"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

Wasn't the FAA practice of operating "contract towers" a long standing
policy that spanned many administrations and is continuing to occur
during the present administration?


I don't think so. I believe the first FAA contract towers were established
in the early '80s, but there were only 20 or 30 by 1994 or so. I think
something like 200 FAA towers were contracted out during the Clinton
administration.