The Ballot Box

PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE ORANGE COUNTY ELECTION
- A letter to subscribers from the Website Editor - November 1998

If Dave Sullivan had beaten Jim Silva for Silva’s seat on the Board of Supervisors, it could have killed the El Toro airport. From the start, we knew that it was a long-shot to unseat an incumbent supervisor. However, it was worth the try, because it could have been the quickest and cheapest way to stop the airport.

From the start, we knew that it was not the only way to kill the airport, JUST THE EASIEST. Unfortunately, it was fought in a district where most people don’t care about the airport one-way-or-another. It was NOT a referendum on El Toro. People voted for the candidates based on other issues, like crime and fiscal policies and personal endorsements.

Now we will move on to the county-wide ballot measure which we knew all along was required to put the final stake in the heart of the beast. A vote of the people is legally necessary to overturn Measure A - the law that designated El Toro to be a commercial airport. We will get that vote.

The Silva-Sullivan battle galvanized South County. No one dreamt we could raise so much money or turn out so many troops. We are stronger than before, and more confident that we can win a bruising campaign aimed directly against the airport. While it will take more time and money, it will be a one-issue campaign - which makes it easier in some ways than trying to unseat a smiling incumbent.

Check the website, especially the Issues Section, and you will see poll after poll that shows that voter support for the airport is very soft. The Supervisors are 3-2 for the airport plan but the majority of the people are against it.

Don’t be discouraged. We tried a long-shot, to win this fight the easy way, and it didn’t pan out. The airport opponents have plenty of arrows left in their quivers.

Those of you who are letter writers, make sure that the newspapers and government officials know that THE FIGHT AGAINST THE AIRPORT IS STILL ON TRACK.

Click here for an answer to "Why we should vote again" on El Toro reuse.