Marquette Neighborhood Association opposes F-35s
September 16, 2019
Dear Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Common Council:
The Marquette Neighborhood Association is adding its opposition to the thousands of Madison and Dane County people opposing the beddown of F-35A fighter jets at Truax Field.
We ask that you support the Foster/Kemble resolution (File 57354 v.2) because it analyzes key problems with the proposal based upon the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) including:
(1) Increases to employment and income in the Madison region would be “beneficial but negligible”
(2) 1019 households will become “incompatible with residential use”
(3) Affected areas have “higher proportions of children”
(4) The beddown will affect “disproportionately low-income or minority areas”
We support the position of Representative Chris Taylor in refusing to allow powerful outside interests determine how our community succeeds. Rep. Taylor points out that mitigation is also problematic in that it requires a buy-in from the airport base
to agree to mitigation, mandates complete transition from F-16s to the F-35A jets before mitigation could begin, and includes a two-year waiting period to initiate.
We also support the recommendation from our neighbors in the Schenk-AtwoodStarkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Association to prepare and plan for investment in mitigation should the jets be situated here despite opposition.
Sincerely,
Lynn Lee
MNA President