LETTER: Airports get federal subsidies, too

In your Wednesday editorial, “Rail project throws taxpayers into the deep end,” you complain the Las Vegas to Los Angeles rail project (Brightline West) received $3 billion in funding from the taxpayers.

Perhaps your readers would be interested in knowing the U.S. federal government also provides various forms of subsidies and funding to airports across the country, including our own Harry Reid International Airport.

The FAA typically administers Airport Improvement Program grants that assist airports with infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, terminals and safety enhancements. These taxpayer supported grants are a significant source of funding for airport development and improvement. In the past fiscal year alone, the program received approximately $3.35 billion in taxpayer funding.

However, this figure doesn’t encompass all federal funding and taxpayer subsidies provided to airports. These taxpayer-supported airport subsidies can come in the form of grants, infrastructure development funds, tax incentives and operational support.

I’d hardly call co-subsidizing a better, cheaper and cleaner form of transportation “throwing us taxpayers into the deep end.”