Section 2751. Statement of legislative findings and purpose

The legislature
  hereby finds and declares as follows:
    1. The economic well-being of the state and the general welfare of its
  people  require  adequate,  safe,  secure  and  efficient  aviation  and
  transportation facilities at a reasonable cost to the people.
    2. The  strengthening  and  improvement  of  aviation  facilities  and
  related  services for the western part of the state is a matter of vital
  importance not only to the residents of western New York but to all  the
  state's residents and is therefore a matter of state concern.
    3.  In  order to insure a healthy economy for such area and to promote
  the general welfare of its residents, it  is  necessary  to  expand  and
  improve  the  existing aviation facilities and services in Monroe county
  in such a manner as to stimulate and  promote  increased  local,  state,
  national  and  international air travel and commerce through western New
  York.
    4. The health, welfare, safety and security of the  state's  residents
  and  of  those  passengers using air transportation requires coordinated
  operation of aviation facilities and services  in  Monroe  county  by  a
  public benefit airport authority.
    5.  The  purposes  of  such  authority  shall  be (i) to stimulate and
  promote  economic  development,  trade  and  tourism  (ii)  to  acquire,
  construct,  reconstruct,  continue,  develop,  equip,  expand,  improve,
  maintain, finance and operate aviation and other related facilities  and
  services  within  Monroe county (iii) to promote safe, secure, efficient
  and economical air transportation by preserving  and  enhancing  airport
  capacity  (iv)  to  form  an  integral  part  of  a  safe  and effective
  nationwide system of airports to meet the present and  future  needs  of
  civil  aeronautics  and  national defense and to assure inclusion of the
  authority's facilities in state, national and international programs for
  air transportation and for airport or airway capital improvement, all in
  accordance with the provisions of this title (v) to insure that aviation
  facilities authorized pursuant to  this  title  shall  provide  for  the
  protection  and  enhancement of the natural resources and the quality of
  the environment of the state and the western New York area.
    6. Such purposes are in all respects public purposes for  the  benefit
  of the people of the State of New York and for which public funds may be
  expended  and  both  the  county and the authority in carrying out their
  respective powers and duties under this title  shall  be  deemed  to  be
  acting  in  a  governmental  capacity.  The  acquisition,  construction,
  reconstruction,   development,   expansion,   improvement,    equipping,
  operation  and  maintenance of any project financed or undertaken by the
  authority or the county shall be deemed to  be  the  performance  of  an
  essential governmental function by the authority or the county acting in
  its  governmental  capacity,  whether  such  project  shall  be owned or
  operated by the authority or by any person or public corporation.