Questionnaire About Airports

* Re “Politics, Not FAA, Blocks Noise Relief,” April 12.

In mid-January, Congressman [Brad] Sherman took on the role of public opinion molder and pollster in sending out an airport noise questionnaire to “residents most impacted by airport noise.” According to Sherman’s staff, the letter was to go to 44,000 of the Congressman’s constituents. If Sherman were truly concerned with serving all constituents, I should think he would want to gauge the sentiments of all those in his district after having first informed them of the benefits derived from the airports. We could then make an informed decision with a smorgasbord of benefits as the trade-off for what some Valley residents see as a nuisance. Sadly, . . . he used his high office as a bully pulpit to build support for his recent position that the airports are a problem.

If you have doubts, consider the preamble to the survey, “I would like to receive direct input from residents who live in areas that appear to be most impacted by airport noise.” Perhaps the views of the rest of the voters are irrelevant. Question two asks, “Do you feel that you can tolerate additional noise?” Question three: “If you are able, please indicate which airport concerns you the most: Van Nuys, Burbank Airport or both airports. Not a word of neither airport for those not disturbed.

There is a very clear message in this kind of political skulduggery: If you are an employee or business owner, you had better make sure that actions such as this aren’t permitted to rob you of your business or livelihood. Get informed about how valuable those airports are to our Valley and then advise your elected officials to stop their crusade to crush our economy by destroying the airports.

ROBERT L. RODINE

Sherman Oaks