Naples leaders urge veto on bill changing airport board selection

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK)—A state bill could shift control of the Naples Airport, and city leaders are pushing back.

House Bill 4005 has passed the Legislature and is now awaiting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision. 

The City of Naples sent a letter to the governor asking him to veto the bill, expressing concerns about the changes' potential impact on local control of the airport.

The bill would change how the Naples Airport Authority Board is selected. Right now, board members are appointed by the Naples City Council.

Under the bill, members would be elected by voters in both Naples and Collier County starting in 2026 if the bill becomes law. In a letter to the governor, the City of Naples said the bill would strip the city council of its governance and appointment authority.

Marc Shookman, a local resident, supports the change.

"I think the county should have a say in it, because the airport is in our county, and it impacts the people that live in this area, so we should all be a part of it," Shookman said.

Andi Pietrusiak, another local resident, disagrees. WINK News spoke with him at the airport's observation deck, where he said he supports keeping control of the city.

"I think it's fine the way it is, it's a huge County, and I think, you know, you don't really need people, let's say living out in Ave Maria, or out by oil well road, kind of deciding what happens with the airport when it's gotten really nothing to do with them," Pietrusiak said.

The Naples Airport Authority is staying out of the debate, saying this is a legislative issue being handled by the city. 

The governor's office said the bill has not reached the governor's desk, and until it does, they will not comment.