"Chip Jones" wrote in message news:bir5b.26821

What advantage does having an FAA-run tower bring to Alaska constituents
other than air safety on the airport? It's not like these two Alaska towers
employ hundreds of Alaskans. I don't know about Merrill, but Juneau only
employs about 12 federal controllers I am told. Not exactly a major job
source even in Alaska.

I can't say if safety is or is not the issue. But is clear that Senator Young thought
that it would play better in his home state if he kept them on the federal dole. Maybe
one of the controllers is kin to a major contributor, who knows, it certainly smacks
of politicking rather than the public interest.

Actually, isn't that *exactly* what happens at a contract ATC facility?

No, no more than contracting out DUAT is, nor anything else ATC contracts out.

Despite all the hoohah, AOPA's concern is not whether the PBO can do a good job
or if there is a safety concern, what they are concerned about is that privatization
makes it easier to bring up the ugly user fee issue to fund it.