Website Direct, September 28, 2001
Spitzer Releases Memo To BOS, RE: Suspension of Discretionary Spending (i.e Fund 14M)

Website Direct, September 28, 2001
McGowan:  County airport has "fatal flaw"

Leisure World News, September 27, 2001 website posted September 28
Homeowners Association "Moves towards airport donation"

OC Register, September 28, 2001
"Millions in losses forecast for JWA"

Website Direct, September 27, 2001
Another week and still no FAA report

LA Times, September 26, 2001
"Will Great Park Come at Great Price?"

Daily Pilot, September 26, 2001
"Anti-El Toro group supports JWA flight cap extensions"
"South County leaders reverse February stance and say they will now back Newport Beach's desire."

Website Direct, September 25, 2001
City of Orange Quits OCRAA

OC Register, September 25, 2001
"Alvarez's hat in the ring early"

LA Daily News, September 24, 2001
"Regional system may overtake LAX expansion plans"

ETRPA Press release, September 24, 2001
"After five years of neutrality on the issue, Ackerman will take a stand against the El Toro Airport."

LA Times, September 24, 2001
"Airport Foes Rally Behind 'Great Park' Initiative"

Website Direct, September 23, 2001
Orange, Fullerton to reconsider OCRAA membership

OC Register, September 22, 2001
"Airport foes will offer fund-raiser"

Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 20, 2001 webposted September 21
Airport "Expansion plans in jeopardy nationwide"

LA Times, September 21, 2001
"Wishy-Washy Supervisor Silva Still Deserves His Dunce Cap"

Website Direct, September 20, 2001
Anti-airport groups rally in support of park initiative

OC Register, September 20, 2001
"Peace at El Toro not at hand, after all"

OC Weekly, September 14, 2001, website posted September 19, 2001
"Bleccccccccccch!"
"A people’s environmental impact report on El Toro International Airport"

LA Times, September 19, 2001
"Supervisor Does New Turnabout on El Toro Plan"
"Jim Silva, who unexpectedly joined airport opponents in calling for a referendum, changes his mind the next day."

Website Direct, September 18, 2001- update
Silva does a quick about face

Website Direct, September 18, 2001
Press reports from the morning after the BOS chaos

Website Direct, September 17, 2001 - Updated
Supervisors' meeting implodes.  Airport action delayed a month.
Jim Silva votes to let the people decide.

OC Register, September 17, 2001
"OK on El Toro likely today"
"Supervisors' expected 3-2 vote for an airport plan won't quiet foes, with suits anticipated over the environmental study."

Orange County Register Editorial, September 16, 2001
"Wait for FAA El Toro Report"

Website Direct, September 16, 2001
ETRPA says Board action on Monday will be illegal

Website Direct, September 16, 2001
Gary Simon subject of CSHC volunteer's complaint

LA Times, Editorial September 15, 2001
"Think Through El Toro"

LA Times, September 14, 2001
"Most Oppose Even Smaller O.C. Airport"
"The plan to build an airfield at the former El Toro Marine base 'remains a hard sell,' pollster says."

LA Times, September 14, 2001
"For Board's Airport Backers, It's Full Speed Ahead"

Website Direct, September 13, 2001
Supervisors warned of potential personal liability

Website Direct, September 12, 2001
ETRPA asks Supervisors to wait for FAA report

OC Register, September 12, 2001
"El Toro vote delay rebuffed"
"The pro-airport supervisors say an FAA report isn't needed before they sign off on the environment report."

Website Direct, September 11, 2001 –10:35 AM
"The Second Pearl Harbor"
Aliso Viejo forum to be put off

LA Times, September 10, 2001
"Support for El Toro Airport Could Haunt Riordan"

Newport Daily Pilot, September 10, 2001
"A CLOSER LOOK -- A crowded runway for El Toro's future"
"Rulings, debates and decisions on the planned airport will be coming fast and furious in the coming days and weeks"

OC Register, Readers React, September 9, 2001
"El Toro airport shouldn't get off the runway"

LA Times, September 7, 2001
"Ballot initiative could lift ONT"
"Proposal calls for funding shuttle service between southern Orange County and Ontario with state's share of taxes on vehicle sales."

Website Direct, September 7, 2001
Rubber stamp commissions produce mixed results on El Toro

Tom Wilson, September 6, 2001
"Supervisor Wilson to Host Last South County Public Forum on El Toro Reuse"

Website Direct, September 6, 2001
Another Day… Where's FAA?

Website Direct, September 5, 2001
175,000 signatures delivered for petition to bury the airport

OC Register, September 5, 2001
"Supervisors back smaller airport"
"Members of the county board's pro-airport majority say they prefer a passenger reduction to 18.8 million a year."

Website Direct, September 4, 2001 – Lunch break
BOS hearing packed

OC Register, September 3, 2001
"Decision time on El Toro"
"The supervisors, 3-2 for the airport, get impact and airport studies Tuesday."
[Park petitions go to Registrar on Wednesday]

LA Times editorial, September 2, 2001
"The Board Shirks Its Duty"

Website Direct, September 1, 2001
Park Petitioners draw warm support in Orange before delivering signatures

Website Direct, September 1, 2001
RSM warns pro-airport supervisors

Click for earlier news briefs

"The uncertainty of these times should prompt county leaders to revisit assumptions about revenue streams at John Wayne Airport and the proposed commercial airport at El Toro."

"Thus far, county planners have been very generous with John Wayne funds as a source of El Toro planning. But the county also has other obligations, to pay for the John Wayne facility and for some of the cost of making the airport secure."

"Recently, planners acknowledged that they would divert property taxes from the base to build a park next to the proposed international airport. This zone, separate from what the county considers in its economic projections for the airport and for its construction, is a substantial sum--an estimated $988 million over 50 years to pay for needs other than the airport."

"In considering what happens to revenue streams at El Toro and John Wayne, the county needs to think through what will happen if rosy projections aren't met, and if the current funds from John Wayne change."

"This is an uncertain time, when projections and expectations may be subject to change. It calls for fiscal prudence."

Click here to read the entire editorial in the "Early Bird Section".

M E M O R A N D U M
TO:  Chair Cynthia Coad, Fourth District
  Supervisor Charles Smith, First District
  Supervisor James Silva, Second District
  Supervisor Tom Wilson, Fifth District

FROM: Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Third District

DATE: September 28, 2001

SUBJECT: Suspension of Discretionary Spending (i.e Fund 14M)

In light of the impacts on the Airline Industry and related businesses in recent weeks, I feel that it is our obligation to review, assess and discuss the financial fallout that will likely occur at John Wayne Airport (JWA) in both the short term, as well as the long term.

On Wednesday, September 26, 2001, the Los Angeles Times featured an article in the Business section (Attachment A) which has documented the billion dollar impacts this nation will suffer at its airports.

I shared this information on Wednesday with our Director of JWA, Alan Murphy, and asked him to prepare a financial analysis of the impacts at JWA for Board review.  Unbeknownst to me, at that time Mr. Murphy had already submitted financial data to Washington, D.C. authorities. He was also updating his financial model as well.

Some issues are crystal clear and therefore require prompt Board discussion and consideration.  First, we have now been put on formal notice that revenues have decreased and are anticipated to continue to be negatively impacted.  Second, JWA  expenses, i.e. security (an additional $12 million annually),  are dramatically increasing and anticipated to remain as a recurring expenditure.  The amount of federal relief any airports may receive is still unknown, although there is legislation pending.

Prior to these latest events, the Board has been warned by JWA—in both its 2001 Business Plan and in Alan Murphy’s August 24th, 2001 analysis of the Airport System Master Plan Financial Analysis – continued discretionary spending by this Board of JWA funds (i.e. Fund 14M) has had, and will continue to have, a detrimental financial impact on JWA.  Recent events only compound this financial situation.

I strongly recommend that each of us revisit the JWA Business Plan.  On page 16 (Attachment B) it states:

· “[T]he funding provided by JWA for reuse planning represents a significant portion of the Airport’s cash reserves.”
· “[C]ontinued utilization of JWA cash reserves as the primary funding source for aviation reuse planning could result in fee increases to the passengers and other Airport clients.”
· [T]he airport’s ability to plan and accomplish early debt retirement, which has traditionally been a priority of the Board of Supervisors, will be diminished” (Emphasis added).

