LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Let Treece take reins of airport

11/19/2013

It is a good idea for Dock David Treece to bring new blood and younger ideas to the operation of Toledo Express Airport (“Treece idea not ready for council, mayor says; Bell didn’t disclose offer because plan in infancy,” Nov. 1).

For years, we heard about all of the wonderful opportunities we have here for an intermodal facility because of the airport, rail lines, and Lake Erie. But nothing happened at Toledo Express. Instead, a little town like North Baltimore got CSX Transportation’s intermodal terminal.

Mr. Treece should be allowed to get something going at the airport.

GEORGE PLATH
Lake Pointe Drive

Have pros run Toledo Express
The Treece family may make Toledo Express Airport prosper, but I suspect family members’ primary interest is in making money for themselves, not benefiting northwest Ohio.

Still, the concept has merit. Look at what happened to the Toledo Zoo after it was turned over from the city of Toledo to the Toledo Zoological Society. It is now one of the finest zoos in the country. Toledo Express could benefit from a similar approach.

The airport should be taken away from the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and turned over to a nonpolitical group of professionals created to operate a financially successful airport. Toledo deserves nothing less. It’s long past time to stop making excuses.

RICHARD REDER
Foxcroft Road

 

OC package a form of blackmail
Owens Corning has blackmailed the taxpayers of Lucas County (“Port board OKs package to retain OC; Long-term lease, $8M in bonds approved,” Oct. 25). It seems that all a corporation needs to do to have local governments provide tax relief or financial concessions is to threaten to relocate.

OC didn’t threaten to move this time. But in 1994, OC got $90 million for staying in Toledo.

I can’t believe that in the days of the Owens, Libbeys, and Fords, any thought would have been given to having taxpayers provide funds to help run their companies. Their thoughts were about giving to the communities, to better the surroundings in which they operated.

Maybe it’s time for government entities involved with these giveaways to call corporations’ bluffs.

E. PHIPPS
Waterville

 

OC shouldn’t need incentive
I read with pleasure that the port authority approved a multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded incentive package that will result in the retention of Owens Corning and its 1,250 employees in Toledo.

Isn’t it sad, however, that the area’s labor and economic environments do not offer enough to bring and retain industry without incentives, which are a form of bribery?

DAVID MOHER
Temperance, Mich.