Editorial: Airport may opt out of federalization plan

Friday, Nov. 23, 2001 | 9:11 a.m.

The aviation security bill that President Bush recently signed into law will require the federal government to be in charge of airport security. The legislation definitely was needed because privatization resulted in airport security companies placing too much emphasis on saving money, which meant that some of them cut corners on safety at the expense of public safety.

There is a provision tucked inside the legislation that in three years will allow five eligible airports to get the federal government's permission to form their own security force or hire private companies to perform the service. Randy Walker, the director of the Clark County Department of Aviation that runs McCarran International Airport, is interested in exploring the possibility of opting out.

Walker was critical of the federalization of airport security because he didn't believe it would be as efficient as using private contractors. "When you think of the federal government, efficiency isn't usually at the top of the list," Walker said. That's an interesting comment -- especially since Walker is a government employee. For that matter, members of law enforcement and the armed forces also happen to be federal employees, and we haven't heard too many complaints lately about their inefficiency.

Walker says he won't make a decision until next year on whether the airport will seek permission to opt out of the requirement that requires security personnel to be federal employees. Despite Walker's objection to the new mandate, it isn't even in place yet -- it could take as long as a year before a federalized work force is fully implemented. We believe the airport should give this badly needed change a chance to work before considering a return to the failed policies of privatization.