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### ..... U.S.Departmentof 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Transportation Washington, DC 20590 Officeofthe Secretary ofTransportation 

### JUL 52012
Ms.·Carol R. Whitmore Chairman, District 6, AtLarge·· ··. Manatee County Board ofCommissioners 1112 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34205 Dear Ms. Whitmore: Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal suBmitted bythe Sarasota Bradenton International Airport for a grant underthe U.S. Department ofTransportation's Small CommunityAir Service Development Program
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...**~** .. , The Small Community Air Service Oevelopment Program was-established to help smaller communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or insufficient service. Underthe statute, the Departll!ent may make a maximum of40 grant ·--awards each)lear, although no mgre than 4 awards.may.be to communities inthe:same· State.

In orderto provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types ofprojects that can be funded. On May 15, the Department issued an orderrequesting that communities interested in receiving a grant this year file their applications by June 11. As these grant requests are pending before the ·Department, I cannot comment on the merits ofany particularproposal. I assure you that the Department will give full and fair considerationto all proposals that have beenproperly filed. As is ournormal practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthismatter. I appreciate your interest in this program. Sincerely yours, 

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# . u Aloha Ley Associate Director Small Community Program

## .. Manatee County Commissioner
··CarolWhitmore, Chairman District 6, At-Large June 20, 2012

Aloha Ley
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. Office ofAviation Analysis

. 1200 New JerseyAve., SE, W86-310

Washington, DC 20590
Re: Small Community AirService Development Program Docket DOT -OST -2012-0069 Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) Dear Ms. Ley: I am writing as the Manatee County District 6, At-Large County Commissioner to express my strong support for the above referenced grant application to the Small Community Air Service Development Program. The recent decision by Southwest Airlines to pull AirTran service from SRQ is a major blow to the air service and economic competitiveness of ·the ·entire region served by Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. AirTran accounted for over 360,000 passengers or nearly 30% of all passengertraffic at SRQ in 2011. Sarasota Bradenton also suffers from a lack of access to a westbound airline gateway. ·· This forces local consumers to drive to other airports, thereby inflicting economic

damage on the local economy. A 1997 Economic Impact Study completed as part of the SRQ Master Plan Update revealed that 57% of all enplanements at SRQ were out of area visitors spending an average of $665.00 per visit. Using the CY 2011 AirTran passenger traffic this equates to 102,600 visitors to the SRQ area. When combined with the 100,000 passengers lost due to no westbound service this equates to a loss ofover $105,000,000 ofdirect visitor expenditures annually. When the multiplier effect is factored in it equates to a Joss of nearly $285,000,000 ofeconomic impact and 2,600jobs to the area. The community is partnering with the airport to match the grant funds dollarfor dollar on this critical matter. We ask the Department please consider the serious negative effects the recent approval provided to Southwest Airlines to acquire AirTran Airways has had

This con·espondence is being sent from Carol Whitmore as an individual County Commissioner. Contact Information:**c~In>l.**11hitmorc·a 1111 manatcc.urg Phone: 9-fl.7-f5.3704 Fax: 941.7-f5.3790 P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34206, 1112 i'vlanatcc Al·enm: West, Bradenton, FL 34205 \lanatec County Website: http:
.,,.,,w.m\manat..:c.PrgAloha Ley

.. June 20, 2012 Page2 ,,. .: .·

on our community and approve the application for assistance. Thank you for your consideration. SincerelY.,_



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Carol R. Whitmore County Commissioner District 6, At-large cc: The Honorable Ray H. LaHood Secretary ofTransportation United States Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJerseyAvenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20590 Fredrick (Rick) 

### J. Piccolo, AAE President, Chief Executive Officer Sarasota Bradenton International Airport 6000 Airport Circle Sarasota, FL34243

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