County might one day become the site of a new commercial airport, but not in the immediate future. Participation by the FAA and Caltrans will be just as important to the fate of the Regional Airport Consortium as to SCRAA. FAA endorsement and funding will be crucial to any efforts at regional coordination. The federal role is discussed further below. Similarly, state agencies like Caltrans can assist the Consortium by interfacing with ground transportation providers, identifying funding sources for ground access projects and assisting compliance with state and federal regulations. The stakeholder surveys also found that buy-in by air carriers would be important. Strategies to achieve air traffic decentralization must be consistent with market forces shaping the industry and cooperation by air carriers will be necessary in moving flights to airports in the Inland counties. The emphasis of decentralization strategies on ground access means that some participation by ground transportation providers will be desirable. Implementing comprehensive ground access solutions will require the cooperation of county transportation commissions and individual transportation agencies like the Southern California Regional Rail Authority. Elected Officials, Administrators and Leadership: Specifying the appropriate roles for elected officials and administrators will be as much of a challenge in creating the Consortium as it will be for the newly reconstituted SCRAA.
Survey respondents
doubted the efficacy of including elected officials and administrators in a single deliberative body, but agreed that participation by both would be important. Participation and support by elected officials serving on the policy-making boards of Southern California’s existing and potential commercial airports will be needed to design, approve and monitor initiatives undertaken by the Consortium. These initiatives will draw heavily on the practical expertise possessed by technical staff.
Separating politicians and
administrators into two groups—a Board composed entirely of elected officials to meet quarterly, and a technical advisory committee of technical staff that would meet monthly or bi-monthly and provide the Board with regular policy advice—can ensure that the organization takes advantage of the different categories of expertise of while minimizing the burden on both groups.
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