Statement of legislative findings and purpose

§ 2751. Statement of legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds and declares as follows:

1. The economic well-being of the state and the general welfare of its people require adequate, safe, secure and efficient aviation and transportation facilities at a reasonable cost to the people.

2. The strengthening and improvement of aviation facilities and related services for the western part of the state is a matter of vital importance not only to the residents of western New York but to all the state's residents and is therefore a matter of state concern.

3. In order to insure a healthy economy for such area and to promote the general welfare of its residents, it is necessary to expand and improve the existing aviation facilities and services in Monroe county in such a manner as to stimulate and promote increased local, state, national and international air travel and commerce through western New York.

4. The health, welfare, safety and security of the state's residents and of those passengers using air transportation requires coordinated operation of aviation facilities and services in Monroe county by a public benefit airport authority.

5. The purposes of such authority shall be (i) to stimulate and promote economic development, trade and tourism (ii) to acquire, construct, reconstruct, continue, develop, equip, expand, improve, maintain, finance and operate aviation and other related facilities and services within Monroe county (iii) to promote safe, secure, efficient and economical air transportation by preserving and enhancing airport capacity (iv) to form an integral part of a safe and effective nationwide system of airports to meet the present and future needs of civil aeronautics and national defense and to assure inclusion of the authority's facilities in state, national and international programs for air transportation and for airport or airway capital improvement, all in accordance with the provisions of this title (v) to insure that aviation facilities authorized pursuant to this title shall provide for the protection and enhancement of the natural resources and the quality of the environment of the state and the western New York area.

6. Such purposes are in all respects public purposes for the benefit of the people of the State of New York and for which public funds may be expended and both the county and the authority in carrying out their respective powers and duties under this title shall be deemed to be acting in a governmental capacity. The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, development, expansion, improvement, equipping, operation and maintenance of any project financed or undertaken by the authority or the county shall be deemed to be the performance of an essential governmental function by the authority or the county acting in its governmental capacity, whether such project shall be owned or operated by the authority or by any person or public corporation.