<p><strong>To the editor:</strong></p><p>It is false to say the State Police Aviation fleet relocation to Greenwood is a pure benefit. Greenwood is providing state police deeply discounted services. To pay for the discounted services, city taxpayers will be providing over a million dollars.</p><p>The city is to supply $2,500,000 in buildings, for which the city will receive discounted rent of $5,000 a month over 48 years. Before factoring inflation, the deal has a negative accounting value of $1,500,000. No businesses or bank would consider funding the deal. Yet, city government wants you to believe it is good deal.</p><p>The city claims the aviation unit will add revenue from fuel sales. The fuel sales claim is unsubstantiated. Previously, Mount Comfort Airport housed state police aviation. Mount Comfort showed no significant changes with the 2014 move to their location. They flatly stated, ‘It is impossible to keep the State Police without a guaranteed local subsidy like that offered by Greenwood.’ Experience showed Mount Comfort that state police aviation is too costly. Now Greenwood citizens will be supplying subsidy dollars for the next 48 years.</p><p>It is bad government to make citizens pay subsidy dollars. I welcome state police aviation, but not at citizen expense.</p><p><p><strong>Dale Marmaduke</strong></p><p><p><strong>Greenwood</strong></p>
