Warwick’s legislative delegation has forwarded an aggressive package of airport-related proposals for consideration by the General Assembly. The bulk of them concern land acquisition and quality of life issues, such as noise pollution.
The concerns have merit. Certainly requesting that a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew on flights — with exceptions for emergencies — be more strictly enforced is reasonable. The city’s elected officials also have a responsibility to monitor any expansion efforts the airport may pursue. The residents of Warwick deserve not only to be a part of the process — but major players in it.
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But the land acquisition issue is riddled with complexities.
Rep. Joseph McNamara, a Warwick Democrat, and others point out that when the Rhode Island Airport Corporation acquires land, the likelihood that it might ultimately be removed from the city’s tax rolls — depending on its use — increases. That’s money upon which Warwick has come to rely.
“I don’t mean to make more of this than it is, but wars have been fought over who controls what land,” said McNamara. “Disallowing a community to have any say over how its land can be used, and specifically used for airport expansion, without the municipal council having any say whatsoever just seems plain wrong.”
Enter the complexities.
The airport has been very, very good, not only to the state in terms of economic development, but also the city of Warwick. A decade ago, the city called itself home to just a handful of hotels. Today, there are nearly a dozen – and all of them are booming. Warwick restaurants have enjoyed similar prosperity.
Our point is simple. Much of the city’s commercial development of late has been because of the airport. And that must be factored when the debate turns to how to fairly compensate the city for land lost.
