U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced on Wednesday that Indiana will receive $96,523,889 in funding to assist 65 Hoosier airports, including $30,000 for the Salem Municipal Airport.
According to John Mead, attorney for the Salem Municipal Airport Board of Aviation Commissioners, the money comes at a very opportune time.
Mead said the airport’s budget was submitted to the City of Salem for $98,000.
“The Department of Local Government Finance cut that down to $34,000,” said Mead. “We had to significantly lower the airport’s budget and pare back a lot of operational expenses.”
This injection of funds would bring the airport’s operating fund back to almost 2/3 of its original budget for the year.
As with most government aid, there are stipulations on how the money can be used.
Mead said the funds could be used for operating expenses, employee salaries, mowing, insurance coverage, utilities. “Anything in the way of operating the airport,” he added.
Mead said the airport will need to submit an application to get the money that’s earmarked for its use.
“It will be a huge help. It will fit nicely into the operating budget to make up for what was cut out,” Mead said.
The board will decide how to utilize the funds.
Other airports in the area to receive funds include Paoli, Bedford, French Lick, Jeffersonville, Madison, and North Vernon.
Here is a complete list of Indiana Airports receiving funds.
IN Anderson Anderson Municipal-Darlington Field AID $30,000
IN Angola Tri-State Steuben County ANQ $30,000
IN Auburn De Kalb County GWB $69,000
IN Bedford Virgil I Grissom Municipal BFR $30,000
IN Bloomington Monroe County BMG $69,000
IN Columbus Columbus Municipal BAK $69,000
IN Connersville Mettel Field CEV $20,000
IN Crawfordsville Crawfordsville Regional CFJ $30,000
IN Danville Hendricks County-Gordon Graham Field 2R2 $30,000
IN Delphi Delphi Municipal 1I9 $30,000
IN Elkhart Elkhart Municipal EKM $69,000
IN Evansville Evansville Regional EVV $19,766,993
IN Fishers Indianapolis Metropolitan UMP $69,000
IN Fort Wayne Fort Wayne International FWA $14,538,406
IN Fort Wayne Smith Field SMD $30,000
IN Frankfort Frankfort Municipal FKR $30,000
IN French Lick French Lick Municipal FRH $20,000
IN Gary Gary/Chicago International GYY $157,000
IN Goshen Goshen Municipal GSH $69,000
IN Greencastle Putnam County Regional GPC $30,000
IN Greensburg Greensburg Municipal I34 $30,000
IN Greenwood Indy South Greenwood HFY $69,000
IN Griffith Griffith-Merrillville 05C $1,000
IN Huntingburg Huntingburg HNB $69,000
IN Huntington Huntington Municipal HHG $30,000
IN Indianapolis Indianapolis Downtown 8A4 $20,000
IN Indianapolis Indianapolis International IND $52,275,549
IN Jeffersonville Clark Regional JVY $69,000
IN Kendallville Kendallville Municipal C62 $30,000
IN Kentland Kentland Municipal 50I $20,000
IN Knox Starke County OXI $30,000
IN Kokomo Kokomo Municipal OKK $30,000
IN La Porte La Porte Municipal PPO $30,000
IN Lafayette Purdue University LAF $69,000
IN Logansport Logansport/Cass County GGP $30,000
IN Madison Madison Municipal IMS $30,000
IN Marion Marion Municipal MZZ $69,000
IN McCordsville Indianapolis Regional MQJ $69,000
IN Michigan City Michigan City Municipal-Phillips Field MGC $30,000
IN Monticello White County MCX $30,000
IN Muncie Delaware County Regional MIE $69,000
IN New Castle New Castle Henry County Marlatt Field UWL $30,000
IN North Vernon North Vernon OVO $30,000
IN Paoli Paoli Municipal I42 $30,000
IN Peru Peru Municipal I76 $30,000
IN Plymouth Plymouth Municipal C65 $30,000
IN Portland Portland Municipal PLD $30,000
IN Rensselaer Jasper County RZL $30,000
IN Richmond Richmond Municipal RID $30,000
IN Rochester Fulton County RCR $30,000
IN Salem Salem Municipal I83 $30,000
IN Seymour Freeman Municipal SER $30,000
IN Shelbyville Shelbyville Municipal GEZ $30,000
IN South Bend South Bend International SBN $7,284,942
IN Sullivan Sullivan County SIV $30,000
IN Tell City Perry County Municipal TEL $20,000
IN Terre Haute Terre Haute Regional HUF $69,000
IN Valparaiso Porter County Regional VPZ $69,000
IN Wabash Wabash Municipal IWH $30,000
IN Warsaw Warsaw Municipal ASW $69,000
IN Washington Daviess County DCY $30,000
IN Winamac Arens Field RWN $20,000
IN Winchester Randolph County I22 $30,000
IN Zionsville Indianapolis Executive TYQ $157,000
This funding was made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was recently passed by Congress and signed by President Trump.
“The coronavirus outbreak has brought the travel industry to a near standstill. Federal assistance will keep our airports and aviation industry running, not just for travel, but for the ability to ship food, supplies, and other essential resources,” said Senator Young. “I am proud to announce that the CARES Act has made $96,523,889 available to help Hoosier airports remain operational and maintain employees as we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.”
