[RTC List] Bringing Delta Airlines to the Eureka/Arcata Airport

Mon Dec 17 11:33:07 PST 2007

Michael,

You're right to care about our quality of life. It is one of our greatest economic and community assets. But it sounds like you are swallowing the "common fallacy"--growth or no growth. It is not a choice between "no growth" and the insane growth you describe. Our region has "grown"--in, jobs, wages and people--slowly and steadily for the last 20 years. Indications are that this slow growth will continue. There are not indications that it will go crazy any minute and we should bar the doors, as though we can. We are far too remote, too land constrained

The goal that I think we can agree on is thoughtful "growth" or development that preserves and enhances our quality of life, which includes our people making a living, which has to involve participation in the regional, state, national and global economy. 

The people who use the airline the most are small business owners. The owners of small businesses--like Fire and Light, Holly Yashi, Humboldt Creamery, Cypress Grove, Loleta Cheese, Kokatat, C Crane Company, Marimba One, Streamguys, Healthware Solutions, a thousand more--need to reach their business clients and colleagues and they do it by FLYING to trade shows and meetings all over the country. 

This is also true for telecommuters, who live here and work for companies and customers elsewhere. According to EDD data, over 300 people in Humboldt County work outside the county in locations that you would have to fly to...LA, Contra Costa, Sacramento counties.

These small business owners and telecommuters are choosing to live here and operate their business here for the same quality of life you enjoy. They are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra cost to be in this remote area. 

Adding the additional route with Delta will decrease those costs. It won't "attract" big companies to move here. The whole notion is a fallacy. But it will make it possible for the small businesses to expand one more product line, sell one more of their Humboldt-made products into the world, and to add one more job. That is a sustainable economy.

It is only fear mongering to say that expanding airline service will cause "more crowded roads, more crime, more taxes, higher property costs, more local pollution, more low-paying service jobs, fewer natural resources, and a degradation of Humboldt County's natural beauty." 

We do need to be involved in making choices about how we grow. Going to extremes does not help the community build realistic, values based solutions to complex problems. Let's focus on the many ways we can make thoughtful choices for our future. 

Expanding airline routes is one low cost, high benefit, quality of life PRESERVING choice.

j

Jacqueline R. Debets
Economic Development Coordinator 
HC-WIB Executive Director
County of Humboldt, CA
Prosperity Center
520 E Street, Eureka, CA 95501
707-445-7747 (Direct)  
707-445-7745 (Main Office);  707-445-7219 (Fax) 
Email:  jdebets at co.humboldt.ca.us
Humboldt County is a partner in the Prosperity! Network.

-----Original Message-----
From: list-bounces at redwoodtech.org
[mailto:list-bounces at redwoodtech.org]On Behalf Of Michael Welch
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 9:38 AM
To: list at redwoodtech.org
Subject: Re: [RTC List] Bringing Delta Airlines to the Eureka/Arcata
Airport

Once again, we are being fed a common fallacy. There is no connection between adding Delta to the airport roster and more jobs and prosperity. This is merely a convenience for a handful of people in our community. 

Historically, flights and airlines come and go in Humboldt County. Yes, Delta may come here, but they also will probably leave again when they find a more convenient place for their service. No business that properly does its homework will move to Humboldt based on a likely-to-be-temporary increase in airline service. 

Further, people are starting to realize that growth is not all that it was cracked up to be, and is no longer the sacred cow that it once was. What most in this community want is quality of life, which is really why we are here instead of the kinds of places that have lots of flights and unlimited growth. Our quality of life will not be increased by growth, but it can be maintained by keeping growth to a minimum. Growth translates to often excessive prosperity for a few, but the rest of us end up with more crowded roads, more crime, more taxes, higher property costs, more local pollution, more low-paying service jobs, fewer natural resources, and a degradation of Humboldt County's natural beauty.

Finally, and most important, in this day and age of global warming, the absolute worst form of transportation in terms of pollutants per passenger miles is airline travel.

C'mon, gang, we do not need another airline here. We do not need another connection to another hub. Just say "no" to Delta, just as if it is a drug being offered by dealers of unfettered growth. 

