A Tale of Runways, Revenues

Orange County Supervisor Charles V. Smith recommends selling John Wayne Airport to raise money to pay off the county’s bankruptcy debt (May 8). One possible buyer would be Los Angeles World Airports. Last year, Smith actively supported L.A.’s unsuccessful attempt to take over El Toro and run it as a satellite of LAX.

Who would win and lose from the transfer of John Wayne? Clearly, L.A.’s political leaders and LAX neighbors might hope to gain. Their goal is to limit the use of LAX. Orange County groups advocating more local aviation capacity might get their wish, since L.A. would be unlikely to continue the flight restrictions at John Wayne when they expire. L.A. might be inclined to dust off plans for lengthening John Wayne’s runways. Those who hoped for more flights -- at El Toro -- might get their wish at an expanded John Wayne.

The losers would be those who live under the flight paths and near the road traffic to John Wayne. Having fought for years to spare our communities from the negative impacts of an airport at El Toro, I would not like to see the same impacts imposed on our neighbors.

Leonard Kranser

Dana Point

Politicians and bureaucrats talk about being hamstrung because of Proposition 13 cutting off needed funds, even with sharply increasing property values. Let’s get real here. Home resales at record-high average prices immediately trigger a new value basis for taxes, and people are buying new houses priced at $700,000 and up as fast as they can be built. How much has tax income increased in 2003 and 2004, and how will that money be used in managing the finances of Orange County? Isn’t it time for an objective report to the taxpayers of Orange County so we have an answer to the question, “Where is the money?”

Barkley B. Yarborough

Huntington Beach

Oh my, “the O.C.” is still bankrupt after all these years. Our esteemed supervisors are considering putting John Wayne Airport on the auction block. They could easily eliminate $1 million-plus in salary and benefits by simply getting rid of themselves. They serve no real purpose other than to rubber-stamp projects for developers.

Let’s just eliminate this facade of so-called democracy and put Irvine Co. chief Donald Bren in charge of the county for no salary. The Irvine Co. always gets what it wants anyway.

Rex Ricks

Huntington Beach