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It is with deep concern that I address the recent developments regarding the language placed within HB 1001 (State Budget Bill) and an amendment in House Bill 1142 regarding the Gary Chicago International Airport. This legislation caught me completely off guard.
Earlier this year, we witnessed a direct attempt to remove my authority over GCIA board appointments. This came at a time when I have yet to make my own appointments to the Gary Chicago Airport Board. Now, we see a directive from state legislators to a local government to dissolve GCIA’s interstate compact.
This legislative move is especially troubling in light of the growing investment in and around the airport that my administration has been able to accomplish within my first 14 months in office. One major project, a $40 million development set to begin this year, is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to Gary and Northwest Indiana. This sends mixed messages to the private sector and could jeopardize our partnership with Chicago.
Thanks to a Northwest Indiana delegation down state, this mandate has been pushed back by five years, but the potential consequences remain severe. If enacted as originally intended, we would risk losing millions of dollars in funding from our Compact agreement with Chicago, as well as critical FAA grants that sustain our airport's day-to-day operations.
Moving forward, I will be working collaboratively with the Gary Common Council, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and members of the compact to determine the best path forward on this critical issue.
We will not be deterred in our commitment to protecting the economic future of Gary.
- Mayor Eddie Melton
Media Contact:
Erika Blackwell, Chief Communications Officer, City of Gary
eblackwell@gary.gov | (219) 806-6489
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