Few Lawmakers Taking a Stand on El Toro Reuse

It’s getting more difficult these days to avoid the growing debate over whether the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station should be converted to a commercial airport when the Marine Corps leaves the base in July 1999.

But there are still some holdouts among local politicians elected to federal and state office.

Most of the federal lawmakers representing Orange County profess no public opinion on whether the surplus base should be used as a civilian airport, with the exceptions of vocal airport booster Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and airport critic Rep. Ron Packard (R-Vista).

State legislators are more willing to take a stand, though the most silent voices come from those who represent areas north and south of the base that include a volatile mix of both pro-airport and anti-airport cities.

Those without an official position include Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), Assemblywoman Marilyn C. Brewer (R-Irvine) and state Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine). All three represent Newport Beach, the leading cheerleader for a commercial airport at El Toro, and Irvine, which is equally staunch in opposition.

Tricia Harrigan, past president of the League of Women Voters, said she’s sympathetic to state and federal lawmakers sending mixed signals on El Toro because the decision ultimately will be made by the county Board of Supervisors. But that doesn’t take them off the hook from declaring stands on issues of concern to their constituents.

“The public is owed as much information as possible,” said Harrigan, who lives in Corona del Mar and monitors supervisorial meetings for the league. “We shouldn’t give them an easy out just because they don’t want people to get mad at them.”

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Former Irvine Mayor Larry Agran was more blunt.

“The deepest contempt that citizens have for politicians is reserved for those who refuse to take a stand on controversial issues of public importance,” said Agran, who heads Project 99, a citizens group promoting non-aviation uses for the base. “That has been one of our big problems. We’ve had no leadership at all. There has been only the predictable choosing of sides by the locals. No wonder we’re fighting like a bunch of children.”

Many of Orange County’s federal officials fall back on the response that base reuse is a local issue to be determined by local residents. The position comes despite two countywide votes on the future of the base, which arguably is the largest infrastructure resource in the county and one built with billions of dollars of federal money.

“The reuse of this base will have regional, statewide and even national implications for the next 100 years,” Agran said. “To suggest that this is a local issue and not a federal issue is absurd.”

County voters have twice said, by narrow margins, that they want an airport to be built at El Toro. Measure A, which passed in 1994, asked if the base should be rezoned for an airport with surrounding airport-compatible development; Measure S, which failed in 1996, was an attempt by South County cities to repeal Measure A and preclude airport planning for the base.

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Among state lawmakers who take a position on El Toro is Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside). He said his intense opposition is a direct response to his constituents’ fears that a commercial airport at El Toro would ruin their property values and quality of life. Morrow is seeking to replace retiring state Sen. William A. Craven (R-Carlsbad), another airport critic.

“Just when we finally get our traffic problems under control, we’d build another airport and we’d need another Measure M [transportation sales-tax hike] to deal with the new traffic,” Morrow said. “Assuming that the pro-airport forces [don’t] decide to reverse course, which is not likely, the voters at some point in Orange County are going to have to ask themselves a tough question: Who is going to pay for it?”

Not surprisingly, the most vocal critics of the airport come from cities most affected by proposed flight paths, including most of South County and the cities of Irvine, Tustin and Orange.

Joining Packard, Morrow and Craven in opposition are Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange) and Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-Orange). Those central-county cities could be affected by take-off and landing patterns for commercial jets at an airport.

Campbell has a personal reason for opposing the airport: His wife is from Los Angeles and grew up in a neighborhood next to Los Angeles International Airport, said his district director, Rachel Otte. Hearing about that experience has made him sensitive to the impact an airport can have, she said.

County officials have been attempting to assure leaders in Tustin and Orange that they would work to keep planes from flying over their communities. But that effort is at odds with recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration, which ultimately would set flight paths.

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Lawmakers joining Rohrabacher in support of an airport at El Toro include state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove) and Assemblymen Dick Ackerman (R-Fullerton), Scott Baugh (R-Huntington Beach) and Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove). The three assemblymen gave qualified support, however, saying they expect the planning process to deal with residents’ concerns about noise and traffic to lessen the ultimate impact.

“A lot of things need to be taken into consideration in south Orange County to make sure their interests are protected,” Baugh said. “We need an airport, but it shouldn’t be shoved down their throats.”

