Latest rejection of grant for airport makes no sense

Absent a full explanation from U.S. Department of Transportation officials for why the Mahoning Valley has been turned down twice for a grant under the Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program, residents would be justified in concluding that the proper expenditure of public dollars isn't a priority for the agency.
We find it inconceivable that the federal government would not be swayed by a letter from Delta Airlines that, in effect, held out the promise of commercial service at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. The Valley has been without regularly scheduled commercial flights since September 2002 when Northwest Airlines discontinued service to Detroit. A year earlier, US Airways Express stopped flights between Youngstown and Pittsburgh.
Delta had endorsed the Western Reserve Port Authority's bid last year for a $1 million grant under the pilot program, but the Department of Transportation wasn't swayed. Washington handed out $20 million in grants in 2002, including $950,000 for the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. No public explanation was given for Youngstown-Warren's not making the cut, but considering Delta's continued commitment to the airport, it was not unreasonable for the port authority and local government and development officials to be optimistic this year.
Local funding
After all, not only is there a major airline waiting in the wings, but Trumbull and Mahoning county governments have reiterated their commitment to the airport's future by allocating money for the facility's operation and maintenance.
Those two factors are important -- as the news release from the transportation department dated Sept. 17 makes clear.
In announcing the allocation this year of $19.85 million for 35 projects covering 34 states and Puerto Rico, the department said, "In considering the grant proposals, DOT gave priority to those communities that have high airfares compared to other communities, contribute financially to the project from sources other than airport revenues, have established or will establish a public/private partnership to improve air service, and submitted proposals that will benefit a broad segment of the public by providing greater access to the national transportation system."
Except for the high airfares factor, all the other goals laid out by the department are being met by the local airport.
It is not unreasonable, therefore, for the Western Reserve Port Authority to wonder why its application for a $1 million grant did not pass muster.
Why would the Athens (Ohio)-Morgantown (W. Va.) airport qualify for $587,223, or Marietta-Parkersburg for $500,000, while Youngstown-Warren, which serves a region that includes counties in western Pennsylvania, gets rejected?
The fact of the matter is that the Federal Aviation Administration has invested many millions of dollars to upgrade the airport, while the Pentagon continues to pour money into the adjacent air reserve base, which utilizes the runways and other amenities at the airport.,
The way to protect the federal government's massive investment is to ensure the viability of the airport -- and that can be done only with commercial air service. Delta is willing to do its part. Why not the U.S. Department of Transportation?