L.A./Ontario International Airport took another big step toward local control Tuesday.
The U.S. House passed by voice vote a bill by Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, authorizing the use of passenger facility fees at ONT to help pay off the cost of the airport’s two terminals – a condition of the agreement under which Los Angeles World Airports and the city of Los Angeles will turn over control of the facility to the Ontario International Airport Authority.
The agreement calls for OIAA to pay LAWA $50 million from passenger fees in the first five years and another $70 million from the fees in the final five years, to reimburse LAWA, a department of L.A. city government, for investments it made at ONT.
“Since it is not possible under existing law, today we are fixing this glitch,” Rep. Calvert said.
There was no controversy in passing the bill, which is co-sponsored by area Democrats Norma Torres, Grace Napolitano, Raul Ruiz, Pete Aguilar and Mark Takano, as well as Republicans Paul Cook and Ed Royce. Still, getting legislation through the House is never a sure thing.
And this little matter nearly got caught up in something much bigger. It was part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization, which …read more
Source:: U.S. Rep. Ed Royce
