Should "shovel ready" projects at Hanscom Field be funded?

First let me state that I am an independent who voted Democratic across the board this year. Secondly, my Son is a pilot who commands one of those silver bullets that everyone now seems to loathe. So yes, I have a vested interest in aviation.

That said, if a particular company is taking taxpayer monies as part of a bail-out, then politicians have a right, if not a duty to demand they give up their cooperate jets. However, I believe all the rhetoric arbitrarily slamming all corporate jets show the short sighted both state and federal bureaucrats are. These same legislators need to stop and think for a second. This country overwhelmingly elected the democrats to bring back the middle class. Well who do you think pilots these jets (except for the most senior pilots most make well under 100K a year)? The ground crews, maintenance technicians, avionics technicians, flight planning teams, fuel truck drivers, travel coordinators, hotel agents, and rental car support personal are all the MIDDLE-CLASS we elected you to protect.

What do you think happens if we get rid of all those jets? General Aviation companies pay hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal taxes every year. Further, it employs hundreds of thousands middle class workers all across the country that are also paying taxes. You guys keep yapping and you are going to throw half or more of these hard working Americans out of work. Come on legislators, wake up and think for a change.

As a former director of an S&P 500 company involved in reviewing corporate jet policy, I can tell you that this mode of travel is nothing more than a corporate perk, or benefit, for executives. While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with giving executives lavish benefits, there is a big problem when these benefits hurt the planet. A single corporate jet flight produces as much CO2 equivalent as the average person in India does in an entire year. This cannot be justified any longer.

First off Neil must be a disgruntled former director and where do you get the average person in India? Get real! If the government continues to lash out and anything THEY believe is excess then the economy will continue to collapse and here comes the next great depression!!! Yes, excessive spending is going on and Arthur makes a great comment about the middle class. If the government goes out and cancels all those military contracts they are talking about where do those workers go? To the unemployment line that's where! Those high skilled middle class workers are not going to go build bridges and roads, at least not right now.

I've been around corporate aviation for some time now and the "excesses" that everyone wants to lash out at are a small part of aviation. Does anyone see anything wrong with Nancy Pelosi flying a 50million dollar GV home every week on the governments dime or is it just corporate America that is bad and wasteful. When we put ALL politicians on commercial airlines is when we should give up corporate flying.

Once again the economy is a function of jobs, middle class and money flowing through the markets. If you take ground one corporate jet because you personally don't believe it is right then remember that one jet provides directly to the economy a minimum of 6 middle class jobs. For all you that are hammering on general aviation WHERE SHOULD THOSE PEOPLE WORK? Streetsweepers?
Excuse me for being so verbose and point blank but let's get back to thinking of jobs instead of who you think is bad.

I agree with Kelly that politicians should not be jetting about - it's ridiculous excess.

However let's get to the facts. We are not talking about eliminating any jobs at Hanscom. We are talking about not INCREASING work at Hanscom in order to curb air traffic and pollution over the Minuteman National Historic Park. We are talking about using stimulus money to create jobs in an area that benefits the public - not the private elite.

The Minuteman National Historic Park brings in thousands and thousands of visitors each year, and their wallets. These visitors are coming to visit a site that is the birthplace of the Revolution, and unless you took revised American history, there weren't any corporate jets in 1775. These visitors are spending money on local businesses. Middle class people are working in the park, for the park service and for that matter there are farmers supported by the park.

I don't think Neil is disgruntled in the least. If Kelly had been a part of corporate America, she would know that he is right in saying it's a perk. A big perk. I don't oppose corporate jets at all. I just flat-out oppose them flying over a huge tourist destination. Tourism is a huge part of Massachusetts' economy and not to be messed with.

Oh, and for the record, one of my relatives founded the 4th largest aerospace and defense companies in the world. I'm pro-plane - it's required by family law. And no, I didn't get any of the money.

The idea that private jets should be encouraged because they give jobs to the middle class is absurd. Perhaps we should encourage jobs in making lead paint or growing tobacco for the same reason? Anyway, the primary beneficiary of private jet flight is Saudi Arabia because 30% of the cost of the cost of operating a jet is the fuel. If our unborn children could vote this would not even be a discussion. We owe them a clean world with economic justice

"This time, CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over."

- President Barack Obama

Need we say more?

If the Commonwealth wants to work for the common good of its residents why would a project like expansion at Hanscom be a priority?
Instead, I believe the stimulus money should be used to fund critical infrastructure needs that will benefit our communities and the residents that live in them. For instance, an expenditure of funds to improve computer rails tracks, signaling devices, and coaches will have the long term benefit of making trains an attractive alternative to driving. This will reduce our reliance on foreign oil and the greenhouse gases cars emit. It’s an investment that returns dividends and improves our quality of life

I agree with Christine. The President specifically told the nation that he wants the stimulus money to be used toward projects that not only stimulate the economy but that do so in a way that moves us toward a greener future. Improving runways and corporate jet infrastructure at Hanscom will only serve to buttress inefficient and polluting types of travel while also potentially bringing cargo to Hanscom, something the towns surrounding the airport are solidly against.