Treasure Coast Newspapers 03/22/2015

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M C « S C R I P P S T R E A S U R E C O A S T N E W S PA P E R S « Sunday, March 22, 2015 « 23A

Dear Martin County Commissioners,

The Witham Field Customs facility is like many amenities and improvements that makeup our quality of life inMartin County—it’s an idea that originated from our community.

From ballparks to bridges to roadways to right-of-way improvements to park improvements—even from regulatory actions such as the truck-stop moratorium or endeavors to revisitand reinforce amendments in the Comprehensive Plan—all these initiatives beginwith the creative, engaged, concerned people we are fortunate to call our neighbors andour friends.

After careful coordination and refinement, many good initiatives that respect ourvalued quality of life come before the county commission for fair consideration andpossible enactment. That is local government. That is representative government. Thatis good government.

A Customs facility at Witham Field is something that has broad public support—rangingfrom Jupiter Island to Jensen Beach, from Sailfish Point to Indiantown, from the City ofStuart as well as from small businesses throughout Martin County. And with good cause.

� Customs will not make Witham Field a commercial airport.

� Customs involves no local tax dollars.

� Customs is paid for by Florida Department of Transportation grantfunds already accepted by the county, and Airport Enterprise Funds—which cannot be spent on the county’s infrastructure backlog or anyoff-airport expense.

� Customs is well supported, with several nonprofits, civic organizationsand small businesses endorsing it and nearly 2,500 people signingpetitions backing it.

There’s something else—for the first time that any of us can remember ever happeningin Martin County, the marine and aviation industries behind the Customs facilitypledged their own money to the county government in the event of any possibleoperating shortfalls.

The fact that the construction costs of Customs came back higher than expected is notsurprising considering the economy’s improvement, the long deliberation of the projectand the federal requirements associated with such a facility. Furthermore, a DOT grantis available to cover the entire amount. All that is required is a $50,000 match fromairport enterprise funds.

That match is all it would take to enable a project that will benefit our marine industry,our aviation industry, our tourism industry, our small businesses and our tax base—basically, the bulk of our entire community.

Commissioners, please reconsider your decision and give this important service forMartin County residents a chance to succeed.

Thank you.

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Pd. pol. adv. Paid for by CPAC. 160 S. Kanner Highway, Stuart, FL, 34994.

Joe CatrambonePresident/CEO, Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce

Carolyn DaviExecutive Director, Palm City Chamber of Commerce

Ron RoseExecutive Director, Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce

Hilary McKeichExecutive Director, Indiantown Chamber of Commerce

Angela HoffmanExecutive Director, Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce

Dennis FaddenPresident, Realtor Association of Martin County

John GonzalesChair, RAMC Government Affairs Committee

Michele MillerDirector of Operations, Marine Industries

Association of the Treasure Coast

Treasure Coast Newspapers 03/22/2015

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Stuart News - Dear Martin County Commissioners - Reconsider Customs at Witham Field.pdfRich Campbell - Shortsighted Martin Commission kills Customs.pdf