Misinformation That Won’t Die

If the same misinformation is repeated often enough, people will begin to believe it’s true. At least that’s what many airport relocation critics seem to believe.

A Letter to the Editor in today’s News Herald (“Airport Authority Will Determine City’s Future”) is a prime example of a relocation opponent repeating information that is just wrong.

The author suggests that the Airport Authority will determine how the existing airport property will be redeveloped. That’s not true.

PCA Development, the high bidder currently negotiating a purchase contract with the Airport Authority, has presented conceptual plans for the site. But it’s not up to the Airport Authority to approve or disapprove of those plans.

That responsibility lies with state and local regulators and elected officials whose duty it is to make land-use and zoning decisions. PCA Development will have to submit its plans and win approval through the DRI process that allows for thorough local review and comment.

PCA will also be subject to Panama City zoning regulations, providing another point of local input.

There are a number of other misrepresentations in the letter – slurs really – but when an author has no consideration for the facts, why should we expect consideration for fellow citizens and local leaders?