Funded by User Fees (Tickets, Parking, Rent). They do not levy a direct property tax, which insulates them from taxpayer revolt but makes them beholden to corporate tenants.
Total control over the West Plains water and noise environment. Their expansion directly impacts the livability of Airway Heights.
The "TSA Checkpoint" is the ultimate time sink. The Board controls the efficiency of this interface, dictating the friction of your exit from the city.
6,000+ Acres of sovereign territory. They are the largest landholder in the region capable of unilateral industrial development.
The Verdict: The "Sovereign Immunity" Gap. They operate as a government without voters. You cannot vote for the Airport Board, yet they control the region's most critical infrastructure.
Liminal Space. You are no longer in "Spokane" when you enter their jurisdiction; you are in a federal transport zone policed by a special agency.