Cox Said to Back Vote on Airport

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) has signed the initiative petition being pushed by opponents of the El Toro airport, according to organizers of the ballot drive.

If adopted by county voters, the Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative would require a favorable two-thirds vote in an election before any airport, jail or landfill could be built.

Cox signed the petition at Lake Forest’s Fourth of July parade, organizers said. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Cox’s signature could be the first indication of his position on the county’s proposal to build an international airport at the former Marine Corps Air Station. Although the initiative would cover more than the Marine base, it was created specifically to thwart the county’s airport plan.

Cox, who represents a district divided on the issue, has not said whether he supports or opposes the county’s effort.

The opposition group collected 10,000 signatures over the Independence Day weekend. The petition now has 100,000 names, a spokesman said Tuesday. Organizers hope to put it to a countywide vote in March.

Richard T. Dixon, an antiairport activist and Lake Forest councilman, said he doesn’t think Cox’s signing the petition necessarily means Cox wants to stop the airport conversion.

“My opinion is that the signing of a petition is not taking a position on the airport-or-no-airport issue,” he said. “It indicates you are concerned about the will of the people.”

Republican Assemblyman Bill Campbell of Villa Park also signed the petition.