Political Moves on El Toro Issue Draw Fire

* Pro-airport consultant David Ellis’ suggestion (Nov. 8) that school districts under the flight paths of proposed El Toro airport runways should simply build schools elsewhere is both shortsighted and disingenuous.

First, what message would that send to the parents of children in our district whose schools are already under or near the flight paths?

Second, how do we explain to the people of Aliso Viejo that we will not finish construction of a school in their neighborhood because the people of north Orange County want an airport flight path running right down the spine of that community?

Ellis would likely postulate that we should build Aliso Viejo’s neighborhood school in San Clemente or San Juan Capistrano and bus Aliso Viejo children miles from their home during the day so that they only have to listen to the roar of jet engines in the afternoon and evening.

The superintendent and school board of Capistrano Unified will not abandon either the community of Aliso Viejo or the children who attend the seven schools that are under or near the flight paths of the proposed airport.

We prefer instead to be certain that as many Orange County residents as possible have access to the new scientific findings on the relationship between airport noise and children’s ability to concentrate and learn, research that has emanated from Cornell University in the last three years.

JAMES A. FLEMING

Superintendent, Capistrano

Unified School District

* It is one thing for the Irvine City Council to fight El Toro airport, but it is quite another to use their own residents as pawns.

Changing existing zoning laws in order to allow homes and schools to be built close to the proposed new airport for the purpose of “throwing a monkey wrench into county plans for the commercial airport” is irresponsible.

As a resident of Irvine, I resent the fact that they are jeopardizing my tax money by exposing our city to countless lawsuits should the airport be built.

As a human being I resent using people for political purposes. Aren’t we supposed to trust our elected officials to protect us instead of use us?

ESTHER SMITH

Irvine

* Re “Cities Rethink Land Use by Base,” Nov. 8:

South Orange County cities have, by the admission of one of their own, decided to use Saddam Hussein’s hostage approach to discourage the conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to a commercial airport. That’s stooping mighty low.

These cities should be told unequivocally by the Board of Supervisors and pro-airport organizations that the presence of schools, residences and other noise-sensitive developments built near the proposed airport after the planning process has begun and before a final decision is made will have absolutely no impact on the final decision.

If, as many of us expect, the airport will eventually be built, these cities and developers should be held financially accountable by the occupants for any inconvenience caused by the airport.

J.W. KRAUS

Newport Beach

* I am appalled at the latest scheme by the city officials of Irvine.

It is difficult to believe that anyone could rationalize a decision to allow homes and schools to be built so close to a large airport.

I bet every lawyer in the county can’t wait to represent those homeowners against Irvine when El Toro airport is built.

It’s gross negligence for City Council members to allow families to move into an area in which their quality of life will most certainly be compromised.

A. GALLAGHER

Costa Mesa

* I just received a brochure regarding all the advantages that the El Toro airport will provide for Orange County, and how we need this airport to provide economic development so we can pay for more police protection, firefighters and libraries.

This county needs more economic development like it needs the plague.

Supervisors Charles V. Smith, Cynthia Coad and Jim Silva seem oblivious to the fact that our freeway system is already choked and the ecosystem is stretched to its limits with air pollution, beach pollution, noise pollution.

And in this environment, they ask us to embrace an El Toro international airport so we can have more people, more business, more factories, more freeways, more of everything.

And don’t forget to include more air pollution, more water pollution, more noise pollution and, yes, more people pollution.

I have to believe these supervisors are intelligent people. Yet when they support economic development in Orange County with such vigor, I have to question motives and suspect the existence of some mysterious agenda other than benefit to the Orange County general community.

The El Toro airport is a blueprint for destruction of Orange County as a family-oriented community. If the El Toro airport comes to be, you will see development and growth that will in a short time duplicate the conditions that exist around Los Angeles International Airport.

I also view this compromise to build a smaller version of El Toro as the old “foot in the door” ploy--get an airport established and then it will be easy to expand it at a future time.

GIL NIXON

Huntington Beach

* The Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative does not prevent an airport, toxic waste dump or jail from being built in Orange County.

It calls for a larger majority of citizens to believe it is absolutely necessary.

Given the severe negative impact any one of these things can have on the surrounding communities, it should require a two-thirds vote of the people.

This is not uncommon. If our schools need additional funds, they must obtain a two-thirds vote.

This initiative will give control of the county back to the people.

Our county government has already spent millions of the taxpayers’ dollars promoting an airport that so far have produced nothing.

EILEEN MOSKOW

Laguna Niguel

* Am I the only one in south Orange County who thinks it is rather odd that the Irvine Co. sits quietly in its corporate offices while tens of thousands of residents who enhanced its corporate profits anguish over the El Toro issue?

Disney has made clear its thoughts on El Toro airport; 192,000 signers of the Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative have asserted their thoughts on the issue; the Federal Aviation Administration has its doubts on the feasibility of the project; and Anaheim Hills is requesting from the county guarantees about El Toro air traffic and noise that the county can’t give.

The Irvine Co. certainly owes the many residents who bought into the Irvine model a statement on its position on El Toro airport.

To sit quietly by, contending that more information is needed, as the company has stated in the past, borders on civil irresponsibility and corporate cowardice.

PAUL L. HUTCHINS

Laguna Woods