Lawsuit filed against Columbia over city’s airport revenue guarantee

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A lawsuit was filed in Boone County on Wednesday that challenges the legality of a revenue guarantee for the city to host American Airlines flights to Charlotte.

The lawsuit was filed by Mark Winter and Richard Shanker – who identify themselves in court documents in documents as “residents and taxpayers.” The petition also names the city and Finance Director Matthew Lue as defendants.

Previous reporting says funds for the revenue guarantee would come from $750,000 of private contributions and $750,000 from the Transportation Sales Tax. The Goldwater Institute – which is a right-wing think tank – had published a letter last month questioning the legality of the agreement under the Missouri Constitution.

Winter and Shanker allege in the petition that the revenue guarantee violates the gift clause of the Missouri Constitution and that the city did not have the authority to enter the agreement.

ABC 17 News reached out to the city on Wednesday afternoon.