"PlanetJ" wrote
That gives me a warm fuzzy. Knowing the separation of aircraft in IFR
weather is done by low bidder's and profit based.

FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) Alert. Most towers are located in
Class D or G airspace and do not separate aircraft except on the
runway. None of the towers that are being considered for outsourcing
separate aircraft in IFR weather except as that authority is delegated
by the overlying approach/center.

There is a huge difference between privatizing VFR towers and
privatizing center/approach control. There have been privatized VFR
towers (contract and NFCT) for decades all over the US. Their safety
record is just as good as that of the federally staffed towers.

This isn't a user fee issue. We ALREADY have user fees (landing fees)
at many towered (and even non-towered) airports; privatizing the tower
is not likely to have any significant impact on this.

This is a union issue. The leadership of the union that represents
the federal tower controllers is (rightly) concerned that it will have
a more difficult time going up against the contract operators.

Michael