# e ^'ARTMENTO ^ iliPjKlIS!!?*** ' ^ : •'^=ftf!M'iU;^ ^ 120 0 Ne w Jersey Avenue , S E ^*«»H>OrtaWo n ;V : i UPEriAiiUri o Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e o f th e Secretar y ofTJcmspoilatio n -;; | r-p , - q o 9 : 3 3 

### SE P 2 1 201 1 Th e Honorable J

D Alexande

r Florid aSenato

r Tallahassee , F

L 32399-110 0 Dea r Mr
. Alexander : Than k yo u fo r you r lette r supportin g the proposa

l submitte d by th e Lakeland Linde r Regiona l Airpor t fo r agran t unde r the Smal l Communit

y Air Servic e Developmen

t Progra m(Smal l Communit

y Program)
. Th e Smal l Communit

y Progra mwa s establishe d to hel

p smalle r commimitie s addres s ai

r servic e deficiencies , particularl y issue s relate d to high airfare s and insufficien t service
. Unde r th e statute , th e Departmen

t ma y us e th e funds to mak

e amaximu

mof 4 0 gran t award s eac h year , although n o mor

e tha n fou r ma y b e t o communitie s in th e sam

e State
. I n orde r t o provide communitie s wit

h latitud e i n developin g solution s to their ai r servic e deficiencies , th e statut

e provide s significan

t flexibility i

n ho w th e financial assistanc e ma y b e used
. O n Jul y 1 , th e Departmen

t issue d a n orde r requesting tha

t communitie s intereste d i

n receivin g agran

t thi s yea r file their application s b

y Augus t 2
. A s thes e gran

t request s ar

e pending befor

e th e Department , I a

msur e yo u understand tha

t I carmo t commen t on th e merit s of an y particula r proposal
. I assur

e you , however , tha

t th e Departmen

t will giv e ful l consideratio n to al l proposal s tha t hav e bee n properl y filed. A s i s ou r norma l practice , I a

mplacin g acop

y of you r lette r an d thi s respons e in Docke

t DOT-OST-2011-011 9 a s acontac t outsid e th e recor d of thi s matter . I appreciat

e you r interes t i n thi s program . If

I ca n provid e furthe r information or

assistance , pleas e fee

l fre e to call me . Sincerel y yours ,

Aloh aLe y Associat e Director Smal l Communit

y Progra m

# -y& o TH E FLORID A SENAT E Tallahassee , Florid a 32399-110 0

SENATO R J D ALEXANDE R

17t h Distric

t COMMITTEES : ' Budget , Chai r Rules , We

e Ct\ai i Agricultur e Bankin g an d Insuranc e Budge t - Subcommitte e o n Financ e an d Ta x Budge t - Suljconimltie e o n Transportation , Tourism , an d Economi c Developmen t Appropriation s Educatio n Pre-K-1 2 Rule s - Subcommitte e o n Ethic s an d Election s JOIN T COMMITTEE : Legislativ e Budge t Commission , V/c e C/ia/ r

Ms
. Aloh aLey , Associatio n Directo r Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s U,S
. Department

o f Transportatio n 8'^Floor,RoomW86-31 0 1200 New Jerse y Avenu e SE , Washingto n D.C
. 2059 0 Dea r Ms
. Ley : Reference : Docke t

DOT-OST-2011-011 9 I suppor t th e Lakelan d Linder

Regiona l Airpor t reques t fo r th e Smal l Communit

y Ai r Servic e Grant
. Lakelan d Linde

r i s th e newes t

commercia

l ai r servic e airpor

t in the natio n an

d i s a n ultr a low-cos t airpor t perfectl y positione d to affor d tourist s eas y acces s to al l o f Central Florida , fro

m Orland o an

d Disne y Worl d t

o St
. Petersburg an d th e Gulf Coas t beaches
. Centra

l Florid aha s been ver y hard hit

b y th e 2008-200 9 economi c slowdow n and tourists , and thei r economi c impact , are critica

l t o tli e Lakelan d area' s economi c recovery . Th e applicatio n propose s fundin g to suppor t Lakeland' s partnershi p witli airline s o n aggiessiv e marketin g o f

ne w air servic e a t th e Aiiport
. Thi s Gran

t supporte d marketin g fun

d wil l enabl e Lakelan d t

o recrui t and suppor

t criticall y neede d ne w Centra l Florid aair

servic e whic h wil l brin g more tourist s and thei r

economi c impac t

to th e region
. You r favorabl e consideratio n o f th e Lakelan d Grant

applicatio n i s greatl y appreciated
. Sincerely ,

J1 3 Alexander Senator , Distric t

1 7

REPL Y TO : a 20 1 Centra l Avenu e West , Suit e 115

. Cit y Hal l Complex

. Lak e Wales , Florid a 3385 3 (863 ) 679-484 7 n 41 2 Senat e Offic e Building , 40 4 Sout h Monro e Street , Tallahassee , Florid a 32399-110 0 (650 ) 487-504 4 Senate' s Website : mwy.Asena/e.giov MIK E HARIOOPOLO S Presiden t o f th e Senat e MICHAE L S

. "MIKE " BENNETT Presiden t Pr o Tempor e