$650,000 Flies Away in Battle Over Airport : In Tight Economic Times, Four Cities Should Rethink How Best to Make Their Case

The question of what to do with the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station after the Marines leave has become one of the county’s biggest political footballs. This month, there was another fumble.

In the latest disturbing sign of the distrust of county government felt by some communities, four cities in South County have pledged $650,000 to fight against a commercial airport at the base. Coalition leaders said the money would pay for an independent study of an airport’s impact on the local environment and economy. The consultant conducting the study will also look at alternative uses for the base after it closes.

At a time when cities are short on funds and considering if services must be cut or taxes raised, this is a poor expenditure of money. It will duplicate studies already planned. Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest and Laguna Hills should consult on the environmental and economic impact studies that the county will carry out. Make suggestions. Offer constructive criticism. If they think the county study will be biased against their cities and in favor of an airport, they should be able to see that few outside their own cities will view their consultant’s study as unbiased.

A group of business leaders mistrustful of the government they elected already has sponsored a campaign that forced a referendum on an El Toro commercial airport onto the November ballot. The business people and the South County cities both are trying to institute planning by special interests, not planning that takes account of concerns of the region.

The Board of Supervisors devised an El Toro Reuse Planning Authority to gather information and opinions on the future of the 4,700-acre base and study possible uses. Lake Forest is a member of the authority, which makes its presence on the four-city coalition even more troubling. Do city officials intend to work with the reuse group or just erect roadblocks? Lining up on the anti-airport side damaged the city’s credibility. Lake Forest either should quit the coalition or the nine-member reuse authority, whose other members include the five county supervisors and three Irvine council members. Given a choice between these two, it would be much better off working with the authority.

The creation of the coalition angered at least two county supervisors and revived the poisonous atmosphere that has pitted North County, where many favor an airport, against South County, where many oppose one. The cities should let the reuse authority do its work, getting help, not obstructions, from all cities.