Teamwork. It takes a village.
J&P Runway Cafe- a cut above!
Celebrating the new local owned MWBE employee cafe at Bldg. 14 JFK Airport are (L-R) Assemblyman Cyde Vanel, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, State Senator Comrie, U.S. Congressman
Meeks, JFK GM Charles Everett, Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, QB President-Elect Donovan Richards, Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, JP Cafe co-owners Annette Runcie
and Michael Duncan, Port Chief Diversity and Inclusion Michael Massiah.
PANYNJ austerity 2021 Budget
AIRPORT VOICE, DECEMBER 2020 43
Belt tightening unless
Congress funding
At both the November and December
Port Authority Commissioners
meeting, austerity is the world for
2021.
Given the unprecedented drop in
airline travel and related low volume
businesses, along with lower overall
revenue from other transportation
sources, there is $1.3 bullion shortfall.
The Port is a self sustaining agency
relying on revenue from transportation
facilities and airport fees. It is a
multi-state entity that has never been
is such a tough position before. To help
keep many of the planned infrastructure
programs alive bringing billions
in economic activity to Queens and
NYC, it needs funding from the federal
and state governments. Problem
is that NYS is in the hole as well. So,
the Port has presented its case to and
garnered support from many Congress
members but has yet to receive
any commitment for funding for the
upcoming year. Congress has failed
to negotiate a stimulus plan that has
specific support for the multi-state
agency, state and local governments,
airlines, the unemployed, and small
businesses that would normally add
to the coffers of the Port Authority
and rescue many Queens people from
severe hardship.
Some of the areas of reduction are:
slow capital spending, reducing expenses,
reducing overtime, reducing
contracts, consultants , M&S spending
and reducing head count by 626
positions. Executive Director Rick
Cotton calls these measures sound
and fiscally responsible.
The Port continues to move forward
with projects already funded,
local events to keep the public engaged,
informed and active in future
plans,
including the redevelopment of La-
Guardia Airport, Newark Airport expansion,
JFK American Airlines renovation
and the new development of
the largest solar power canopy storage
system at JFK Airport which will
provide solar electricity for AirTrain
and bring discounted clean energy to
surrounding communities. Port Executive Director Rick Cotton