Imagine for a minute you are the CEO of a large corporation. You have an asset that is underutilized at only about 45 percent of its capacity. Increasing its use by a mere 5 percent would generate well over $100 million in annual revenue and $20 million in local tax revenue with very little investment. And it would provide incredible benefits to your stockholders beyond the revenue it generated.
Would you do it? Of course you would.
As a citizen and taxpayer of Snohomish County you already own such an underutilized asset. Its called the Snohomish County Airport at Paine Field in Everett. Adding commercial passenger service there would provide convenient access to airlines, would add one more piece to the transportation puzzle to help ease our transportation mess, would generate millions in local tax revenue and stimulate economic development.
Imagine flying out of Everett to your next vacation or business trip. Imagine your distant loved ones flying into Everett for a visit. And imagine not having to fight through Seattle traffic jams to get to SeaTac. Imagine not having to wait through long security lines at SeaTac. A smaller airport like Paine Field is a fast in-and-out airport. The runways and capacity already exist. All we need to do is recruit interested airlines and use the existing capacity. If youre as excited as most people are when they hear about this, go to www.flyfromeverett.org and get the facts. There you can sign up to get more information as it becomes available and join the ranks of business groups, the Economic Development Council, chambers of commerce, unions and private citizens who support adding commercial passenger service to Paine Field. Signing up there will also show the airlines of your interest as we begin to reach out to interested carriers.
Steve Neighbors
Fly From Everett Committee
Lake Stevens