Ackerman said he prefers a regional approach to planning and actually would rather have an international airport built at Camp Pendleton, which would address air travel needs in Orange and San Diego counties.

“A new airport is vital to the economic future of Orange County and Southern California in general,” he said. “There are safety and quality of life issues, but they’re not inconsistent with building an airport. The federal government is giving the county El Toro for free, and there’s already an airport there. It would be a mistake not to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Assemblyman Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana) has no position on the airport. He said he supports whichever development plan provides the most jobs for the county.

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Where They Stand

Orange County supervisors have made their positions well known on the proposed conversion of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to a commercial airport when the military leaves the base in July 1999. The county’s elected federal and state lawmakers have been less vocal. Here is a look at how the county delegates stand on the issue:

CONGRESS

Christopher Cox

(R-Newport Beach)

No position on specific base reuse. Believes federal government should sell the land to a private entity for development. Wrote legislation in 1989 banning joint commercial-military use of El Toro.

Jay C. Kim

(R-Diamond Bar)

No position on reuse. Believes El Toro is “a local issue.” Said he will await the decision of the “local communities [to] figure out what they want.”

Ron Packard

(R-Vista)

Opposed to converting the base to a commercial airport. Believes citizens need a thorough process to voice opinions and choose a reuse that satisfies a majority. Believes planning authority lies with county supervisors.

Dana Rohrabacher

(R-Huntington Beach)

Supports conversion to a commercial airport. Has endorsed Newport Beach Councilman John W. Hedges (an airport supporter) against Supervisor Tom Wilson, who represents South County.

Ed Royce

(R-Fullerton)

Out of the country and unavailable for comment. Has had no position on base reuse. Introduced an unsuccessful bill after county’s bankruptcy calling for the base to be sold to repay the county’s debt.

Loretta Sanchez

(D-Garden Grove)

No position. Believes federal resources should be used in the most cost-effective way but advocates waiting for the reuse process to conclude.

STATE SENATE

William A. Craven

(R-Carlsbad)

Opposes conversion to a commercial airport on behalf of constituents. Represents Mission Viejo and southern cities. No position on alternative uses but would become involved if state-affected uses, such as a prison, were suggested.

Rob Hurtt

(R-Garden Grove)

Supports conversion to a commercial airport. Signed letters in support of an airport during the countywide elections.

Ross Johnson

(R-Irvine)

No position on reuse. Says that communities around El Toro should have their concerns “taken into account” and that concerns about environmental impacts of an airport and quality-of-life issues should be “addressed adequately.”

John R. Lewis

(R-Orange)

Opposes conversion to a commercial airport. Represents Orange, North Tustin and some of South County, which would be affected. Wrote letters opposing airport and in support of a countywide measure that would have repealed an earlier vote rezoning the base for airport use.

ASSEMBLY

Dick Ackerman

(R-Fullerton)

Supports conversion to a commercial airport if it meets safety and community concerns. Believes ideal solution for Orange and San Diego counties’ aviation needs would be development of an airport at Camp Pendleton. That option is opposed by the Marine Corps.

Scott Baugh

(R-Huntington Beach)

Supports conversion to a commercial airport in concept but only if the concerns of South County residents are addressed. Opposed Measure S because it would have precluded consideration of an airport. Believes an airport is needed.

Marilyn C. Brewer

(R-Irvine)

No position on base reuse. Has said she wants the “highest and best use for [the base], whatever that may be.”

Bill Campbell

(R-Orange)

Opposes conversion to a commercial airport. Has a personal reason for opposing it: His wife grew up next to Los Angeles International Airport. Says many North County constituents have concerns about proposed flight patterns.

Jim Morrissey

(R-Santa Ana)

No position on reuse. Supports whatever use provides most jobs for his constituents. Believes an industrial complex could produce as many jobs as an airport.

Bill Morrow

(R-Oceanside)

Opposes conversion to a commercial airport. Believes John Wayne Airport and other regional airports can handle future air passenger demand. Supports South County cities planning a non-aviation alternative.

Curt Pringle

(R-Garden Grove)

Supports conversion to a commercial airport. Supports continuing the county base-reuse process to make sure air safety issues are addressed and planning is done with respect for residents closest to the airport.

Source: Individual candidates; Researched by JEAN O. PASCO / For The Times