January 04, 2005


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE				PRESS RELEASE # 2005-02


SUBJECT:	Irvine Leaders Respond to Hahn's Efforts for "Hostile Takeover" of El Toro
	

IRVINE, CA--- Irvine City leaders condemned efforts announced today by Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn to take control of the closed El Toro Marine Base for the purpose of operating a commercial airport.

Hahn stated in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, "... the City of Los Angeles wishes to negotiate an agreement with the Department of the Navy to establish the former Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro as a commercial airport."  The letter continued, "Specifically, I would like you to consider our offer to assist in the transfer of the El Toro property from the Department of the Navy to the Department of Transportation.  Under the plan I envision, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) would agree with the Department of Transportation to plan, improve, entitle and operate the facility as an international airport under a long-term (perhaps 99 years) lease with the Department of Transportation."

"Mayor Hahn's actions amount to an attempted hostile takeover of El Toro and we will fight it.  Make no mistake; this is a core issue for the City of Irvine," said Beth Krom, Mayor of Irvine.  "The City of Irvine and its allies in the anti-airport effort will take any and all measures necessary to preserve the interests of our communities and defend the will of the hundreds of thousands of residents throughout Orange County who said "NO" to the concept of an airport - any airport - at El Toro."

Larry Agran, Irvine Councilman and Chairman of the Great Park Corporation, called Mayor Hahn's announcement, "a desperate attempt by a failed administration to hold onto power."  He said, "The timing of Mayor Hahn's announcement leaves no question as to its motivation.  The long awaited auction of El Toro is set to begin tomorrow and the result of that auction process will be the transformation of El Toro from an airport to a Great Park.  Hahn knows there is no real chance that the Department of the Navy will stop this process now and hand the base over to Los Angeles.  He tried this tactic a year ago and was rejected by the Navy.  Hahn also knows that he is up for re-election on February 22 and he is in serious trouble.  His announcement is just a desperate attempt to distract voters' attention from Hahn's failure to expand LAX and from the allegations of scandal and mismanagement which plague his administration."

#  #  #