The JWA Business Plan also states that $34.8 million of JWA cash reserves has already been utilized to fund planning and implementation the Airport System Master Plan.  It continues by stating that an additional $10.4 million in operating transfers has been budgeted in Fiscal Year 00-01 to provide further resources to the project.  After reviewing the most recent budget, the LRA requested an additional $12.8 million for Fund 14M for FY 01-02, directly from JWA.  Combined, this is more than $48 million of JWA revenues that is either expended, or encumbered.

Prior to spending any more JWA discretionary funds during this unstable financial period, the Board must expect a thorough and detailed analysis of the short and long-term impacts that the recent events will have on JWA operations, debt service and credit ratings.

Assuming passenger service returns to normal over time, I feel cautiously optimistic in Alan Murphy’s belief that he does not anticipate any significant problem in covering operating expenses and debt service at JWA.  However, I am agendizing for October 16th discussion whether it is prudent for the Board to suspend all discretionary expenditures (i.e. Fund 14M) until staff has the opportunity to fully analyze all financial impacts and determine whether JWA needs this revenue to continue prudent business practices.

I need not remind this Board that the Orange County bankruptcy occurred because of the strong pressure by the Board of Supervisors on the Treasurer to extract as much speculative interest earnings in order to fund county projects.  JWA has always been viewed similarly as a cash cow.  JWA staff has repeatedly warned us of their concerns.  To insinuate in any way that a review of these matters is motivated by airport politics and not financial concerns is to fall into a pre-bankruptcy, irresponsible mentality.

In closing, Alan Murphy and his staff should be commended for their hard work and proactive approach during these extremely difficult time.  I respectfully request your support and sincere consideration of this important information and request.
 

cc: Michael Schumacher, Ph.D., County Executive Officer
 Ben de Mayo, County Counsel
 Alan Murphy, John Wayne Airport
 Gary Simon, Local Redevelopment Authority
 David Sundstrom,  Auditor –Controller
 Peter Hughes, Internal Audit
Clerk of the Board
 Grand Jury

Villa Park City Councilman Bob McGowan, a strong critic of the County's airport plan, advised federal officials that "the El Toro Airport System Master Plan in EIR 573 has encountered a fatal flaw." McGowan is a retired United Airlines Captain and Board Member of OCRAA.

He reports that, "The Federal Standard for Siting Meteorological Sensors at Airports makes all of the wind data used in EIR 563 and 573 completely invalid.  The ASMP (Airport System Master Plan) has been developed assuming that the winds recorded for over 30 years by the Marines can be applied to operations of large turbojet commercial aircraft.  That assumption is now proven wrong."

According to McGowan, the Marines recorded wind speed too close to the ground and in a partially sheltered depression, which is incorrect practice according to the current federal standard.

"The resulting wind readings are significantly lower than if they were taken at the official height.  For example, the wind reported at 7 knots should have been more like 9 to 12 knots and the direction would also have been incorrect."  Commercial aircraft can not use a runway when the tailwind exceeds 10 knots according to McGowan. If he were correct, El Toro airport would be closed by weather more often than admitted in the County's reports.

McGowan favors an airport plan in which the runways are realigned and planes land from the north and takeoff to the south-west over Newport Coast.

By unanimous vote, the Leisure World Golden Rain Foundation finance committee recommended donating $100,000 to the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities for the fight against El Toro Airport.  "To date, the United and Third Mutual boards [two other Leisure World homeowners associations] have both voted to make a similar donation."

Approximately $2 million will be required for the campaign to pass the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve initiative.  The funds can only be provided by private donations from thousands of residents, homeowners groups and businesses. Click here to donate on-line by credit card.

The campaign committee will hold a major gala fundraiser at the new St. Regis Hotel on October 4.  To become a donor and receive an invitation to this important event, call 949-770-4014.

"John Wayne Airport officials say the airport may lose more than $9 million in revenue in the next 12 months as a result of the falloff in air travel after the suicide jet attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. At the same time, the airport will need to spend about $12.5 million more on extra law enforcement, according to a report by airport officials."

"The unexpected costs and losses - and the overall crisis in the nation's aviation and airport industry - may affect planning for the proposed El Toro airport.  El Toro foes say John Wayne Airport should no longer be forced to send millions -- $12.8 million this fiscal year - to the El Toro program." and $36 million from 1998-2000.

"'We're setting ourselves up for a potential financial disaster at John Wayne Airport,'' said Supervisor Todd Spitzer, an El Toro opponent… [who] said Thursday that he will call for a suspension of spending on El Toro matters from John Wayne revenue."

The LA Times reports today that "Burbank Airport Delays New Terminal. Panel reacts to uncertainty about new security measures and decline in business. Orange County's John Wayne Airport reports losses…. Burbank Airport officials voted Thursday to put plans to build a 14-gate terminal on hold."

Full stories in the Early Bird section.  Similar reports, of delayed airport projects, are coming in from around the world.

The FAA's airspace analysis for El Toro, John Wayne and the region was complete and ready to be released on September 12. The terrorist attack on our nation diverted everyone's energies and attentions and delayed the action.

More than two weeks later, no new date has been set for the document to be handed over.

The pro-airport majority on the Board of Supervisors is anxious to certify an Environmental Impact Report and approve an Airport Master Plan without facing up to facts in the FAA analysis. The analysis is widely suspected to include bad news for the County plan. Release of the document, prior to the October 16 Board meeting, may raise questions that are tough for Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad and local airport planners to resolve.

In a related side note, this website obtained a packet of documents from the FAA yesterday, in response to our most recent Freedom of Information Act request.  One was an April 9, 2001 letter from Supervisors Smith and Silva to Duncan Holaday, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The Supervisors wrote, "We appreciated receiving an update on the status of the FAA's safety study and a commitment to receive a copy of the study before it is reported in newspapers or posted on our opposition's website." 

"It would cost $2.1 billion to build a great urban park at the closed El Toro Marine base… according to an analysis released Tuesday by pro-airport forces. The pro-El Toro Airport Working Group paid for the $45,000 review."

"Operating costs would run $43 million a year plus $17 million for maintenance, according to the review by BBC Research Consulting of Denver, which analyzed Irvine literature and a city-paid revenue analysis… The report reviewed … the cost of building everything promoted through brochures distributed by Irvine."

"Anti-airport forces were quick to dismiss the analysis.  'They've come up with a political conclusion that's designed to influence anyone who's gullible enough to believe what they say,' said Tom Rogers, former chairman of the county Republican Party and a member of the executive committee of the anti-airport Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities."

The Register reports that "Dan Jung, Irvine's director of strategic programs… found these flaws in the report:"

"The report states that the federal government would seek $418 million to sell 1,500 acres for use as a park, but base-closure law provides for a free transfer if park proponents can show a public benefit."

"The report does not include revenue generated on base property beyond the park, where Irvine officials envision research-and-development and other businesses."

"The cost of building museums, a top-flight library, zoo and other features would be born by philanthropists and the private sector and should not be included in the cost of building the park."  The report also assumes that the facilities are built all at once rather than, as funds become available.

"South County leaders are now supporting the extension of flight caps here, a shift from a position they took earlier this year. The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority passed a resolution Monday vowing to support the 'continuation of existing flight limits' at the airport."

"In February, the planning authority passed a resolution saying it would fight Newport Beach's bid to extend the 1985 Settlement Agreement past 2005…  Also in February, authority members said they would lobby federal and state officials to defeat the settlement extension."

"Airport backers immediately criticized the group for flip-flopping. 'They're trying to curry the favor of Newport Beach,' said Bruce Nestande, an El Toro airport booster. 'Politically, they've made a bad mistake.'"

"Newport Beach and two groups in the city -- the Airport Working Group and Stop Polluting Our Newport -- have begun work with Orange County officials to extend the 1985 agreement. City officials have proposed a deal that would offer modest increases in the number of annual passengers and daily departures per year at the airport."

