A Deal to Help Jump-Start the Region : Wilson throws $60 million on the Disneyland table and says let’s get going

Gov. Pete Wilson was right to want to do the Disney deal in Orange County this week. We need the “up”--not to mention the jobs.

Already, what often seems to be a daily deluge of bad economic news for the state has been countered by the steady progress of Disneyland’s plans for a $3-billion expansion of its theme park.

Recognizing the project’s importance to California, Wilson went to Anaheim Wednesday to pledge $60 million for two freeway ramps and a massive parking garage. That’s a lot of money from a cash-starved state, but in this case it seems to be money well spent. From the governor’s office to Anaheim City Hall, public officials have recognized the enormous economic impact the project can have on the region, ranging from jobs for those who will build it and those who will work there to tourism attracted from around the world.

And we should not underestimate the value of having such a boost at a time when some think the biggest traffic-flow issue is an exodus out of the state. That’s one reason the state is wise to allocate the transportation money, despite anticipated complaints from communities with perfectly valid competing claims.

Keep in mind that the freeway ramps and the parking garage will benefit more than just the planned Disneyland Resort. The garage will double as a park-and-ride facility for the city’s bus riders and car-poolers; the ramps are also designated for car-poolers, helping meet the goal of cleaner air.

Officials say the money will come from savings on other transportation projects, which are coming in under budget because companies desperate for business in a recession are submitting bids lower than expected. Further, the money can be spent only on transportation.

Meanwhile, the public agencies negotiating with the notoriously tough Disney bargainers have been properly cautious about spending the public’s money too freely on a project to benefit a private company. Disney, which has cleared a number of hurdles as the project has progressed, is seeking $800 million in public funds for the planned new theme park, amphitheater and hotels. The company contends it will not proceed with construction unless all the figures pencil out.

Disney must do its part in the public-private partnership as well. It has modified its original plans for the expansion and joined state and local officials in lobbying Washington for funds. It must also try to satisfy nearby schools concerned about a possible influx of students when construction begins.

The project has the potential to help jump-start the regional economy, turning the moving vans around so they head back into the state.