Measure S Sides Trade Charges

First, The Times Orange County Edition urged a “no” vote on Measure A in November 1994, stating that ballot box planning was not the best way to plan land usage; now The Times is opposed to Measure S, which would reverse Measure A because S would “close the door” on an airport at El Toro (Editorial, March 17).

The Times’ rationale is that the environmental concerns, i.e., noise, traffic, pollution, declining property values, could not be mitigated as set forth in Measure S. Hence: no airport.

What’s hard to comprehend is that pro-airport voices say there will be no objectionable noise and pollution due to the buffer zone and that our two interstate freeways could easily handle the traffic.

So what’s the problem? Measure S then just opens the door for some fair planning, whereas Measure A in no uncertain terms mandates an airport!

HERBERT L. FRANKLIN

Laguna Niguel

* Your recommendation to vote “no” on Measure S belies the fact that if it does not pass, the same group you took issue with will continue to be less than willing to deal honestly and fairly with all county residents.

Every other Southland city has vetoed a commercial airport in their area and placed major restrictions on existing operations. The mayor of Newport Beach is open about his desire to rid Newport of “excessive” commercial flights from John Wayne. In fact, the majority of Newport Beach residents writing to The Times seem to believe El Toro is needed without consideration of asking whether even John Wayne is cost effective without taxpayer subsidies, let alone El Toro’s conversion costs. Why should south Orange County be exempted from making its own decisions?

The proponents of Measure A are determined to convert El Toro to heavy commercial use. But for whose benefit? They have the Board of Supervisors, the federal government and over two-thirds of less affected north Orange County voters to bank on. Measure S forces the county to seriously look at the best use for El Toro. Measure S may not be perfect, but its shortcomings pale in comparison to the “We [rich developers] know what’s best for you” statement made by Measure A.

DEREK QUINN

Laguna Niguel

* I feel that if Measure S were to pass, it would seriously impede the economic future of the county. John Wayne Airport is too small to serve Orange County’s needs. It will reach its legal annual limit of 8.4 million passengers this year or next. It has only one 5,700-foot runway and no room for expansion as it provides short haul and commuter flights. In comparison, El Toro airport, with its long runways, can provide direct cross country and international flights, thus meeting the county’s air transportation, passenger and cargo needs well into the future.

A new airport at El Toro would more than replace the 8,000 [jobs] lost by the planned closing of the Marine Corps Air Station and the 17,000 aerospace jobs lost due to defense cuts. It would create an estimated 53,000 new jobs in Orange County.

GAIL JONES

Newport Beach

* An article in The Times of Feb. 28 emphasized the skepticism of investors regarding Orange County’s ability to float bonds. In spite of this, the advocates of constructing a commercial airport on the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station continue to push for a project which would cost, by the most conservative estimate, $1.8 billion, and as much as $2.3 billion by another estimate from a consultant’s report.

On top of this, one must add another quarter of a billion dollars to accomplish the obligatory payment of the bonded debt still hanging over John Wayne Airport.

How in the world will another airport in Orange County be financed? Only by further increasing the debt of an already bankrupt county whose existing debt now carries a “junk” rating and which has announced plans to omit payments to some holders of its taxable notes!

If John Wayne Airport can’t pay off its bonds, how can a competing airport within a few miles of it hope to do so? This leads to the obvious conclusion that the taxpayers of the county would have to look forward to increased taxes.

There is a powerful incentive to vote yes on Measure S, which calls for further study before committing the taxpayers of Orange County to additional huge tax burdens!

JAMES C. FISH

Laguna Hills

* The shortsightedness of Measure S:

The El Toro air station is a tremendous ready-to-use asset. It is a state-of-the-art facility with four large runways situated in the center of an enormous tract of land. This land provides a noise buffer zone of 18,000 acres. The air station occupies only a portion of the total property that would be available for parks, commercial development or other uses. Measure S, with its detailed environmental restrictions, would prohibit its use as an airport and restrict the development of other people-oriented projects.

With respect to the noise issue, it will be years before any significant flight level will be reached. Today’s large commercial jets are significantly quieter than any military jets--and will be getting quieter all the time.

The future growth of Orange County is heavily weighted to the south. Major business and greater population density will occur in the South County areas, and I am dismayed that the supporters of Measure S would negate the option for a commercial airport at El Toro to support this growth.

GEORGE V. BUTLER

Newport Beach

* Why spend $2.5 billion to convert a military base into a civilian airport? Why do we need it? Why not use all existing airports to their fullest capacity?

Am I the only one who has ever flown from Long Beach Airport? That is the most underused airport that I have ever been to, and it is ripe for expansion. Even on a busy day, you can park 300 feet from the terminal, and be to the gate in under five minutes. Check in with your carrier, walk to the gate, then take a short walk to the plane. All told, you have walked less than a third of what John Wayne or LAX would have required.

Long Beach Airport could easily handle more commercial and cargo flights. Sure it is farther from south Orange County than John Wayne, but not nearly as far as LAX. For a north Orange County resident, this is the perfect departure airport. The only ones who seem to be consistently in favor of the El Toro airport are the residents of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. When Long Beach is fully utilized, when the artificial passenger caps at John Wayne are removed, then and only then should we begin discussing El Toro as a viable commercial airport.

CHARLES J. CORPENING

El Toro

* We are appalled by the misinformation that has been sent in mailers by the anti-El Toro airport folks. They contend that a commercial airport at El Toro would burden the taxpayers with a $1-billion to $2-billion debt and raise property taxes.

New airports can be financed with 90% of the cost from the Aviation and Airways Trust Fund; that money has been raised by a 10% levy over past years on airline tickets. The remaining 10% would be provided by revenue bonds; they would be paid from landing fees, parking charges, tenant leases, etc. No general taxpayers’ funds are involved! The new terminal and parking structures at John Wayne were completed in 1990 for less that $200 million. Did taxes go up on the completion of John Wayne? The answer is no.

Another misleading drawing in their brochure shows flight paths leaving El Toro like the spokes on a wheel! There is no way the Federal Aviation Administration would permit such takeoffs and landings. The FAA is responsible for air space allocation.

We suggest that honest opposition is fair enough, but scare tactics are unworthy of otherwise good people.

EUGENE H. MORIARTY

Chairman

El Toro Airport Committee