Many businesses in many different industries were devastated after 9-11. Some we may not even be aware of. Let me talk about one of those industries. One you rarely think about but it is a huge business sector and serious to our nations economic health.

The parking industry got hammered by the Sept. 11 acts due to all the airport ‘park and rides' and airport short and long-term parking at our nations busiest airports. Then got hit again when the FAA made the 300-foot from fence rule at all airports; 100 yards is a long way and that covers a lot of prime real estate, generally it also includes a whole lot of parking area, which is rendered unusable now. Some lots lost half of their available parking spaces, whoops, who could have ever saw that one coming. Ouch?

The parking companies say that the 100-yards is excessive and want to be paid for the loss of their properties which if you remember parking is the highest yielding use of property in the country, even more than billboards. So who is going to pay for it? The industry will have to absorb it and find additional land near by to park the remaining vehicles and then pay more in shuttle costs and aggravation to move the people.

Airports usually have the most expensive and highest per parking stall fees, so this is serious; a large amount of unrecoverable revenue. Less parking at airports means more parking off site, which means probably more business for taxi cab drivers and such, although even those taxi drivers sympathize with lessees and owners of airport parking. Next time a Podium Pushing Politician stands up and says they are going to protect us or they are here to help and thinks that making a law based on linear thinking and criteria, you might wish to think about exactly why you elected them in the first place. Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs