Editor,

It appears that the Port of Coupeville board members are considering investing in the purchase of the Oak Harbor airport. I have yet to talk to a resident of the port tax district who is in favor of Port of Coupeville financial involvement. The airport is not located in the Port of Coupeville tax district, and very few, if any, port district taxpayers would benefit from port involvement.

Port district taxpayers are at serious risk of paying for airport facility and runway upgrade costs, as well as unpredictable costs related to ground contamination problems known to exist. The fact that neither the county nor the city of Oak Harbor appears willing to take on the risk of long-term airport improvement and maintenance cost convinces me that Port of Coupeville investment represents a substantial risk to, and little, if any, benefit for port taxpayers. I sincerely hope that Port of Coupeville board members choose not to place this cost risk on port taxpayers.

Bill Roberts

Coupeville