The City Council of Orange voted unanimously, 5-0, tonight to pull out of the pro-airport Orange County Regional Airport Authority. The Council also requested OCRAA to remove its name from all advertising materials immediately.

The Orange council membership has gradually changed its position from 4-1 pro-airport.  Last November, the Newport Beach based Airport Working Group tried unsuccessfully to block the election of anti-airport candidate Mike Alvarez. In June, Carolyn Cavecche won a council seat, defeating a pro-airport candidate, the son of a former County supervisor.

The majority of Orange residents voted in favor of Measure F and are considered to be anti-airport.

The vote tonight is a major defeat for Art Bloomer, Executive Director of OCRAA and for the county's efforts to use OCRAA as a way to funnel $5 million of public funds into airport promotion.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who represents the city, was one of many voices asking the Council to not be a party to this allegedly illegal spending of public funds. He wrote to the council urging that they rescind their membership in OCRAA.

On October 2, the Fullerton City council also will consider withdrawing from OCRAA. Fullerton Councilman Chris Norby, who is anti-airport, will challenge airport booster Cynthia Coad for her seat on the Board of Supervisors in the March 2002 election.

With waning public interest in the airport effort, it is beginning to look like airport proponents will have a hard time getting elected to dog catcher in Orange County.

"Orange Councilman Mike Alvarez is running for county supervisor -- for a seat that won't be vacant until 2003 at the earliest."

"Alvarez is a Republican opposed to an El Toro airport -- just like Supervisor Todd Spitzer, whose Third District post he hopes to win. Spitzer will either leave the Board of Supervisors at the end of 2002 -- if his state Assembly bid is successful -- or at the end of 2004, when his term expires."

"Alvarez is a backer of a current anti-airport initiative drive to turn El Toro into a park."  He is one of the 5 official proponents.

"The crippling of the nation's airline industry in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks could provide the final blow to the city's troubled plan to massively expand Los Angeles International Airport, aviation experts and economists say."

"Costly increases in security, sharp reductions in scheduled flights and a public wary of flying have combined to dry up government and private financing, forced LAX into the red and put it on credit watch.  The long-term projections of aviation needs also have been called into question, they say."

"Still, Los Angeles World Airports officials insist that, while monitoring the situation, they are moving forward with a master plan for a $12 billion expansion of LAX and efforts to increase passenger, cargo and other services at airports in Ontario and Palmdale."

"Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit business association, said any kind of expansion plan that relies on expensive capital projects is unlikely to go forward for years to come. 'The airlines are in huge financial difficulty, and anything that means opening another station at Palmdale, or a new airport at El Toro, or the expansion of LAX is not going to happen right now,' Kyser said."

"Airport staff members said they are awaiting direction from Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn as to how to proceed on a Palmdale Airport master plan."

”Palmdale Mayor James Ledford said Palmdale Airport -- with a terminal ready to handle 50 flights a day, and the potential to increase that to 400 flights per day -- is ready to be activated with minimal expense, and could be a solution to the region's aviation crisis.  Ledford said Palmdale almost immediately could help relieve crowds, like those that have clogged LAX's curtailed parking facilities and jammed up its security checkpoints."

Tustin – State Senator Dick Ackerman, R-Tustin, today announced his decision to oppose the proposed international airport at El Toro, a change from his previously neutral position.

“I have a great deal of respect for the various opinions that I have encountered from informed and thoughtful people on both sides,” Ackerman said. “After much study, discussion, and debate with numerous individuals over the past year, I must take a stand against an airport at El Toro.”

Ackerman said that after considerable review of the airport plan, and the regional demand, he is convinced El Toro is not the proper location for a new airport. He believes that a non-aviation use for El Toro is in the best interest of Orange County residents and the entire Southern California region.

“I have had contact with those who represent Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties regarding regional airport needs,” Ackerman said. “I will continue to be involved in those efforts.”

His prior neutral stance stemmed from a belief that the airport issue should not be decided in Sacramento, but by the residents and locally elected officials of Orange County. Click here for the entire statement and letters from other elected officials.

Ackerman's district  covers most of the eastern portion of Orange County and includes the communities of Brea, Coto de Caza, Foothill Ranch, Fullerton, La Habra, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, Silverado, Trabuco Canyon, Villa Park and Yorba Linda. The district also includes a part of Anaheim, Buena Park, Irvine, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana and Tustin.

"Hundreds of people turned out Sunday in Laguna Niguel to rally behind a pending March ballot initiative that aims to create a massive urban park instead of an international airport at El Toro."

"'We are opposed to the airport. We want something better--something that reflects the will of the people,' said Irvine Mayor Larry Agran."

"At the rally were a host of community leaders and elected officials, including state Sen. Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside), Laguna Niguel Mayor Cathryn DeYoung, Fullerton Councilman Chris Norby, and Alan Songstad, chairman of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority.

"'We've been told that the county is going to make the decision,' Morrow told the crowd, 'not the public, not the cities, not those affected most by the airport.'"

"The senator then chided the county Board of Supervisors for its action last week… In the confusion over Silva's flip-flop, the board decided to table the matter until Oct. 16 so pro-airport forces could regroup. 'What do the pro-airport people on the board do?' Morrow said. 'They stop. They regroup. They try to thwart the will of the people. Their plan is not to let the voters decide.'"

The Orange County Regional Airport Authority, OCRAA, is spending $5 million of public money from the County to promote construction of an airport at El Toro.  The Orange and Fullerton Councils will be voting on whether to withdraw from this pro-airport organization and take a more neutral position on El Toro.

The majority of residents in the cities oppose the construction of another county airport, which will serve residents of the growing areas of Riverside and San Bernadino Counties and take overflow from Los Angeles International airport.  An airport at El Toro will greatly increase traffic on the 5, 55 and 57 freeways.

The FAA has not released its analysis of the airport's flight paths but it is possible that planes will be routed over Central county.

The Fullerton City Council will consider withdrawing from OCRAA at its October 2 meeting.

"Airport opponents will hold a fund-raiser picnic and concert Sunday afternoon at Crown Valley Community Park in Laguna Niguel. The event is free, but organizers hope people will contribute money to help get the latest anti-airport initiative on the March ballot."

"Last week's terrorist attacks already have taken a toll on the airlines. They also could take a toll on major U.S. airports, whose multibillion-dollar expansion plans depend on a healthy flow of passengers through the gates."

"'It's likely airports will scale back their capital programs,' said Dan Champeau, an airport analyst for the Fitch bond-rating agency."

"The situation has not escaped notice of the industry's critics, who say airport expansions will bring more noise and pollution to their neighborhoods. Airline cutbacks aren't just short-term, argued Jack Saporito, president of the U.S. Citizens Aviation Watch Association… The vulnerabilities of air travel, demonstrated so vividly last week, show the need for developing a comprehensive transportation system that includes high-speed rail, Saporito said."

The Boston Globe (9/18/2001) reports "Mayor says put new runway plan on hold"

"With Massport focused on security and the terrorist attacks that were launched from Boston last week, a controversial proposal to expand Logan Airport should be shelved, Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday. 'With airlines cutting back 20 percent of services, is there still the need? That's the real question,' Menino said in an interview."

Columnist Dana Parsons writes, "Jim Silva is all confused, and who can blame him? This El Toro airport issue is a sticky one, and Silva has only had about 10 years to study it. By my calculation, he ought to have a firm grip on things by about 2007."

"Unfortunately, as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Silva will have to cast a number of votes on the airport before then. Based on his performance this week, we're all in for quite a ride. On the learning curve, he seems to be about one step beyond asking 'Say, how do they get those big things up in the air, anyway?'"

"Silva has sided with the pro-airport forces--probably because that's what he thought his constituents wanted and because airport backer George Argyros has thrown fund-raisers for him."

"His brush with fame had ended. Reality had returned to the supervisor's world, and he realized he should not have spoken out of conviction."

"That's where things stand now, but I've heard the waffling supervisor is working on a new plan: The new airport would operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and be closed the other four days."  Read the entire column in the Early Bird section.

