Image Credit: Chattanooga Airport / Facebook
***Note from The Tennessee Conservative – this article posted here for informational purposes only.
By Sam Stockard [Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –
The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority has filed lawsuits in federal and state courts to prevent the state from taking control of its board of commissioners.
The airport authority joined the city of Chattanooga in suing in a Washington, D.C. federal court, where it is asking the Federal Aviation Administration to recognize the current airport board as it disputes a new Tennessee law giving the state a majority of board appointments.
Without the legal challenge, the board would be vacated July 1, leading to a “change of sponsorship and operational responsibility,” spokesperson Brooke Satterfield said in a statement.
The airport board also joined the city of Chattanooga last week in filing a lawsuit in Hamilton County Chancery Court to avert a takeover, according to Satterfield.
“The Chattanooga Airport remains focused on serving its passengers, supporting economic growth and continuing the strong momentum at the airport,” Satterfield said in a statement.
Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation this year that would vacate the boards at five airports across the state and give a majority of appointments to the governor and Senate and House speakers, in addition to three to local mayors.
Republican Sen. Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, who voted for the bill, said Monday the legislation was justified by the legislature’s approval of airport funding from the general fund, instead of a special tax fund. The state provides about $50 million that is split among the major airports.
In addition to the Chattanooga and Metro Nashville airports, whose boards filed lawsuits to stop the takeover, the legislation affects Memphis, Knoxville and Tri-Cities airports.
“The thought is, since we put so much money into it as a state, then we ought to have some say-so in the governance of the boards,” Gardenhire said.
The Metro Nashville Airport Authority joined Metro Nashville in seeking an expedited decision to stop the board from being dissolved and replaced. The lawsuit is based on the 2024 FAA Reauthoritization Action, which prevents states from taking over airport authorities when the board objects.
The legislature passed the takeover bill in April, three years after a three-judge panel blocked Republican lawmakers’ first effort to take control of the Nashville airport, ruling it violated the state’s Home Rule Amendment, which prohibits the legislature from singling out a city or county without its permission.
Republican lawmakers approved several bills in 2023 targeting Metro Nashville boards and other governing powers in retaliation for Metro blocking the 2024 Republican National Convention from being held in the city. The Metro Council vote came after lawmakers broke up Nashville’s only U.S. congressional district.
One Response
Hope they lose.