Airport Money, Energy Misspent
* Re “Airport’s Biggest Ally Says It Has to Shrink,” (Nov. 12):
George Argyros states that it’s a political issue that needs to be solved and the public needs to be educated. Sir, the public is educated, the public voted no on the issue and wants to move on. Argyros has invested $3.5 million out of his own pocket, so The Times states. The voters of Orange County are wondering what’s in it for him. Perhaps he wants one of the terminals named after himself. Nice try on the bait-and-switch tactic. What’s next?
ROBERT HUGHES
Santa Ana
* George Argyros has spent $3.5 million out of his own pocket trying to build an international airport at El Toro. South County, with donations of $10 and up, collected a comparable amount to fight him. Four years have passed and over $7 million wasted. This battle could last another 20 years.
I don’t think money is George’s motive. He has plenty. I believe he would like the name Argyros to be synonymous with the name Segerstrom, which in his community is a philanthropic name of great respect. His proposed airport would give him this, but he won’t live long enough to enjoy it.
Let’s join forces, George. Help us build our park instead of an airport and we’ll call it “The Great George Argyros Park.” Measure F will stop expansion at John Wayne Airport and you can be the hero that healed the Orange County split so we can all be friends again.
DAVE SCHLENKER
Laguna Woods
* Our George Argyros did not make his millions by losing--so with his $3.5 million invested in a plan for an airport at El Toro (Argyros International) he has come up with a revised approach. He is offering a scaled-down version of what is presently proposed. If he can get people to buy this idea (or buy enough people) then he has a foot in the door--or the runway. Once we get a “mini-airport” there we can start plans for its expansion and we can close John Wayne and all that land will become available for development.
For lack of a real regional planning organization we are losing valuable time for the best long-range solution to area airport problems. Riverside wants an airport at present and a rapid transit system would make it possible. However it is growing very rapidly and it won’t be long before, like South County, it won’t want an airport because of its populated area.
The argument that we need the airport for future growth” is a little ironic at this point. Argyros’ Newport has just voted for a control growth program. The real problem in the county is handling the growth problem. It’s too bad he and his supervisor friends don’t spend some money and time on solving traffic gridlock and the many other real problems we have.
BARNEY DEASY
Laguna Woods
