An authority has broad powers to run airport-related functions, property, contracts, and operations, but cannot levy or collect taxes or special assessments.
§604. General powers of the authority An authority shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this Chapter (excluding the power to levy and collect taxes or special assessments) including but not limited to, the following powers: (1) To exercise all or any portion of the administrative powers, functions and authority, relative to airports, vested in the governing body of the subdivision; (2) To execute such contracts and other instruments and take such other action as may be necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this Chapter; (3) To plan, acquire, construct, improve, maintain, equip, operate, regulate and protect airports and air navigation facilities, including the acquisition, maintenance and operation at such airports of buildings and other facilities for the servicing of aircraft or for the comfort and accommodation of air travelers, and the purchase of and sale of supplies, goods, and commodities as an incident to the operation of its airport properties. For such purposes an authority may, by purchase, gift, devise, lease, acquire property, real or personal, or any interest therein, including easements in airport hazards or land outside the boundaries of an airport or airport site, as are necessary to permit the removal, elimination, obstruction-marking, or obstruction; (4) To acquire, by purchase, gift, devise, lease, existing airports and air navigation facilities; (5) To establish or acquire and maintain airports in, over, and upon any public waters of this state, any submerged lands under such public water; and to construct and maintain terminal buildings, landing floats, causeways, roadways, and bridges for approaches to or connecting with any such airport, and landing floats and breakwaters for the protection thereof; (6) Subject to the approval of the State Bond Commission, to make, in any year, contracts dedicating in whole or in part the excess of annual revenues of subsequent years above statutory, necessary, and usual charges. No such contract shall have any longer term fixed for payment than ten years from the date of the contract. No dedication of future revenues shall be made which, alone or with other prior dedications in force, exceeds the estimated excess of revenues over the statutory, necessary, and usual charges of the year in which the contract is made. This Section shall not be construed to prohibit an authority from providing by ordinance or resolution for the expenditure of funds derived from miscellaneous or contingent sources actually collected, subject to the dedication of such funds established by law. (7) In addition to the authority granted in Paragraph (6) of this Section, and subject to the approval of the State Bond Commission and the Lafayette City-Parish Council, the Lafayette Airport Commission may issue bonds or other debt obligations to construct, acquire, extend, or improve any revenue-producing work of public improvements. The bonds or other debt obligations may be secured by the pledge of the income and revenues of such public work or work of public improvement and no such bonds or other debt obligations shall have any longer term fixed for payment than twenty-five years. Any bonds or other debt obligations issued under this subpart shall not be a charge upon any other income or other revenues of the Lafayette Airport Commission. (8) In addition to the authority granted in Paragraph (6) of this Section, and subject to the approval of the State Bond Commission and the Rapides Parish Police Jury, the Rapides Parish Airport Authority may issue bonds or other debt obligations to construct, acquire, extend, or improve any revenue producing work of public improvements. The bonds or other debt obligations may be secured by the pledge of the income and revenues of such public work or work of public improvement in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on such bonds or other debt obligations as they severally mature, and no such bonds or other debt obligations shall have any longer term fixed for payment than twenty-five years. Any project or undertaking by any such political subdivision from which revenue is or will be derived, whether by lease, rent, fees, charges, or otherwise, shall be considered a revenue producing work of public improvement within the meaning of this Part. Any bonds or other debt obligations issued under this Subpart shall not be a charge upon any other income or other revenues of the Rapides Parish Airport Authority. Acts 1952, No. 531, §5. Amended by Acts 1960, No. 399, §2; Acts 1976, No. 441, §1; Acts 1978, No. 626, §1; Acts 2014, No. 595, §1.