COLUMBIA - The Jefferson City Council will discuss giving $100,000 to the Columbia Regional Airport at its meeting on Monday night. This comes after Columbia announced it hopes to raise $3 million to attract another airline to the Columbia Regional Airport that would offer flights to another city like Dallas or Chicago. Currently, Delta offers flights at the airport to and from Memphis and Atlanta. In November, Frontier will offer flights at Columbia's airport to and from Orlando.

Columbia doesn't have the $3 million on its own so that's why its reaching out to local businesses and other cities like Jefferson City for help. The City of Columbia would not give the $3 million directly to the new airline; instead, the funds would act as a financial safety buffer.  If the airline does not hit certain numbers, then the city will make up the difference using those funds.

However, not everyone in Jefferson City is on board to make the contribution. Jefferson City's Airport Advisory Committee voted to oppose the funding measure. Some argue Jefferson City's airport could use the funds.

Greg Cecil with the Columbia Regional Airport Advisory Board argues however, the money would serve the entire region. Cecil said people from all across mid-Missouri fly in and out of the Columbia Regional Airport and many could benefit from another airline offering flights at the airport.