Columbia sued over alleged unconstitutional airline revenue agreement | Jefferson City News-Tribune

The Goldwater Institute has filed a lawsuit against the City of Columbia, arguing that a revenue guarantee agreement with American Airlines is unconstitutional because it backs taxpayer-funded flights from Columbia, Missouri to Charlotte, North Carolina. The suit, lodged on a Wednesday, targets a March agreement to cover shortfalls up to $1.5 million if revenue targets aren’t met by May 22, 2027. Funding for the shortfall includes $750,000 in private contributions to the Central Missouri Air Service fund and $750,000 from the Transportation Sales Tax fund. The plaintiffs seek to void the agreement, bar enforcement, and recover costs, naming taxpayers Mark Winter and Richard Shanker along with city finance director Matthew Lue.