Monroe Regional Airport Could Be Impacted by Sequester Cuts

To prepare for the possibility of a budget sequestration on March 1, 2013, the FAA is making plans to reduce its expenditures by $600 million dollars.

Among the changes being considered - closing over a hundred air traffic control facilities across the country, including the control tower at the Monroe Regional Airport.

Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo says that could mean an alteration to our commercial air travel where a tower in the Dallas Forth Worth Area would be over air traffic control.

Mayor Mayo says, "We are talking about a loss of jobs, and obstructing the ability for many to conduct business and personal air travel. Political maneuvering in D.C., at the expense of local municipalities and businesses is definitely not good. My administration is making contact with our federal delegation to express our concerns about this latest report. We are counting on all federal leaders to step up and put politics aside in order to get a budget deal done soon."

Airport manager Ron Phillips says military traffic at the airport would likely be affected the most.