In the End, the Politicians Act Naturally

Despite recent wavering by some board members over how they might vote, all five Orange County supervisors Wednesday did what politicians do best when forced to make a tough decision: They played to their constituents and looked for ways to compromise.

Along the way, they furrowed their brows, asked seemingly pointed questions and smiled politely in the face of some very hostile voters. But plans for a commercial airport at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station were never really in jeopardy.

In the final analysis, supervisors Roger R. Stanton, William G. Steiner and James Silva, who represent mostly pro-airport districts, stood solidly behind the proposal. Supervisor Thomas W. Wilson, whose South County district is staunchly anti-airport, fought the good, but futile, fight against it.

And Supervisor Don Saltarelli, whose district is split on the issue, did emotional and intellectual somersaults at the dais, finally casting his vote in favor of the project only after several key concessions to scale back airport plans had been won.

“I wasn’t surprised. Their behavior was totally expected,” said Lake Forest Councilwoman Marcia Rudolph, an airport foe who was frustrated by the Board of Supervisors’ predictability. “The time has come for the supervisors to think globally. I don’t think they were thinking in terms of what was best for the entire county.”

Silva said a global view is important, but it’s not his only concern.

“I am elected to represent the people of District 2. . . . I have very few comments from people in my district opposing the airport, but many comments from people supporting it,” he said, explaining his vote. “My district is looking at this as a combination of more jobs for the county and convenience for personal travel.”

Although many board observers thought otherwise, supervisors after the vote argued that the airport decision was far from a “rubber stamp” action. “This was not a done deal,” Steiner said.

Added Saltarelli: “If anyone thought this Board of Supervisors came here with their votes determined, they don’t know what’s going on.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the mixed signal coming from Stanton, the board’s lame-duck chairman.

Days before the vote, Stanton emerged as a possible swing vote, the member who could derail the airport project. Some county observers speculated that the outgoing supervisor might choose to exit public office as the protector of “quality of life” issues in Orange County.

Others suggested that he was trying to strike fear in some developers and other business leaders who supported the airport because of their lack of support for him as he successfully fought misconduct charges stemming from the county’s bankruptcy.

“Stanton was all over the map,” said one top county official. “Everyone was trying to figure out what he was up to.”

But in the end, Stanton represented the interests of his 1st District and voted in favor of the airport development.

The two days it took for the supervisors to reach their airport decision, the most divisive and potentially crucial land-use issue facing the county, was full of political theater.

When one airport proponent, for example, mentioned a Business Week article about quiet airplane engines, an attentive Stanton was quick to ask the man for the date and page of the article.

When residents complained about the lack of details in some environmental reports, Saltarelli nodded his head in agreement.

“I’m having a difficult time finding the truth, so I understand why the public is having trouble finding the truth as well,” Saltarelli commiserated.

And, when the board was poised to make the final vote, it adjourned for nearly two hours so some board members could attend “prior” luncheon engagements.

Throughout the seemingly unending public testimony Tuesday, the supervisors managed to remain cordial with the speakers, though one board member later acknowledged privately that it was difficult to listen to the same arguments over and over.

“It was like chewing on broken glass,” the supervisor said. “A lot of people didn’t want to be confused with the facts.”

With the county obliged to submit its base conversion plans to the federal government by year’s end, the supervisors were essentially forced to act on the issue this month.

However, even the fast-approaching deadline didn’t stop board members from considering something else that politicians love to do: delay controversial votes.

“This thing was a hair away from being punted to the next board,” said Steiner. “It came real close.”

A postponement was averted, in part because of the deadline, but also because supervisors believed they could work out a compromise that could appease some South County residents’ concerns over noise, safety and the number and times of flights at an El Toro airport.

To the frustration of several supervisors, however, most South County residents had no desire to listen to politically crafted compromises.

“I had a real problem with the unwillingness to move toward a compromise,” Steiner said. “Piper Cubs could be at the airport and they’d still complain. There would still be lawsuits. That’s the way things are when it come to this issue.”

Also contributing to this report was Times staff writer Shelby Grad.