CrawfordCA at aol.com wrote at 12:40 PM 12/16/2007:

>To the RTC list  ...
> 
>If this is not of interest to you, I apologize for the intrusion. We as individuals and businesses have a crucial deadline coming up 12/20 to pledge a minimum of $2000 each in air travel as an incentive to attract Delta Airlines to begin twice-daily service from Eureka/Arcata to Salt Lake City (a Delta hub).
> 
>You do not need to write a check or provide credit card billing right now  ...  just fill out the attached form and fax it to Madelin Holtcamp at the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (FAX = 445-9652).  This is a creative financing promotion used successfully by the aviation consulting firm that RREDC is using to create better travel options for local individuals and businesses. See the description below for more information.  
> 
>If you've done ANY air travel in and out of Eureka/Arcata, you'll know how uncertain connections to other cities can be --  this attributable more than 50% of the time to weather and air traffic in San Francisco as it is to our own local fog, wind and rain. A connection to another city, especially a hub city such as Salt Lake City, means much more than one added flying option. It means better business opportunities for the North Coast.
> 
>Give your friends, neighbors and co-workers a Christmas present they can really use  ...  jobs and prosperity  ...  by pledging your $2000 or more today.
> 
>Thanks for your consideration, and Merry Christmas !!
> 
>Chris Crawford
><http://www.justiceserved.com/>www.justiceserved.com
>707-443-1944
> 
> 
> 
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (From Gregg Foster, with slight edits)
>
>Dear friend of the Arcata-Eureka Airport:
>
>ItâEUR(tm)s probably been awhile since youâEUR(tm)ve heard anything new about efforts to attract a new airline to our local airport.  Briefly, while I was at RREDC, we initiated a project to recruit new air service.   Our top priorities were to either attract a new airline or to secure a new eastern destination.    Ideally, the new service would serve both priorities.
>
>On October 3, I joined Airports Manager Jacquelyn Hulsey, Public Works Director Tom Mattson, and Joseph Pickering from RREDCâEUR(tm)s consultant Mead and Hunt in a presentation to Delta Airlines officials at their headquarters in Atlanta.  Our purpose in meeting with them was to discuss their interest in initiating service from our airport to their western hub in Salt Lake City.  In short, our meeting with them went very well.  They have expressed their strong interest in starting twice per day jet service to Salt Lake City.  
>
>Why are we interested in Salt Lake City?  Currently, Delta Airlines offers 373 peak day departures to 115 non-stop destinations from Salt Lake City.  Their plan is to increase this to 122 non-stop destinations by Summer 2008.  The new service that we are targeting to twice per day service on 50 seat regional jets.  
>
>However, in expressing their interest, Delta is looking for local incentives and indication of support.   They are being actively recruited by a number of jurisdictions who are placing real financial incentives on the table.  To secure this service, then, we must also offer financial incentives to Delta.
>
>In short, we will need to produce the following:
>
>1.      $500,000 in revenue guarantees.  This money will be held in trust locally and would only be used to offset any short-term losses that Delta might incur.  Clear thresholds must be met by Delta to get access to these dollars and if revenue exceeds those thresholds, we will not have to provide the revenue support.
>
>2.       $500,000 in pre-purchased travel through an Air Travel Bank(tm) (ATB).  Our consultant, Mead and Hunt, pioneered the use of ATBs and has been successful in using them to start service in other cities.  Your investment in the ATB will be good for purchases of any Delta Airline flight for one year following the commencement of service from our airport.  If service does not start, then your investment will be returned.
>
>I have spoken to literally hundreds of people over the past few years about the need for new service and I believe that the goals set out here can be achieved.  Delta has given us a very short timeline, much shorter that I had anticipated.  This is actually good news, as it indicates that theyâEUR(tm)d could start this service as early as mid 2008.
>
>We need to move fast if we are to succeed.  Please respond to RREDC Executive Director Madelin Holtkamp at <mailto:rredc at northcoast.com>rredc at northcoast.com or 445-9651 (no later than 12/20/07) to let her know (you are) willing and able to support our efforts.
>
>Finally, thanks for your support of this important effort to connect our region to the rest of the world. 
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ END
>
>
>
>
>----------
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