Residents urge transparency on Lancaster County airport spending as council debates budget

Several residents used the citizens comment period at the June 8 Lancaster County Council meeting to press for transparency about the county airport’s finances and to ask for a staff briefing.

"Where's the wisdom in pouring more money into an airport that continues to lose $200,000 a year?" asked Tony McCammon, who said he and others previously sought records and learned the airport had run a roughly $200,000 annual deficit that has been covered by transfers from the general fund. McCammon and Kathy Storm noted a terminal project that staff had estimated at $4.5 million later reached more than $7 million, and they asked for specific revenue figures for hanger leases, fuel sales, personal property assessments on aircraft, and occupancy rates.

"We would like our questions to be taken seriously by the entire council, not just a few," Storm said, listing items she said county staff had not made readily available such as occupancy percentages and benchmarking against nearby airports.

Barbara Scanel, speaking later during the public hearing segment for the budget, also urged that airport questions be placed on a future agenda and connected airport transparency to broader concerns about county infrastructure and EMS funding.

Council members acknowledged the concerns and said they would ask staff to bring the airport’s financials and a business‑case review back to a future meeting for formal consideration. No formal action on the airport was taken at the June 8 meeting; members instead focused on budget deliberations and line‑item adjustments.

Why it matters: The airport’s operating subsidy, capital projects and the county’s use of reserves were central themes in broader FY27 budget debates. Several speakers tied questions about airport spending to priorities for EMS, fire services and other county obligations.