Jackson Cites Peotone Airport as Key Divider in Election

As the March 20 primary election draws near, there are certain topics that will unequivically divide candadates.

In a letter to the editor from U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the congressman draws a clear line for voters, separating his Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission from Will County's own airport plan, referring to it as a referendum.

See what Jackson wrote about ALNAC, Will County and his opponent Debbie Halvorson:

The central irreconcilable difference between the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission (ALNAC) plan and the Will County airport "plan" appears to be what triggers future airport expansion and when. 

Under the ALNAC plan, the commission and the developers (who have committed $700 million of their money to this project) will predetermine when airport expansion occurs by setting automatic triggers based on cargo and passenger demands.  In short, when the airport business needs to grow, it can. 

The proposed Will County governance plan (as recently outlined by Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis) says the airport could expand when, and only when, Will County officials decide so. 

From a private developers' perspective, the two approaches couldn't be farther apart. One they can live with: ALNAC's. One they cannot: Will County's. 

Indeed, no private company will invest in a long-term project if future growth can be stymied by the latest election results. 

The ALNAC plan foresees future expansion, which is vital in order to attract private money.  ALNAC developers—among the world's most successful airport builders—have made it clear that they won't invest money in the governance structure being pushed by Will County. The developers prefer a broad-based regional governing body that represents the interests of all impacted communities, which ALNAC does. 

The March 20 election will be a referendum on airport governance.  It is ALNAC and its fully-funded plan backed by Congressman Jackson versus Will County—with no funding, no plans, and no commission—backed by Debbie Halvorson. 

Only ALNAC's plan can guarantee job growth now and for future generations, which also explains why only ALNAC has been able to attract private dollars.

— Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.

Mr. Jackson serves the  and - Patch areas.