Tsagaris has responsibility to detail airport suspicion
When an elected official uses the word "fishy" in talking about the expenditure of public dollars, he has a duty to explain in detail the basis for his suspicion. Thus, we look forward to hearing from Trumbull County Commissioner James Tsagaris, who last week said he wants to see financial information about the operation of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport because he thinks something "fishy" is going on.
"Four or five years ago I've been asking for the books from the airport, and I still haven't received them," Tsagaris said during a heated exchange with Daniel Keating, the lawyer for the Western Reserve Port Authority, which governs the airport in Vienna Township.
Is the commissioner jumping to the conclusion that something is amiss because the financial records he has sought have not been handed over, or is there something he knows or has heard that has led him to demand the books? He should let the taxpayers know.
Why? Because there is an ongoing investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration of a complaint filed by ReadyAir, one of the fuel-handling and service providers at the airport. The company, which owes the airport authority more than $20,000 in rent and other fees, contends that the other fixed base operator, Winner Aviation, receives preferential treatment at the airport. ReadyAir officials have said that the money the company owes is being placed in escrow.
Tsagaris wanted $400,000 in Trumbull County lodging tax funds withheld from the authority while the FAA investigation proceeds, but fortunately he was stymied by his colleagues, Daniel Polivka and Paul Heltzel. Tsagaris insists that his suspicion about the operation of the airport has nothing to do with the ReadyAir situation.
"I'm not talking about ReadyAir," he said. "I'm talking about the airport."
What about the airport?
Yearly audits
Steve Bowser, the airport's director of aviation, said the commissioners are sent "financials" every month, but that didn't appease Tsagaris. He called for an audit, to which Bowser responded that one is performed every year.
"I haven't seen it," Tsagaris quipped.
Why not? If he suspects that something "fishy" is going on, doesn't he have the responsibility to do as much research as he can before he goes public with his concerns? After all, just about all the documents maintained by the authority are available for review by citizens because they are covered by state and federal public records laws.
There is another reason the commissioner should come clean with whatever information he possesses that has led him to conclude there's something "fishy" going on. It's called Allegiant Air. The Las Vegas-based low-cost airline is scheduled to begin regular service to Florida on May 19 and it is important that this region put its best foot forward. Any cloud of suspicion hanging over the operation of the airport is not good for the marketing campaign that is essential to get Allegiant the customer base it needs to make a long-term commitment to the area.
Commissioner Tsagaris has a responsibility to detail his suspicion about the airport's operation.