sufficient to accomplish them. Unlike the ports, airports also receive federal money through the Federal Aviation Administration, which is matched with state funds from an aviation fuel tax, but it’s still not enough, Marino says. It’s time airports became more aggressive about securing state funding, he says.

Airports are tackling $60 million in projects this year with federal/state match money, though in truth it will only reduce the backlog by $12 million, since $48 million in new projects have been added to the project list, Marino says. The total backlog of approved aviation projects is $304 million.

The consultant’s report, which he hopes to use as ammunition during the session, will focus on airports’ impact on communities.

Metro Airport, for instance, employs 2,650 people. And it buys services, fuel, vehicles and uniforms, which has an economic impact. Construction projects contribute to the economy as well. The consultant’s report, while it won’t deal in specific projects, will attempt to give a clear picture of how the state’s air-carrier airports—general aviation facilities, too—benefit local economies.

“They’ll look at all the airports then try to come up with a number that says, ‘This is what airports do that wouldn’t have happened without airports,’” Marino says.

An example of how funding for airport improvements contribute to the economy is Baton Rouge Metro’s plans for a CAT2 Instrument Landing System, which allows aircraft to operate under lower ceilings than older technology. Marino’s got the money to buy it. Now he needs the money to install it. FedEx, which created about 130 jobs coming to Baton Rouge, needs CAT2 for its Airbus cargo aircraft, thus paying for the project helps ensure those jobs will stay here, along with the local revenue FedEx generates through fuel purchases, landing fees and so on.

“We all have economic development projects on our airports, and we should concentrate on those projects,” Marino says.

The FAA doesn’t fund economic development. Hence, more state help is needed, he adds.

“That’s what’s hurt us in aviation for a number of years,” Marino says. “There’s no funding source for economic development other than what you can generate yourself. That has always been an issue.”

He says the ports association did a “magnificent job” pitching ports as economic development engines, and received a greater share of funding as a result. Plus, it only makes sense to invest in existing infrastructure in which hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have already been invested—especially if new investment is geared toward meeting the demands of the marketplace, Marino says.

“We know that we have got to do a better job than we have in the past in getting some money,” he says. “Highways, of course, they’ve got a gazillion dollars in backlog projects. Well you know what? So do we. Maybe we shouldn’t be sitting back just waiting for federal grants.”

Joe Accardo, executive director of the Ports Association of Louisiana, wishes airports luck in their quest for more funding. Airports as a vital part of an effective statewide intermodal transportation system, and lobbying as a coalition, is the way to go, he says.

“When you talk as a unified body you get more attention, I believe,” Accardo says.

“Existing infrastructure” is the key phrase. Port officials argue for the wisdom of reinvesting in it for reasons of economic development. Marino makes the same argument when he bashes the Louisiana Airport Authority and its proposal for a multimodal cargo airport near Donaldsonville—which he does whenever he gets the chance.

From his perspective, LAA’s vision is a fantasy that might have been doable decades ago but will never happen now. Meanwhile, the LAA continues to ask for money to continue the feasibility study process—and keep their agency’s lights on.

Marino soon might not have anything to complain about: Not only did the latest executive budget leave out $2.3 million LAA wanted for an environmental study, investment analysis and business plan, it was also missing the $400,000 LAA needs to keep the lights on for another year.

Now dueling bills have been filed for the regular session: one, from Rep. Mert Smiley, a Republican from Port Vincent, that would clarify the public-private partnership nature of the project; another, authored by Sen. Rob Marionneaux, a Baton Rouge Democrat, that would dismantle LAA once and for all.

Glenda Jeansonne, LAA’s executive director, doesn’t think it’s curtains. “The budget office has been calling me almost every day trying to resolve this situation,” she says. “I think we’re going to be just fine.”

She’s not surprised by Marionneaux’s bill, since he’s been opposed to the project for years, and Jeansonne says the project has plenty of support in other quarters—including, she hopes, the state’s new leadership.

“I’m hoping to know something in about a week, if we’re getting funded,” Jeansonne says.

She hopes the state’s existing airports get the funding they’re after, and thinks it’s “a shame” Marino opposes LAA. Jeansonne insists the project would not compete with existing airports. Marino, as usual, isn’t buying it.

“Ports are real,” he says. “Airports are real. We have real projects. Real economic development. And then you have Disney World.”