This Sunday, grass roots opponents of an airport will gather with their families at GREAT PARK DAY - between 1-5 PM at Crown Valley Community Park, in Laguna Niguel.

On October 4, the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities is holding a major fundraiser for the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative. The gala event will be at the brand new St. Regis hotel in Monarch Beach, directly under the planned flight path into El Toro. To become a donor and receive an invitation to this important event, call 949-770-4014.

Columnist Gordon Dillow writes, "For a while there, it seemed as if, in the midst of national war, Supervisor Jim Silva had brought a kind of peace to Orange County. It wasn't a peace that would have made everybody happy, but it looked like peace nonetheless. Unfortunately, as so often happens with peace, it didn't last long."

"What I'm referring to here is Supervisor Silva's weird, on-again, off-again position on an airport at the old El Toro Marine air base."

"Silva isn't talking. But there are various insider theories as to why he changed his mind."

"One theory is that airport supporters, particularly the big-money guys, got to him and explained just how difficult it was going to be for him to live and breathe air in Orange County politics if he didn't return to the fold. Another theory is that he simply got addle-headed and didn't know he was voting against the airport and was initially too embarrassed to admit it."

"It … makes me wonder why the taxpayers are paying this guy $108,000 a year to make decisions when we could save all but about 10 bucks of that by getting rid of the supervisor and buying a rubber stamp at Office Depot."

The Register editorial page also says, "Airport up in air".

"Mr. Silva's vote was described by the pro-airport board chairwoman as 'a pretty good size nail in [the airport's] coffin.' … It's anyone's guess what happened on Monday and why he cast his unexpected vote. For now, the airport is back on track - albeit with a month's delay before the board can give its official approval to the environmental impact report and other documents. That is for the best… we did think the supervisors should wait until the Federal Aviation Administration releases its completed airport analysis - delayed by the terrorist attacks - before giving the airport the final OK."

Full text of both columns are in the Early Bird (Breaking News) section of the website.

Supervisor Charles Smith says, of the airport EIR, "There's no way you could have made the voters understand what they're voting on."

Anthony Pignataro makes it all crystal clear for us dummies with his latest OC Weekly jab at the airport.  We have published many of Pignataro's pieces and are pleased to share the latest one with our viewers… in case they get to vote on El Toro.

"In the face of heavy pressure, Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva on Tuesday retreated from his support for another public referendum on whether an international airport should be built at the former El Toro Marine base."  For more on how Silva flip-flopped read the newsbriefs below.

"Silva… stunned colleagues Monday by agreeing with airport foes that another vote was needed. His action led to a monthlong postponement of the board's final vote for El Toro, which would become the second-largest commercial airfield in Southern California."

"Silva's surprise shift temporarily derailed a carefully crafted plan … [which] has come under increasing criticism, with recent polls showing that fewer than half the county's voters now want an airport at El Toro."

"Some observers suggested that Silva's apparent confusion in casting his vote Monday--followed by his about-face Tuesday--would further erode public confidence in the board's performance on the airport issue. 'Most people think the board has handled this thing incompetently, and this just further drives a nail into their confidence,' said political science professor Fred Smoller of Chapman University in Orange."

"One thing that did emerge from the ensuing turmoil: The tenuousness of airport support by a bare board majority can shift with a single defection."

"The delay assures county officials of missing at least one key deadline they had hoped to achieve with Monday's action. They had hoped to have the six-month process for the Navy to turn over the base to the county done by March; now it won't happen before April. The March date has been key for airport supporters, who wanted to have the property in county hands…  by the primary election, when voters may be asked to replace airport zoning on the base with that of a large urban park. Indeed, several airport consultants were promised lucrative bonuses if the property was turned over by March."

The Newport Beach Daily Pilot finds little support in that city for democratic process when it comes to the reuse of El Toro. "Earlier Tuesday, Newport Beach leaders said they would demand an explanation from Silva at that meeting as to why he supported a public vote." the Pilot reports.

"'I think trying to find some reasonable explanation for his conduct is an important issue,' Newport Beach Councilman Gary Proctor said, 'because his vote is not one that represents Newport Beach.'"

 Post your reaction on the Message Board.

Just one day after supporting a proposal to allow the voters to decide the fate of El Toro, Supervisor Jim Silva beat a hasty retreat under pressure from the pro-airport side. While yesterday's pro-democracy vote by Silva came as a surprise, his about face did not.

It was immediately evident that Newport Beach leaders would land hard on Silva.

He wrote today, in a Press Release, that "After discussing this issue with my constituents and community leaders... the input that I have received is that they believe that placing an additional [airport vote] measure on the ballot is neither constructive or necessary. I agree... I will support certification of the EIR and approval of the Airport System Master Plan."

Airport opponents are unfazed by Silva falling back in line with Smith, Coad and their political masters.  Anti-airport groups still count the following gains as a result of yesterday's Board of Supervisors fiasco.

Certification of the Environmental Impact Report and Airport System Master Plan was put off until October 16, making it harder for the County and its allies in the FAA to continue hiding the FAA's already completed analysis of El Toro airspace.

The County's efforts to get a federal base transfer completed, prior to a March 5, 2002 vote on the Central Park initiative, lost a critical month. The County contracted with a gaggle of lobbyists to pay them around $400,000 in bonuses if the transfer process is completed within 6 months of the EIR's certification.

The pro-airport forces must look like disorganized bunglers to key officials in Washington who have been working on the base transfer.  The process is already 3-4 years behind schedule, largely because of County changes.

Public support for the Supervisors' handling of El Toro is already at a low and probably will take another hit as a result of this highly publicized goof.

This is a compilation of quotes from the press as they report yesterday's extraordinary events at the Board of Supervisors meeting on El Toro.

The OC Register headlined, "El Toro twist. Member of a pro-airport majority votes for public election, to supporters' dismay."

"'There's no doubt that Supervisor Silva is going south on us,' said Supervisor Charles V. Smith, who, like Board Chairwoman Cynthia Coad is a longtime airport advocate. 'If he hasn't killed the airport, he's certainly put a pretty good-sized nail in its coffin.'"

"'He's got a deal going for something,' said Smith, adding that he had not talked to Silva about the vote after the meeting. 'Some other people have talked to him, and they can't get any sense out of him.'"

"'After five years of work, it would have been too easy for it to be destroyed,' he said of the threat a public vote would pose to the project. 'There's no way you could have made the voters understand what they're voting on,' he said."

"Silva said he backed the motion made by anti-airport Supervisor Tom Wilson to allow the board to discuss the idea of an up-or-down countywide vote on El Toro. 'This allows the board to have a discussion, and I'm sure the board will have a very lively discussion,' said Silva, who also said he would not make a final decision on the idea until the Oct. 16 meeting."

"Carl Schulthess, 62, of Mission Viejo - like a lot of those who oppose an airport - also said an El Toro vote would kill off the airport. Even so, he greeted Silva's stance cautiously. 'If I put my optimistic cap on, I think that Silva got religion. But I don't know.'"

"Bruce Nestande, head of the pro-airport Citizens for Jobs and the Economy, and spokesman for developer George Argyros, who has spent several million dollars on El Toro-related initiative campaigns, said Silva's position was confusing."  An unpublished report had Nestande saying, "The airport is dead!"

"Bill Kogerman, chairman of the initiative drive for a park at El Toro, said he was astounded yet pleased at Silva's vote. 'He did the right thing," Kogerman said. "Clearly, the argument is the people should decide this thing."

The LA Times announced, "El Toro Backer's Surprise Move Delays Key Vote. The supervisor sides with airport foes in calling for the matter to go before the public."

"'I've always supported an up-or-down vote,' Silva said. 'This allows the board to have that discussion.'"

"As of midday, Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau said he hadn't talked to Silva about his vote, but added: 'That communication will take place shortly.' Newport Beach asked the county in 1985 to find another site for a second county airport to take pressure off John Wayne Airport."

"[Tom] Wilson said later Monday that he was surprised by Silva's vote and hadn't discussed it with him in advance. He couldn't say when another countywide vote on the airport should be taken or whether it should appear on the same ballot as the park measure. 'Between now and the 16th, we'll develop a strategy,' he said."

