State Senator Dan Debicella (R-Shelton) has proposed that the Town of Stratford have significant involvement on any potential State purchase of Sikorsky Memorial Airport from the City of Bridgeport. Debicella proposed that the town of Stratford get “right of first refusal” in purchasing the airport before the state purchases it, proposed restrictions on future expansion, and advocated property taxes be paid to the town of Stratford on the property.

Senator Debicella offered these suggestions to House Bill #5339, An Act Concerning Sikorsky Memorial Airport, which would amend the general statutes to allow the State of Connecticut to administer and own all operations of Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

“While HB #5339 proposes that the State of Connecticut would purchase Sikorsky Memorial Airport from the City of Bridgeport, it fails to mention that the airport is entirely within the town of Stratford. In my view Stratford should have heavy input into the future of the airport and its use.”

Debicella’s first proposal would give Stratford the right to buy the airport before Connecticut. “A ‘right of first refusal’ clause ought to be included in the bill which would give Stratford the right to purchase the airport before the State of Connecticut. The town had shown interest for decades in owning the airport and just recently the Mayor and Town Council have expressed their interest,” said Senator Debicella. “The bill should give Stratford 120 days from the enactment of a price to decide whether or not they want to purchase the airport and then, if they decide to buy the airport, an additional 180 days to secure the necessary financing.”

“Stratford might or might not choose to purchase Sikorsky Airport,” Debicella said, “but the choice should be theirs.” Debicella added that he thought a town-wide referendum might be a good idea to determine if Stratford purchases the airport.

Debicella’s second proposal sought assurances against expansion of the airport no matter who owns it. “We need to prohibit future expansion of the airport because there are serious environmental and quality of life issues involved with the expansion. The issue of endangered habitats in the Great Meadows Marsh and commercial planes flying over the Lordship area of Stratford has prevented expansion for years and we should ensure that continues to be the case.”

Finally, Senator Debicella also wants to expand the current property tax base in the event that Connecticut does purchase the airport.

“The airport sits on prime real estate in the middle of Stratford’s commercial and industrial corridor, but currently Bridgeport only pays property taxes on a small, relatively new part of the airport. Stratford has very little open space left on which to generate economic development, so it’s only fair that we write this bill to expand the taxable base to the entire airport.”

Senator Debicella is an Assistant Minority Leader serving his first term representing the 21st District communities of Stratford, Shelton, Monroe, and Seymour.