Airport’s Contribution

Re “Opponents Challenge Van Nuys Airport Plan,” March 8.

Your writer repeats as fact that which I believe to be a myth, namely: “The 73-year-old airport contributes $1.2 billion a year and more than 10,000 jobs to the economic well-being of the San Fernando Valley.” No source; no attribution.

This wild statement came from a so-called economic study commissioned by the airport to puff up the indispensibility of their grand nuisance. At best the study utilized a multiplier effect on reckless assumptions.

Whether the $1.2 billion is even close--and I would be astonished if the true benefit was even 1% of that claimed--high school journalism teaches the student to always quote the source, particularly on such a contentious issue as the economic benefit of the Van “Noise” Airport.

ZANVILLE S. GREEN

Tarzana