The debate is on over whether Biddeford Airport should remain open. Town residents have until June 4th to decide how they will vote on the referendum question which will appear on the general election ballot.

The question will read,

"Shall the city authorize the Airport Authority to close the Biddeford City Airport at a cost of about $3 million, to be taken from general operating funds?

The issue has been a topic of contention within the town for years.

The airport was first opened on June 10, 1954 and consisted of a single dirt runway.
According to airport manager Tom Bryand, there are 47 planes at the airport, about half of which are owned by private corporations.

City manager, John Bubier reports that the airport takes in about $56,000 annually from sales of gas, property taxes, and land leases. Records in Bubier's office list the figures of running the airport in recent years. In 2006, the costs totaled $47,000; in 2007-- $72,000; and in 2008-- $60,000.

Files in the office of the Biddeford City Assesor suggest the property is worth $1.6 milliion.

Paul Archambault, neighbor of the airport and Chairman of Shut Our Little Airport (SOLA) has strong opinions on the matter.

"Once we started looking at the airport, we came to the conclusion that there is no financial benefit at its existing size and capacity. It continues to be a tax burden."

Roland Pelletier also lives near the airport.

"The money is the biggest thing. If it was self-supporting, fine. Let it go on... We can't afford to support operations that don't support themselves... These are tough times, and that's the time we need to be tough."

Others are fighting to keep the the small airport open.

"I've been flying out of this airport fro 25 years. I've seen lots of changes," said private pilot Phyllis Landry, who keeps his single engine Cessna Sky Pilot 180 at the airport.

"I love this airport. If I couldn't fly out of here I'd have to go to Sanford or Portland... Maybe it's expensive to run the airport. But it's great resource. I know business people who fly in here all the time."

"The City Council really hasn't come down on one side of the issue or the other. I thik they'd prefer to have the voters settle this one," said Bubier.

The general responses recieved from an online poll conducted by the newspaper regarding the airport closing suggest that many residents are in favor of shutting it down.

Archambault writes, "City managements don't know how to run airports well enough to make a profit. Biddeford has been trying to do it for 73 years and can't get it right."