The Newport-Costa Mesa Daily Pilot said, "Supervisor votes with airport minority. Silva ditches his pro-El Toro supporters and calls for a public vote on the proposed facility, leaving some Newport Beach officials confused."

"After the meeting, Silva said he hasn't wavered in his desire to build a commercial airport at the base. 'I still support the airport,' Silva said. 'I'll be out talking to my cities to get a feel for what they want.'"

"'I'm at a loss to be able to explain what occurred' at the board meeting, Newport Beach Councilman Gary Proctor said. Certification of the report 'is already three years late. This has been delayed for so many different reasons that I just don't see any logic to what has happened.'"

"Newport Beach Councilman Dennis O'Neil also said he was surprised at Silva's vote.
'That seems totally inconsistent with his prior positions,' O'Neil said. 'It's very shocking, very confusing.'"

Nearly two hours into a contentious meeting that was expected to lead to a 3-2 approval of the El Toro EIR and Airport System Master Plan, Supervisor Jim Silva stunned most of those present by voting, with Tom Wilson and Todd Spitzer, that the airport plans, "shall not become effective until and unless they are submitted to and approved by the voters of Orange County."

Silva has often stated that he favors an aviation use of El Toro but feels that the voters should decide the matter.

Coad was flabbergasted until Supervisor Charles Smith leaned over and suggested that the Board recess. Following the frantic recess, Smith moved, and the Board voted 3-2 to continue the matter until a meeting on October 16. Earlier, the majority had rejected a Tom Wilson request for continuance so that the FAA report could be received and reviewed.

An angry Bruce Nestande was overheard to say that he needed to contact "George" and stormed out with Art Bloomer, Executive Director of the pro-airport OCRAA.

The meeting was contentious to that point, with several hash exchanges between Todd Spitzer and Charles Smith.  Smith repeatedly stepped in to try to intercept questions posed by Spitzer to the consultants.

Spitzer and Wilson kept producing document that had not appeared until Sunday night. Spitzer produced an August 24th e-mail from John Wayne Airport Director Alan Murphy to Gary Simon, raising questions about the adequacy of the economic analysis included in the EIR.

A representative of the Allied Pilots Association, comprised of the 11,000 pilots of American Airlines, provided a letter, read by Wilson, stating that, "To approve this airport without FAA and pilot review would be putting people in harms way."

At the outset of the meeting, Supervisor Coad, seconded by Supervisor Smith, placed a motion on the table to approve the airport plans.  Several Wilson substitute motions, including one to allow public comment, were defeated, 3-2. Then Wilson offered his final amendment asking that the plans be subject to a vote of the people.  Spitzer seconded the motion and Silva voted "yes". It was suddenly a new ballgame.

Some quotes from BOS meeting

Chuck Smith: "Some including the newspapers, have tried to delay this process…  We are not going to delay because of terrorist acts."

Todd Spitzer to Gary Simon:  "Is it fundamentally fair to close public comments when voluminous documents were subsequently delivered?"
Gary Simon to Todd Spitzer:  "County Counsel says its legal.  It's in conformance with CEQA guidelines."

Tom Wilson: This is a "smaller, friendlier foot-in-the door airport".

Tom Wilson to County Counsel Ben de Mayo:  "If the Park initiative passes, does it make today's action moot and stop the airport?"
Ben de Mayo to Tom Wilson:  "It would stop implementation of the airport because the General Plan would be amended and there would not be an airport on that property."

"County supervisors are set to take their final vote on an El Toro airport today, but the fight over the airport will go on and on. The airport is all but certain to be approved on a 3-2 vote today. Supervisors Cynthia Coad, Charles V. Smith and Jim Silva back the airport. Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Tom Wilson oppose it."

"'You know what the vote is going to be, but that doesn't mean that Supervisor Wilson and I are going to sit idly by and not raise the very important issues that we've raised over the last five-plus years,' Spitzer said."

"Perhaps the only wrinkle to be ironed out today is what size of airport will be approved: one for 28.8 million annual passengers - as designed and studied by county planners and consultants - or the 18.8 million-passenger [first phase] version for which the three pro-airport supervisors have expressed support."

"Upon approval of the airport, other actions will unfold over coming months:" See more on this in newsbriefs below.

"A San Diego appeals court soon will rule on whether signatures gathered for an anti-airport initiative are valid. If they are approved, a March election is likely on a ballot measure to make El Toro a park instead of an airport."

"Lawsuits filed against the environmental study up for approval today are all but certain to be filed by airport opponents within the month."

"A Federal Aviation Administration report on El Toro flight patterns and safety - which was to be released Wednesday until the terrorist attacks - will soon emerge to provide insight into how El Toro might fit into the regional air space."  Editor: Airport opponents contend that the report may contain bad news for the airport, which is why the pro-airport supervisors refuse to wait for its release.

The Register joins with the Times in saying its "Just common sense" to wait for the FAA report. "There's little chance that anything in the now-delayed Federal Aviation Administration report about El Toro will dissuade the Board of Supervisors majority from their plans to build a commercial airport there. But why not wait for the report anyway, just in case it says something interesting, rather than plow ahead with an airport vote on Monday? "

"The vote to approve 22,000 pages of analysis is a fait accompli – with supervisors Cynthia Coad, Charles Smith, and Jim Silva prepared to vote to accept it, and supervisors Tom Wilson and Todd Spitzer ready to vote no. Both sides have dug in, so there's little room for compromise."

"So the board majority said it's going to pursue the matter Monday, despite the lack of FAA documents. Airport supporters argue that it won't affect matters given that the FAA has been supportive of the county's airport plan all along."

"But airport foes have raised a better point. They don't believe the FAA report will say 'no' to an airport at El Toro, but they do believe the FAA might have problems with some of the landing [or takeoff] patterns. 'What's anticipated is that the airport can't be operated the way the county wants it to,' said Len Kranser."

"The FAA report does not deal specifically with the EIR. But the EIR makes assumptions about noise, pollution, the operation of John Wayne Airport and so forth. 'Those assumptions may be invalidated by what the FAA says,' Mr. Kranser said. And it's difficult to change an EIR once it has been certified regardless of new facts that emerge."

"Granted, airport supporters want the airport to go forward no matter what, and airport opponents want to stop it no matter what. The die is cast on the board, so nothing is likely to change the debate. Still, it's perfectly reasonable to hold back a week or so until the latest information is on the table. A little delay isn't the worst thing to happen with regard to El Toro."

A September 13 letter from ETRPA attorney Richard Jacobs says The County can not legally [act on an Airport System Master Plan] without first submitting the plan to the Orange County Airport Land Use Commission, and without evaluation of the proposal by that agency.  If the County takes its action without that prior evaluation, any approval of the plan will violate the requirements of the State Aeronautics Act and thus be illegal."

Citing sections of the California Public Resources Code, the letter concludes that "the County's failure to do so will necessarily mean that any affirmative action take on the Airport System Master Plan on the 17th will be invalid."

County El Toro Program Manager Gary Simon is named in a September 10 letter of complaint from the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities.  The letter, signed by Committee Chairman Bill Kogerman, says, in part, that "It is alleged by one of my CSHC volunteers that a County of Orange employee, Mr. Gary Simon, accosted her on or about 11:00 p.m. on the night of September 3, 2001."

The volunteer was alone in CSHC's Central Park Initiative booth during the tear down at the conclusion of the Orange Street Fair.  "A young woman volunteer was alone, late at night as the Orange Fair lights were being extinguished." She was waiting for the truck that was coming to retrieve the booth contents when Mr. Simon approached her.  "Mr. Simon's physical presence and interrogative demeanor caused her great anxiety as he persistently questioned her about... her domicile address… the age of her children… her children's school address… and other personal matters."

Kogerman asked Dr. Michael Schumacher, County Chief Executive Officer for an inquiry into this matter, stating that, "Intimidation under the appearance of authority has no place in the [airport] debate."

The Times joins the chorus of those urging Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad to wait for an FAA report before approving an airport plan on Monday.

