The McKinney mayor debate had a packed audience on Tuesday night. And the McKinney drew a strong reaction from the crowd.
People started booing when the airport came up during the debate hosted by the Collin County Young Republicans. McKinney voters struck down a $200 million bond to pay for the expansion two years ago.
But the city council still moved forward with the project with other funding sources. , a local attorney and one of the four McKinney mayor candidates, said he wouldn鈥檛 have done that if he was mayor at the time.
鈥淲hen the voters said no, as a council member, as a mayor, you stop,鈥� Willingham said. 鈥淵ou do not continue to move forward and push something that people don't want.鈥�
Willingham said the county should have been involved in funding the airport expansion. He said it鈥檚 unfair that McKinney taxpayers have to foot the bill for the project alone when the whole county will benefit from the airport.
, a retina surgeon who鈥檚 running for McKinney mayor, said at the debate expanding the airport will burden taxpayers.
鈥淚t will bring money,鈥� Rostami said. 鈥淚t will increase the property values. That's true. But you will be paying more property taxes.鈥�
, a former city council member who鈥檚 running for mayor, said during the debate that the city council listened to the will of the voters, which is why the council is using sales tax dollars instead of property tax revenue for the project.
鈥淭hey heard what the citizens said,鈥� Cox said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e dropped the idea of taxpayer funded expansion.鈥�
The $75 million expansion is expected to start construction in May, with the terminal opening sometime next year. Cox is chair of the McKinney planning and zoning commission, which approved the site plan for the expansion after the city council passed a resolution expressing its support of the plan.
Former state Representative said during the mayoral debate the airport expansion should be paused until the new mayor and city council members are elected in May.
鈥淭he development will span decades, far beyond my lifetime,鈥� Sanford said. 鈥淚t's too big. It's too important to rush.鈥�
Early voting for the McKinney election is scheduled for April 22 through April 29. Election day is May 3. Voters will have several city council and school board races on their ballots in addition to the mayoral election.
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