Park vs. Airport, by the Numbers

Re “A Fair Look at Great Park,” editorial, Dec. 9:

The editorial presented a balanced look at three pressing problems facing Orange County: toll roads, airport safety and the “Great Park.” The Great Park, or central park as proponents like to call it with reference to New York’s Central Park, has become part of the name of the anti-airport initiative.

However, in the summary of fiscal analysis of the initiative as done for the county Auditor-Controller David E. Sundstrom, the statement appears that the specific developments identified in the city of Irvine Great Park proposal are not part of the initiative and would not necessarily occur as a result of its passage. Thus the initiative is not about a park, but is so titled to deliberately deceive voters.

This is the same deception practiced by South County when Measure F was put on the ballot where voters were asked to vote against jails, dumps and landfills as well as the airport. The measure was found to be unconstitutional because of the confusing wording.

Also in the summary of Sundstrom’s report is the statement that the initiative would prohibit the development of a commercial airport at El Toro. The only purpose of the initiative is to rezone El Toro land so that it can not be an airport.

To repeat, this initiative is Measure F all over again; the jails, dumps and landfills are gone but have been replaced with a title that has nothing to do with the context of the initiative.

Sundstrom’s report compares the financial impact on Orange County by an airport at El Toro versus the initiative plan on Orange County. By 2020 the airport will generate 80,000 jobs and a county income of $6 billion annually. In contrast the Great Park will generate only 3,000 jobs and an annual county income of $188 million. Not only is the airport 20 times more economically viable than the park, but there is no guarantee that a park will ever materialize.

Since the initiative does not impose any new taxes or tax increases there is no mechanism to fund such a grand scheme. No taxes, no park.

William Kearns

Costa Mesa

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Re “Runway Safety a Priority,” editorial, Dec. 9:

The editorial notes several possible causes for the tire blowouts on Delta Air Lines MD-90 aircraft at John Wayne Airport.

If investigation shows that runway length is a contributing factor, this easily can be fixed. There is room on the John Wayne property to lengthen it. The FAA shows the layout for a JWA runway extension in its Aviation Capacity Enhancement Plan.

The only thing blocking the John Wayne improvement is El Toro politics. Those who want to build an unneeded second airport at El Toro are unwilling to admit that the present JWA runway can be made safer and more efficient for much less cost.

Nicolas G. Dzepina

Mission Viejo

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Re “Report Says Great Park Won’t Raise Taxes,” Dec. 1:

Now that the county’s own analysis has exposed the lies that pro-airport groups have been spreading about costs for the Great Park Initiative, Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad does her best to make lemonade out of lemons. When the report showed the park would not cost the billions of dollars airport supporters claimed, she was left to complain about the measly $1 million per year maintenance costs (equal to about 30 cents per resident).

While Orange County probably spends $1 million a year on paper clips, Coad acted as if it was going to bust the budget. “What are we going to cut? The sheriff’s budget? The health care budget?” she said.

Funny, she wasn’t concerned about budget problems when she approved funding for the analysis, which cost over $180,000. She didn’t bat an eye earlier in the year when she approved $8 million for an airport propaganda campaign. Where was her concern for health care budgets when she was opposing Measure H, which mandated that tobacco settlement funds be spent on local health care?

If she’s concerned about health, why is she willing to accept the polluted El Toro land from the Navy without ensuring that it is cleaned to the highest possible standards? And what could have a bigger impact on health care budgets than an airport that belches thousands of pounds of pollutants into the air 24 hours a day?

Arnold Burke

Lake Forest

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The park plan is a scam. The public was led to believe it would be the greatest park ever and wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime. Wrong. Report after report clearly indicates what anyone with an ounce of common sense should have known. You pay for what you get, and if we want that “pie in the sky” park, we will pay dearly for it through increased taxes.

I’m not buying the spin given by park proponents, and I hope the public doesn’t either. I plan to go to the polls in March and with my “no” vote let them know how I feel. I have no intention of paying for a huge park that probably won’t even be completed until after I’m long gone.

Jean Olson

Newport Beach

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All of those brochures sent to me showing a big, beautiful park and leading me to believe it would include museums, zoos, universities, etc., plus promising no taxes, were criminally misleading.

Those advertising brochures forgot two major points: The park won’t be completed in my lifetime but my tax money will be needed to build it. Sorry, I’m just not that altruistic. Forget the park idea. It’s too expensive.

Chelsea Carbough

Orange

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Re “Fee Hikes Urged to Resolve Airport Deficit,” Dec. 5:

County Supervisors Cynthia P. Coad, Chuck Smith and Jim Silva ducked their fiscal responsibility and stalled action on preventing more John Wayne Airport red ink.

Airport Director Alan Murphy acknowledged that reduced revenue, higher security costs and spending on El Toro have put the airport into a loss position. Murphy said, under questioning by Supervisor Todd Spitzer, that spending $9.5 million on El Toro planning and public relations during the remainder of the fiscal year was the margin between a loss or gain at JWA.

Murphy made recommendations for increased parking and other fees to cover the shortfall. Coad moved to stall action until Dec. 18, and Smith substituted a motion to delay until a January meeting.

The 3-2 vote to keep spending, without action to replenish the till, came almost exactly seven years after Orange County suffered the worst municipal bankruptcy in the nation’s history--on Dec. 6, 1994.

We are still paying for it.

Leonard Kranser

Dana Point

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Re “Don’t Block the Runway Yet,” editorial, Dec. 2:

The clamor to increase operations at John Wayne Airport has officially begun even before the voters decide between an airport at El Toro and the promise of a “Great Park.” True, a survey reported that most Orange County voters oppose an airport at El Toro. However, these voters have been subjected to $40 million worth of red herrings: “... the demand isn’t there ...” “... drive to LAX ...” “... Camp Pendleton ...” “... March Air Force Base ...” “... anywhere but El Toro.... “ Even The Times has touted these “alternatives,” thereby marginalizing supporters of El Toro living near JWA. After all, no one was talking about more flights from there.

Now The Times has trotted out rhetoric from the ‘70s and early ‘80s regarding flight limitations and curfews at JWA, branding the concerns of Newport Beach “parochial” and calling on the supervisors to “balance the needs of the entire county.”

If the voters walk away from El Toro in March, they, not The Times, will decide what the county needs: no more aviation. I intend to hold their feet to the fire.

Thomas A. Butterworth

Balboa Island