By Rich Pollack
President Donald Trump’s frequent visits to his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach have hurt businesses operating out of the Palm Beach County Park Airport, better known as the Lantana Airport.
Now, thanks in large part to U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, some of those aviation-related businesses may be receiving federal dollars to help cover revenue lost because of Air Force One flights into the area.
Frankel announced last month a $3.5 million grant for relief to businesses and aviators at Lantana and at a New Jersey airport affected by temporary flight restrictions when the president visits. The money was included in last month’s government funding bill.
“Local businesses and aviators at Lantana Airport have been unfairly impacted by Mr. Trump’s frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago,” Frankel said in a news release. “They will now have an opportunity to receive financial relief.”
Frankel, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, estimated that businesses at the Lantana Airport had lost about $1 million in revenue as a result of the temporary flight restrictions in place during presidential visits.
Frankel, whose district encompasses much of south Palm Beach County, said the airport has 25 small businesses that support 250 jobs.
As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Frankel worked with former Rep. Leonard Lance of New Jersey and Sen. Marco Rubio to get funding for the airports included in the transportation appropriations bill. The grants will be administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which will determine criteria and put out a notice for businesses in the near future.
Frankel’s actions received praise from the chief executive of Stellar Aviation group, which provides services to aircraft owners at Lantana.
“She took the time to understand the impacts to the affected business at the airport and worked with both the local and federal government to try and find solutions to alleviate these significant impacts,” Jonathan Miller said in the news release.
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