As we get closer to the City Council meeting on March 23, many residents have asked what they should say if they plan to speak during public comment. A few important points can help keep the discussion productive and make sure our message is clear.

First and most important: landing fees cannot legally be implemented for noise abatement. Airports that receive federal funding must follow rules from the FAA, and those rules do not allow airports to restrict aviation activity simply because neighbors are concerned about noise. Because of that, it’s very important that we do not frame landing fees as a way to reduce noise or push flight schools out.

Instead, the discussion should focus on financial sustainability and fairness.

Falcon Field operates as an enterprise fund, which means the airport is intended to support itself primarily through airport-related revenue rather than relying on Mesa taxpayers. Like any enterprise operation, it needs a fee structure that helps cover the costs of maintaining the airfield, infrastructure, and operations. When the airport runs a deficit, the question becomes whether that gap should be filled by airport users or by taxpayers who may never use the airport at all.

Many residents believe the fair approach is that those who use the airport the most should contribute the most toward its costs. That principle exists in many industries and public facilities. Airports that rely less on city subsidies sometimes need higher user fees to remain financially stable.

At the same time, residents can absolutely talk about how the rapid increase in repetitive flight training activity has affected quality of life in nearby neighborhoods. The constant pattern work and touch-and-go operations have changed how many people experience living near the airport. While that issue is separate from landing fees legally, it still matters because it has influenced how residents feel about subsidizing the airport with taxpayer dollars.

In other words, noise and quality-of-life concerns may affect how taxpayers feel about funding the airport, but the landing fees themselves are about making the airport financially sustainable.

If you plan to speak Monday night, it may help to focus on a few key points:

• Falcon Field operates as an enterprise airport and should strive to be financially self-sustaining.

• Airport users should contribute toward the cost of maintaining the airport infrastructure they use.

• Residents understand the airport is an important asset for Mesa, but the increase in repetitive training activity has affected quality of life and influenced how taxpayers feel about subsidizing airport operations.

• The goal is financial sustainability and balance, not restricting aviation activity.

The more we keep the conversation focused on fairness, financial responsibility, and balance, the stronger the community’s message will be.

Thank you to everyone who plans to attend the meeting and participate in the discussion.