RALEIGH (AP) — An effort to transfer control of Charlotte’s airport from the city to an independent panel has cleared a North Carolina legislative committee as efforts to create a study commission on the airport’s future collapsed.
The House Finance Committee voted Wednesday to create an 11-member Charlotte Douglas International Airport Authority. Four members would be chosen by the Charlotte City Council, with six others coming from Mecklenburg and surrounding counties.
House Republicans says they offered to create a study panel to examine the authority idea but GOP Rep. Ruth Samuelson of Charlotte said the city council would not go along with the idea.
A Charlotte city lobbyist told the committee he had problems with the commission structure but did not close the door on the idea.
The bill goes to the House.