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.