"The struggle over a commercial airport for the closed Marine air base at El Toro has had ripple effects far beyond Orange County. Regional planners have earmarked this site for a major new airport, and opponents of LAX expansion have hoped fervently for it. The nation's airline pilots, meanwhile, have expressed serious concerns about the safety of the flight plan."

"Now, despite the postponement this past week of an FAA briefing on airspace analysis that could shed some light, a thin majority of Orange County supervisors appears determined to sign off on the airport Monday. The nation is trying to regroup from a major disruption of aviation and some important information is missing about El Toro. You have to ask: What's the rush?"

"This is an airport plan that is in serious political trouble locally, and about which there are a host of questions. Three supervisors want to ram it through and complete the rubber-stamping process that they began in 1996. It's very possible that this airport will be killed outright as soon as opponents are successful in getting an initiative, offering a large park as an alternative, on the ballot." ...

"The question of airport versus park at El Toro is an entirely separate matter from how good any particular airport plan might be. Orange County needs to start by fixing the flawed and unpopular airport plan, and then have a full debate when final proposals for the future of the base go before the voters."

Full text is on the Times website and the Early Bird message board.

"Orange County residents remain opposed to converting the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into an international airport, even if the size of the proposal is reduced, a new public opinion poll shows. The survey by UC Irvine [and the Public Policy Institute] further indicates that a clear majority of residents favor a ballot initiative next March that would bar aviation uses at the base."

"'The airport remains a hard sell,' said Mark Baldasarre, director of the Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco, which released the poll Thursday. 'It doesn't matter if it's the original proposal or a scaled-back version.'"

"The UC Irvine poll further shows that almost half of Orange County residents disapprove of the way county government has handled the El Toro issue."

The OC Register reports that "Fifty-four percent of the survey's respondents oppose an airport built for 18 million annual passengers at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, while 36 percent say they support the concept."

The Register also states that "The poll by UCI and the nonpartisan research institute also says that 62 percent of residents favor a ballot initiative that calls for a large park, and not an airport, on the El Toro property. Thirty-one percent of the surveyed residents oppose the park measure, which backers hope will be on the March ballot."

The poll surveyed a random sample of 2,004 Orange County adults--1,500 of whom were registered voters--in late August. The El Toro survey, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2%, is part of a broader poll related to county issues that is scheduled for public release Sept. 26.

The Times notes that "The poll results are consistent with other public opinion surveys conducted over the last five years, including work by Chapman University in Orange and annual surveys by UC Irvine. They show that far more Orange County residents oppose an El Toro airport than support it." 

"After Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, the Federal Aviation Administration has but one thing on its mind this week, and it's not Orange County's proposed El Toro airport."

"So, for abundantly understandable reasons, the FAA has delayed releasing its analysis of the county's plans to build an international airport at the former Marine Corps air station."

"You'd think--or, at least, I would--that the Orange County Board of Supervisors would make a nod to that and temporarily stop the clock on the drive to make the airport happen. Well, forget it. The slender board majority that favors the airport has decided not to wait for the FAA and will forge ahead Monday with a final vote that will commit it to a new airport."

"What's the board's rush? The rush is that the sooner the board approves the airport plan, the quicker the countdown to the needed federal transfer of the base."

"But a few more days? Is there any good reason to finalize things before the public hears what the FAA has to say? I can't think of any."

"Nothing apparently can stop the board majority from starting the clock Monday on a new airport. The majority doesn't seem to realize how callous it sounds."

Click here to read the entire Dana Parsons column and to post your reactions to Smith, Silva and Coad's actions.

Attorneys for the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, ETRPA, warned Supervisors today of their potential personal liabilty if they certify an EIR on Monday and continue to spend public funds on pro-airport publicity. Such spending can only be construed as an effort to influence the outcome of the March 5, 2002 vote on the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative. Such spending of public funds to influence an election is a violation of a California Supreme Court ruling in Stanson vs. Mott.

The letter enumerates the degree of personal responsibilty: "First, your certification will declare that each of you has personally reviewed and considered the EIR before approving any airport system master plan… Your vote to certify the EIR will be a declaration by each of you individually that the EIR accurately informs both the public and other governmental agencies of the environmental impacts of the proposed airport system master plan."

After listing ways in which the "Just the Facts" PR program misinforms, Attorney Rich Jacobs writes, "If the program continues… it will because you have personally allowed it to continue in that way, notwithstanding your personal and individual certification of the EIR."

"ETRPA intends to amend its complaint previously filed in El Toro Reuse Planning Authority et al. v. County of Orange… Please be advised that the amendment will include claims for personal liability based on knowingly illegal governmental spending against any member of the Board who certifies EIR 573 but nonetheless permits these types of misrepresentations to continue. That type of action has been repeatedly condemned by the California courts, and is a basis for subjecting governmental officials to personal liability."

In a strongly worded letter to Board Chair Cynthia Coad, ETRPA asked that action on the El Toro EIR and Airport System Master Plan be held until after the FAA can reschedule briefings on its completed, but not yet released airspace analysis.

The FAA was scheduled to release its long-awaited report at noon today but the attack on our nation forced a postponement. "If the County proceeds, it will in effect be taking advantage of the loss of thousands of lives and the resulting delay in the release of the FAA report in order to push forward precipitously with its decision." wrote ETRPA Executive Director Paul Eckles.

"We believe that the FAA analysis will have extremely significant adverse implications for the proposed El Toro airport." Supervisors Coad, Smith and Silva apparently do not want to be confronted with these implications when they vote on certification of the EIR next Monday.

"Under the circumstances, [a delay] is the only morally and politically responsible course for the County to take." Eckles said.

"County supervisors are prepared to cast final votes on the controversial El Toro airport Monday - without the benefit of a Federal Aviation Administration analysis of the proposed airport's safety."

"Today, the FAA was to deliver its long-awaited flight-safety analysis to county officials.
But that meeting was canceled in the wake of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history."

"Anti-airport Supervisor Tom Wilson suggested that, in light of the extraordinary circumstances and the missing FAA report, the board might want to postpone Monday's crucial vote.  The board's pro-airport majority refused to discuss postponing the vote."

"'The FAA report had nothing to do with the EIR,' said Supervisor Chuck Smith. 'The sheriff said we should conduct business as usual so people don't think we're being intimidated by terrorists.'"

"'The only connection I see is that we want to have the Marines back at El Toro,' snapped Chairwoman Cynthia Coad."

"Anti-airport Supervisor Todd Spitzer … said that county El Toro chief Gary Simon had told him that Monday's meeting would be postponed if the FAA's analysis revealed trouble with the county's planned runway configurations or if there were any air-space issues.  Spitzer didn't understand the county's insistence on going forward without that information."

"After the meeting, Spitzer fumed. 'We know that report exists, and we should suddenly blow it off? That's just preposterous.'"

Editor: It has been rumored that the FAA airspace report includes some bad news for the County's airport plan.  County representatives have been in Washington recently, reportedly trying to delay its release until after approval of the EIR.

Certification of the EIR, and approval of the accompanying Airport System Master Plan, are necessary steps for starting the federal transfer process.  Coad, Smith and Silva are desperate to try to complete this process before the March 5, 2002 vote on a park initiative.  They authorized over $400,000 in bonus payments to lobbyists to expedite this process.

Officials in Orange County are canceling tonight's El Toro Forum in Aliso.

Other El Toro related activities - including Airport Commission and Planning Commission meetings scheduled for this afternoon to approve the EIR - are uncertain but may be held.

Tomorrow, the FAA was to hold simultaneous briefings of Congressional representatives in Washington and County officials in Los Angeles regarding the long-delayed report on El Toro airport. Pro-airport forces are thought to have been trying to hold the airspace report until after the majority on the Board of Supervisors certified their EIR on Monday.

The County reports that, "Due to the national emergency, the FAA El Toro Airspace Determination briefing scheduled for tomorrow is postponed to a future date."

"Longtime Democratic political consultant Harvey Englander opined recently that a possible Republican run for governor by Richard Riordan, L.A.'s former mayor, would be DOA, thanks to the Orange County GOP."

"Riordan's worst sin, Englander said, is his boosterism for a new airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Though a hot-button issue mainly for voters within earshot of El Toro, airport praise can be a career killer for anyone needing significant support from voters south of Newport Beach, Englander said."

