Building a better ROAR
Howard Rothenbach
Since August, the people of Burbank and our friends in Glendale and
the east San Fernando Valley have been generous with their time and
financial support of the Restore Our Airport Rights initiative. We could
not have gathered 7,412 signatures -- almost 50% more than needed --
without their involvement. I can’t thank everyone enough for the enormous
effort put forth.
As has been reported in the Leader, the city clerk of Burbank, Judy
Sarquiz, rejected the ROAR petitions, alleging a California Election Code
violation, because the name “ROAR” appeared on the petitions instead of
the names “Howard Rothenbach and Ted McConkey.” Her decision has been
appealed to State Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer and we expect to hear back from
him in a few months.
Pending Lockyer’s opinion, we have decided it best to hit the streets
with a new ROAR initiative. This way we are assured of being on Burbank’s
February municipal ballot.
We are taking advantage of this opportunity to improve the language of
the original initiative. For example, instead of the
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority “agreeing” to a mandatory
curfew before the city of Burbank lets them move forward with plans for
an expanded terminal, a “legally obtained mandatory curfew” must be in
place.
Others may have suggestions to improve the ROAR initiative. Your
comments are welcome. A draft copy of the new ROAR initiative is on our
Web site at www.roar.netthis.org, and we can be contacted by e-mail at
roar@netthis.org; snail mail at 150 S. Glenoaks Blvd., Box 9133, Burbank
91502, or fax 955-9484.
In a related matter, Lockyer has opined that the circulators of a city
initiative need not live in that city, and the city of Burbank has agreed
to abide by that opinion. We look forward to the continued involvement
and support of Burbankers, and the help of our neighbors, to control the
airport’s expansion.
HOWARD ROTHENBACH is chairman of Committee to Restore Our Airport
Rights.