ST. LOUIS — The conversation about privatizing St. Louis Lambert International Airport isn’t over, despite Mayor Lyda Krewson’s announcement a few weeks ago that the idea is off the table.
Monday morning, leaders from the St. Louis NAACP and St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council “will address what they view is a missed opportunity and discuss plans for the future,” according to a news release.
Adolphus Pruitt, head of the local NAACP, has long advocated for selling the airport and the influx of cash he said would help people in the city. Mayor Krewson officially pulled the plug on the conversation in December, saying there wasn't enough support for the idea from airlines, other leaders or the people who live here.
Now, some leaders in St. Charles, Jefferson and St. Louis counties are exploring the possibility of buying the airport from the city, according to Bridgeton’s mayor. It would then be under control of a "regional board” and would apparently include a large special sales tax district in the region to support the airport.
According to the mayor, the conversations about this idea haven't included her, but she’s not striking it down.
“I have not seen what they have in mind, of course I’ve read what’s been in the paper and been on the news,” she said. “It’s interesting, let’s see what they have in mind.”
If voters approved it, the tax increase would raise the same amount of money to buy the airport as selling it to a private owner would have. It’s to be determined if this regional ownership would generate the same stiff opposition privatizing it did or as much support from the leaders who will speak Monday.
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