Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Created: 08/27/2012 05:47:47 PM PDT

San Bernardino County is expected to take the final action in creating an alliance with the city of Ontario to form a local authority for LA/Ontario International Airport.

During the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, a multi-jurisdictional Ontario International Airport Authority is expected to be set up should the city of Los Angeles agree to transfer control of the Inland Empire airport.

Governed by a five-member commission, the focus of the authority will be to operate and grow the struggling facility, which has lost about 42 percent of its passenger traffic since 2008.

Ontario officials said they would consider involving the city of Los Angeles, which runs Los Angeles World Airports, the operator of ONT, in the structure of the joint powers agreement.

One member will be a San Bernardino County supervisor representing the district in which ONT is located. That seat is currently held by Supervisor Gary Ovitt.

“This is an important regional issue, not just for Ontario, it generates income and revenue for the entire county,” Ovitt said.

Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments, called the authority a step in the right direction for regional transportation efforts.

SCAG has publicly supported that ONT operations go to local control, stating it would be consistent with the reorganization of air traffic contemplated in the agency’s Regional Transportation Plan.

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