"Add to that the fact that county GOP Chairman Tom Fuentes, who lives near the former base, wants it converted into a national park".

Editor:  Another politician who may have problems because of his pro-airport stand is O.C. District Attorney Anthony Rackauckas. He will be running for reelection next March. Rackauckas signed the ballot argument against Measure F, claiming that the anti-airport initiative was "Good for Convicted Criminals".  Measure F won with 67.3 percent of the vote. Political observers note that anyone who is pro-El Toro "will have a hard time running for dog catcher" in much of Orange County.

"The coming weeks are expected to bring …several seminal events -- a hotly anticipated federal air travel study, a county airport hearing and several court rulings -- are sure to be felt at John Wayne Airport, officials said."

"For Newport Beach, the developments will unfold against the backdrop of the city's continuing efforts to hash out a deal with Orange County for an extension of the flight restrictions at John Wayne… Under the city's plan, the airport's dual flight cap would grow from 8.4 million to 9.8 million passengers a year and from 72 to 85 departures a day… Under the proposed deal, the mandatory nighttime curfew would remain unchanged."

Editor: While Newport Beach leaders stirs up discussion of an expansion of John Wayne service, the County's latest Environmental Impact Report 573 and Airport System Plan call for passenger service to shrink to 5.4 million passenger, and many think John Wayne will close, if El Toro is built.

"City officials are working feverishly to cement a deal prior to a possible March vote on a South County measure that, if successful, would turn the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into a large park."

"This Thursday [Editor: Probably mid-day on Wednesday] is expected to bring the first of the series of developments in the El Toro stalemate as the Federal Aviation Administration moves closer to issuing a ruling about the takeoff and departure patterns the county has proposed for an airport at the base. The FAA has scheduled a briefing at its Los Angeles offices to discuss the 'El Toro Airspace Determination,' according to a county memo."

"On Sept. 17, the county Board of Supervisorsis expected to offer a final approval of the environmental review of the airport. The airport has consistently seen 3-2 approval votes at the board, with South County members Tom Wilson and Todd Spitzer voting against the airport."

Less predictable is the timing of two court rulings. A state appellate court judge in San Diego is preparing a ruling about whether to allow South County's Central Park initiative to go forward."

"South County leaders are also waiting for a ruling on their appeal of Measure F, which passed in March 2000. That measure… would have required a two-thirds countywide approval for … John Wayne expansion. 'Newport Beach shot itself in the foot by trying to overturn Measure F because Measure F protected Newport Beach against the expansion of John Wayne,' Leonard Kranser said." 

Mike Smith provides an excellent summary of what is wrong with El Toro. The article is abbreviated here. Read  the full text  in the Early Bird section of the website.

Also in the Early Bird section, is a complementary piece by ETRPA Vice-Chair Mimi Walters.  Walters says "no" to an airport at Camp Pendleton because there is no need for another airport in OC-North San Diego. Demand growth is in the Inland Empire.

Smith writes, "We do not need to quadruple air-passenger capacity in Orange County. Of the 5.2 million new residents projected in the LA region by the California Association of Governments for the period 2000 through 2020, just 385,400 (7.4 percent) are projected to live in Orange County."

"John Wayne is capable of serving up to 14 MAP without extensions to the current runway, a new terminal, larger aircraft or longer operating hours. Why build an unneeded new airport?"

"The county now admits the airport will produce high and unmitigatable levels of air pollution and, hence, serious increases in levels of cancer, heart disease and asthma… noise causes stress problems for children living near airports, increases likelihood of higher blood pressure later in life and leads to deficits in reading and difficulty acquiring important speech recognition skills."

"The California Transportation Department's (Caltrans) official EIR says that the county plan will result in more auto and truck traffic (therefore even higher levels of air pollution) than has been projected or funded."

"Adding airports which are in the wrong place to serve the flying population will not solve the problem. There are six commercial airports within 50 miles of El Toro, and all but one (LAX) are underutilized. If we must build a new airport, it should be located where 88 percent of all new population growth is expected to occur, in LA, San Bernardino or Riverside counties."

"Ontario International Airport… could get a boost from a proposed statewide ballot initiative that would fund a number of projects to lessen traffic congestion, including a shuttle service between southern Orange County and ONT. The Sacramento-based Planning and Conservation League has proposed the shuttle service to ONT be among the projects funded out of a proposed $810-million-a-year program that uses some of the state's share of taxes on vehicle sales."

"The group will soon be launching an initiative seeking 750,000 signatures statewide to put the measure on the November 2002 ballot… The proposed initiative calls for the city of Irvine to receive $40 million between 2003 and 2008 to build and operate the center, which would also serve LAX, Long Beach and John Wayne airports. Passengers could check in their baggage at the shuttle terminal and ride the bus to ONT."

"'I think anything that makes it easier to access Ontario International from any area is beneficial,' Ontario City Manager Greg Devereaux said. ONT handled 6.7 million passengers in 2000 and has the capacity to handle 10 million passengers a year." 

Thursday, the El Toro Citizens Advisory Commission voted 9-1 to recommend a 28.8 MAP airport to the Board of Supervisors.  Commissioner David Markley was the sole dissenter on the panel, which is packed with Newport Beach allies like Bruce Nestande.  The Air Transport Association and other industry groups abandoned the lopsided CAC long ago.

The Orange County Airport Authority split 2-2 with Cynthia Coad's appointee absent.  Therefore, a motion to approve the Airport System Master Plan failed.

The OC Planning Commission previously failed to vote on the plan because they had not received it for study.

None of this is likely to change the outcome of the Board of Supervisors vote on September 17, when Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad will approve the airport and Wilson and Spitzer will vote "no".

Supervisor Tom Wilson will provide a final opportunity for South County residents to publicly question County staff and consultants regarding the proposed mitigations included in Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 573.

Supervisor Tom Wilson will host a South County public forum on Tuesday, September 11th at Aliso Niguel High School located at 28000 Terrace View Drive in Aliso Viejo.

Last month, word on the street predicted that the FAA would release its long delayed El Toro Airport report on September 6.  This week, the buzz said there would be another hold on the report.

The FAA said it would issue its evaluation of the County airport six months ago, but the date keeps slipping.

On October 30, 2000 Herman Bliss, head of the FAA's regional Airports Division, and an individual considered to be strongly pro-airport, said he thought that, "flights from the existing facility could be safely accommodated. Our completed review of the proposed civil reuse of MCAS El Toro, which includes ... an analysis of the safe and efficient use of navigable airspace, is expected to be finished by March 2001."

However, Bliss, who oversees the building of regional runways, may have run into flack from this colleagues who oversee the nation's crowded airspace.  A leaked report from FAA consultants led the LA Times to headline an August 6, 2000 story, “Report to FAA Calls O.C.'s Latest El Toro Flight Plan a No-Go.  Runway design poses unworkable conflicts with other jets in airspace, report says in new blow to backers.”

On Tuesday, Villa Park Councilman Bob McGowan, a former airline captain, and critic of the County's plan said that his sources indicate the FAA will reject the County's flight path proposals for El Toro.

Conventional wisdom is that the report will be rushed out before the Supervisors approve their EIR and Airport System Master Plan on September 17, only if the FAA has good news for the County.  If the report contains bad news for the County plan, the FAA might wait until after Smith, Silva and Coad approve the project.

In any case, the FAA is not expected to choose the best possible expansion project for Southern California. The agency may not even say whether El Toro is a first-class location, fitting the needs of the region's population trends, ground traffic system and airlines' economics.

The agency is evaluating the plan submitted to it by the County of Orange against a list of minimum federal requirements.  The FAA may issue a pass-fail grade, possibly with a set of restrictions and conditions attached to the approval.  Stay tuned.

An armored car, accompanied by a convoy of volunteers' banner carrying cars, delivered nearly a ton of petitions to the County today.  The truck was loaded at the campaign office and delivered its precious cargo to the County Registrar of Voters just before noon.

