A sermon I heard at church Sunday was shaped around “Groundhog Day.” You know the movie, with TV weatherman Bill Murray waking up each morning to the same old day. I’ve had that plot in mind lately, not for any spiritual reason, but because of a hot issue in Snohomish County.
It’s “Groundhog Day” I think of while reading — yet again — about the possibility of commercial air service at Paine Field.
“Progress on Paine Field terminal takes a tiny step forward” was the headline on Noah Haglund’s Feb. 14 Herald article. A New York company, Propeller Airports, has proposed leasing property at the county airport for a two-gate passenger terminal.
On Feb. 18, the news was “Paine Field commercial flights met with opposition at hearing.” That story, also by Haglund, covered objections presented to the Snohomish County Council by foes of airline service at Paine Field. At its 10:30 a.m. meeting Monday, the County Council is scheduled to again discuss the lease option, and may vote on it.
I’m not holding my breath. When I saw those headlines, I felt like that guy in “Groundhog Day,” hearing over and over the clock radio’s 6 a.m. wake-up song, “I Got You Babe.”
That sense of “Groundhog Day” was amplified when I happened to open a cardboard box. Until a few weeks ago, it was stored at Sound Publishing’s corporate site near Paine Field. The box was among items moved after Sound took ownership of The Daily Herald and we left the newspaper’s downtown Everett location last year.
Anyway, this old box is filled with articles clipped from The Herald in the 1980s. Some are my stories, but most were written by my late husband, Jim Muhlstein. For years, he covered Snohomish County government.
In one folder from 1988 and ’89, I found about a dozen Paine Field commercial-flight stories. You’d think they were ripped from today’s news:
“Panel opposes regional airport: Not a Sea-Tac at Paine Field.” “Mayor, others view airport as a county asset.” “Sensors to sort out noise at Paine Field.” “Council member rips study’s regional airport idea.” “Stage is set for hearing on airport.” “Mukilteo backs move to limit Paine Field use.” “Airline bows out of airport for now.”
That last one refers to San Juan Airlines, which operated out of Paine Field for a few months in 1987 and 1988. The airline flew from Paine to Portland International Airport five times each weekday and several times on weekends. It pulled out after attracting too few customers, the article said.
In two months of service, according to an airport spokesman at the time, there were just two noise complaints related to those flights, both called in by the same person on the same day.
Since 1998, I have written at least four times about my hopes to eventually fly from Paine Field. I believe commercial air service would boost Snohomish County’s economy and tourism, but I’ll admit my reasons for wanting a passenger airport here are selfish. With elderly parents in Spokane, I would like a quicker way to get there. It’s a 45-minute flight. The trip via Seattle-Tacoma International Airport can top three hours.
In 2004, I raised the subject when state Sen. Dave Schmidt, a Republican representing Mill Creek at the time, submitted a bill requesting $100,000 in state money to study possible commercial air service at Paine Field. In 2008, I wrote about Bellingham International Airport, where several airlines including Alaska and Allegiant serve passengers.
And in 2010, when Horizon Air and Allegiant were considering Paine Field flights, I wrote: “How can residents of one part of Snohomish County expect no change, when all around them communities see massive changes — in traffic, construction and, yes, quality of life?”
Each time, I heard from members of Save Our Communities. The Mukilteo-based group has long opposed commercial flights out of Paine Field. That intrepid group is still at it.
After the Feb. 17 County Council meeting about the plan for a passenger terminal, Save Our Communities vice president Victor Coupez rightly said, “This is an important decision that will affect us all for years.” He urged council members to “perform due diligence.” And he added, “There is no legal pressure to push this through. Slow down.”
It’s the last bit that gave me a chuckle. Slow down?
Whichever choice the county makes about passenger service, the process has been slow enough — Painefully slow.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
