State Study Shows County Airports Generate $37.5M

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
04:00AM / Wednesday, December 21, 2011Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new study says the three Berkshire airports generate $37.5 million and 298 jobs for the county.

The statewide economic impact study completed by the state Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division released on Tuesday looked at all of the state's airports in terms of economic activity and related jobs. The totals were derived from on-site impacts — such as flight schools, aircraft maintenance, sponsors, military, operations — added to off-site impacts — such as spending at restaurants, hotels and entertainment as well as capital improvement projects.

The Walter J. Koladza Airport in Great Barrington is directly responsible for the employment of 38 people and about $1 million in payroll and benefits, which translates to $2.5 million in total economic output, the report says. The Pittsfield Municipal Airport employs 125 with a payroll just short of $5 million with an overall economic impact of just under $18 million. Harriman & West Airport in North Adams is responsible for 135 jobs, a payroll of about $5.3 million and a total impact just short of $17 million.

"The airports of the Berkshires are proven economic engines for the commerce and tourism in the region, creating jobs directly while making many more jobs possible in the private sector," said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey in a press release.

To no surprise, the biggest contributor to the statewide economy is Boston Logan International Airport, which is responsible for nearly 95,000 jobs and an economic impact nearing $9 billion. Overall airports contribute to the employment of 124,369 people with payroll and benefits accounting to close to $4.9 billion with a total economic impact of $11 billion. The state estimates $576 million is collected in tax revenue because of the airports.

"The economic impact study confirms what the aviation community statewide understands about the vital role our airports play in providing safe transportation for commerce, military, and recreational users," Christopher Willenborg, MassDOT Aeronautics Division administrator, said in the statement.

Willenborg recently presented the results of the study at a hearing with the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation at Pittsfield City Hall, at which he encouraged the state to continue investing in aviation. He pointed to recent investments that state has made in the county including paying $13.4 million of a $22 million safety project in Pittsfield. North Adams' recent completion of a new runway was close to a $7 million project.

"We need to continue making investments in our critical airport infrastructure to help stimulate the economy," Willenborg told the panel.

There are nine commercial airports in the state, three of which are owned and operated by the state Port Authority, and 30 general use airports.

Gov. Deval Patrick declared the month of November as "general aviation month" in an effort to promote aviation.

2011 MassDOT Airport Economic Impact Study The full report is available below.

Tags: airport, aviation, MassDOT,

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Oh, since it's national general aviation month, I think I'll go out and buy a plane. What a bunch of crap. What was the price of oil/aviation fuel when these reports were crafted? How do they know how much people spend at restaurants? What's one of the first industries to feel the pinch when the price of oil increases? Short-term, short-sighted thinking. I'd like to see a report that takes those millions of dollars and invests in the large number (and growing) of CSA's, small raw milk dairies, composting, or almost any kind of small farm and see what the economic impact would be to the area. Both in jobs created and low cost healthy food.
from: Huh	on: 12-21-2011 10:36AM I Agree (14) - I Disagree (11)
Editor: If you read the report, the data is from 2010. For a primer on economic impact studies, click here.
I Agree (3) - I Disagree (6)

Thanks for the link. Based on this document, it would appear that the type of study done was an Input/Output Model. "Input/Output (I/O) Models. These are essentially accounting tables which trace the linkages of inter-industry purchases and sales within a given county, region, state or country. They utilize information on both technologies ("What inputs from other industries are used to produce a dollar of product for each specific industry?") and local trade ("How much of a given industry's purchases are supplied by other firms located within the study area?"). The I/O model yields "multipliers" that are used to calculate the total direct, indirect and induced effect on jobs, income and output generated per dollar of spending on various types of goods and services in the study area." The document offers the following warning about the I/O model: "However, I/O models have significant limitations because they do not cover dynamic impacts over time. Used alone, they assume that there are no impacts on wage levels, property values, prices or costs of other product inputs or outputs, no change in labor or capital productivity ( the ratio of output per unit of input), and no change in population or business in/out migration patterns." Nor does the study take into account the huge amounts of pollution that is generated by the aviation industry. Again I say, this study is a load of crap - IMHO.
from: Huh	on: 12-21-2011 12:18PM I Agree (17) - I Disagree (7)

I do not believe for a moment that the North Adams airport has 135 people working there.A small fixed base operation, TurboProp, Cole East and a small repair shop do not have anywhere near that amount of people.Where did they get these numbers? I recall a high and very inflated number given for flight operations at Harriman & West a while back and have to ask wher they get these numbers from.
from: rockie1919	on: 12-24-2011 06:04AM I Agree (6) - I Disagree (1)

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
04:21PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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