Responsible Government Naples wants common sense dictating future of airport, city

Naples Airport. Image via Visit Florida.

Branimir Brankov felt surprised when Naples leaders started making noise about relocating the Naples Executive Airport.

As an amateur pilot, he was part of a community that loved the facility. A poll later showed broad support for the airport continuing normal operations, even as a vocal minority complained about the noise.

Now, Brankov has helped found Responsible Government Naples, a civic group that will advocate for smart stewardship of public resources in a way that’s responsive to the wider Naples community.

“This is a nonpartisan group of residents who are concerned business and community leaders in Naples, and we came together because we all care,” Brankov told Florida Politics. “We care about how our city is run.”

The group plans to become involved in several issues, starting with the debate around the future of the airport, which has operated in Naples since 1943.

Members of the Naples Airport Authority announced in August a $400,000 exploratory study in 2023 to examine the feasibility of a move. The study showed that the move could cost well over $1 billion.

However, the authority also commissioned a poll this year on public sentiment, which showed that 63% of Naples residents and 61% of Collier County residents want the airport to stay put, as reported by WGCU.

“At the same time, a small group of elected officials in our city in Naples are attempting to allocate millions — I’m telling you, millions — of taxpayers doors toward studies and attempts to close, relocate or even limit the airport activities, in spite of the strong support the airport has rightfully earned from the community,” Brankov said.

He declined to criticize specific officials by name but said Responsible Government Naples will highlight the airport’s economic importance and public support and educate constituents on efforts to disrupt that.

For now, the group wants to focus on policy details and issues rather than advocate for or against political candidates.

“We want to be a constructive partner in dialogue with the government in the future to see, what are the best solutions, what’s the most important for the community, how we can make the right decisions for the right purpose, and how to make the best out of the situations that we are facing,” he said.