The speed record-setting initiative drive began on July 1 and was concluded two weeks ahead of schedule.  Approximately 2,500 volunteers participated in the countywide effort to qualify the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative for the March 5, 2002 ballot. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The procession was greeted at the County office by Supervisors Tom Wilson and Todd Spitzer and initiative proponents, Assemblyman Bill Campbell of Villa Park, Councilman Mike Alvarez of Orange and Councilman Allan Songstad of Laguna Hills. Watch for TV coverage of the event tonight.

An attorney was on hand to insure that the paperwork turning over the petitions to the County was in perfect order. Registrar Roz Lever said her staff would individually count the signatures until they reached 71,206 that were valid – the number needed to put the measure on the ballot. 

"The [El Toro] airport is widely expected to be approved by a 3-2 vote of the supervisors on Sept. 17, but the size of the project shifted dramatically downward as the final public hearing unfolded Tuesday… [Supervisor Cynthia] Coad closed the hearing after 111 speakers by asking that the board be presented with two airport proposals: one analyzed in studies now before the board that calls for 28.8 million annual passengers by 2020, and a smaller version serving 18.8 million passengers a year by 2010."

"Airport foes were not impressed, saying an airport of any size at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station is unacceptable.  The chairman of [ETRPA], a coalition of anti-airport cities said no matter what size is approved for an El Toro airport, the fight to stop it will continue. 'It's essentially the camel's nose under the tent,' said Allan Songstad, a Laguna Hills councilman. 'They're going to expand it.'"

Pro-airport Supervisor Charles Smith "said his main concern about a smaller airport is whether the board can adopt it within the current environmental study [of a 28.8 MAP airport] and without creating problems with ongoing federal studies on El Toro."

"Gary Simon, head of the county El Toro program, said he and his staff are looking into those issues. 'I'm not quite sure what the board's limitations are,' he said."

Editor: Click here for a chronology of the County's ever changing El Toro plans. Federal officials have criticized the County for creating additional federal costs for delays and the analyzing of shifting plans.  The project is now 3 to 5 years behind its original schedule.

Read the full text of Times, Register and Pilot newspaper coverage of the hearing in the Early Bird section. The hearing included a much discussed anti-LAX expansion, pro-El Toro turnout from Los Angeles County residents. 

The Board of Supervisors public hearing on El Toro was packed today with many forced to listen on speakers outside of the hall.  Busloads of airport proponents, brought in from Newport Beach and Inglewood, took over many of the seats in the hall. However, as noon approached, many drifted off to have lunch provided by the Airport Working Group.

The final speakers before the break were a trio designated to represent the anti-airport forces. As ETRPA Chairman Allan Songstad began, Board Chairwoman Cynthia Coad got up and left the room. Songstad admonished the Board that, "You should address the concerns of the people who elected you."

Robert Wolfe, a former California Undersecretary for Transportation and member of the team developing March Inland Port discussed the "logical alternative" to El Toro. "El Toro is not the best alternative," he said.  Wolfe went on to detail how the Inland Empire would generate 43.4 MAP (million annual passengers) and 5.2 million annual tons of cargo, which would create heavy truck traffic and pollution in Orange County if El Toro becomes the next airport.

Wolfe noted that there are "limited funds" for development.  Money spent on ground access projects for El Toro would have to come out of funds for other local road improvements.

Tristan Krogius, of the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities, called tomorrow's turn in of 175,000 signatures on petitions, "the only public hearing that counts".  He spoke passionately, repeating lines from Sunday's LA Times editorial that the Board " shirks it duty" and supervisors "abused their position as trustees of the process for petitioning the government."

85 individuals waited to speak, with more busses arriving from Newport Beach, when the meeting paused for lunch.

"The El Toro environmental and airport studies that will go before the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday are required by California law to answer many questions about the proposed airport: its impacts on the environment, the reasons it is needed, how it will be built and operate. The reports are not intended to solve all the problems a new airport might create - only to disclose the effects, propose solutions and acknowledge areas where problems cannot be eliminated."

"Here is a summary of some significant impacts."

"Air pollution… An El Toro airport would create significant amounts of air pollution during construction and operation, including toxic air contaminants such as diesel, benzene and formaldehyde, that cannot be reduced to minimal levels."

"Health impacts… Airport pollution would significantly increase the risks of cancer and other health problems. Cancer cases would increase from 411 per 1 million in 1998 to 942 per million by 2020. Other health problems would increase because of toxic contaminants created or used by the airport."

"Traffic… An El Toro airport would increase traffic on nearby freeways and streets."

"Noise … The airport would increase noise, causing sleep disturbances for some residents."

"Flight paths …Flight paths cannot be guaranteed until the FAA completes its work, and there would be no ironclad restrictions on runway use. Flights to the west cannot be ruled out. Proposed flight patterns are vulnerable to bad weather and prone to delays given region’s crowded skies."

The full article with a more complete discussion is available in the Early Bird Section.

On Wednesday, supporters of the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve initiative will turn in petitions to the County Registrar with approximately 175,000 signatures. 

"Those with special powers have special responsibilities. So it is for the Board of Supervisors in handling citizens' petitions for ballot initiatives. In undercutting their county counsel recently by failing to support his opinion on such a proposed initiative, they undermined the democratic process in the county."

"…The supervisors were duty-bound to defend the work of their own county counsel. Former County Counsel Laurence M. Watson drafted the language that was overturned in court, and he defended it as sound. The three-member pro-airport majority decided not to appeal the ruling, and it was left to others to make the appeal."

"This was not about airport versus park as much as it was about the role of supervisors as guardians of people's access to the ballot. The process easily would be corrupted if the county routinely mishandled the naming of petitions and or later failed to vouch for its work… what matters is that the process has integrity."

"The supervisors … abused their position as trustees of the process for petitioning the government. Any number of interest groups are likely to come to the supervisors with ballot petitions, and they necessarily rely on the county to do its job… This episode doesn't inspire confidence that Orange County citizens bringing petitions of any kind to the current board can expect a fair shake" [from Smith, Silva and Coad.]

Click here for full text of this and other important editorials.

About 100 volunteers for the Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative are staffing a booth at the Orange Street Fair this weekend.  This is the final signature gathering push before petitions are turned in to the Registrar of Voters next Wednesday.

More than the required 71, 206 signatures, have been collected.  However, volunteers see this weekend as a good chance to take the anti-airport message into North County.  Their reception has been warm, as evidenced by the latest additions to our photo album.

See Sergio Prince's e-mail to volunteers about the success of the Orange event.

On Wednesday, an armored car will deliver over 170,000 signatures, to the Registrar of Voters.  An armored car was selected to transport the valuable signatures to Santa Ana as a symbol that supporters will not allow the petition drive to be hijacked by pro-airport forces.

All are welcome to join in the loading at the Campaign Office between 10 and 11 AM on September 5.  Volunteers will accompany the truck as it delivers the petitions to the Registrar of Voters in Santa Ana at about noon.

The City Council of Rancho Santa Margarita has taken the fight to block El Toro airport to a new level by warning pro-airport supervisors that they will be held personally liable for damages to residents.  Some activists in the anti-airport movement have been urging ETRPA, which so far has listed only "John Does" as unnamed potential defendants in its lawsuits, to specify Smith, Silva and Coad as targets.

In an August 31 letter, approved in closed session because of the possibility that litigation may result, the City Council used some of the strongest words so far from a public entity.  "The City reserves the right to use all legal means available to hold any Member of the Board approving this EIR personally liable for the environmental destruction to our City, and for damages to the health, safety and welfare of our citizens."

The letter includes this position: "This EIR proposes a significant majority of departures that will pass directly over our City at altitudes of 2,000-3,000 feet, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with no restrictions. Our City is incensed that the County will propose such unrestricted operations over our City, while at the same time actively pursuing continued curfew and flight restrictions from John Wayne Airport. Our City will not tolerate this double standard" which is called "discriminatory" and a "violation of civil rights".

Post comments on the "Small Increase in John Wayne Caps" message board thread.
Better still, join those who are demanding that their city councils do the same thing and name Smith, Silva and Coad as potentially liable for damages resulting from their actions.  E-mail or write to your city.

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