OC Register, Business Section, November 29, 2001
"Hordes of homes planned"
"The numbers are big, but not big enough to solve the housing crunch."

Website Direct, November 29, 2001
Important Board of Supervisors Meeting , December 4

LA Times, November 28, 2001
"Business Travel Slump Still Hurts Airlines"

LA Times, November 27, 2001
"A group of pro-airport supporters must pay the [court] costs"

OC Register, November 26, 2001
The Buzz

LA Times, November 24, 2001
”Airport Support Fading"

Daily Pilot, November 24, 2001
"Ruling will change El Toro campaign"
"With state law prohibiting Newport Beach from spending money on a ballot measure, anti-Great
Park effort likely will get toned down."

LA Times, November 24, 2001
"Officials Want Restrictions Left on John Wayne Flights"

LA Times, November 22, 2001
"Court Sends Park Initiative to O.C. Voters "

OC Register, November 22, 2001
"County losing $775,000 in lease income"
"Cal State Fullerton getting outsized break on its rent at El Toro due to miscalculation."

Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities, November 21, 2001
OC CENTRAL PARK INITIATIVE WILL BE ON THE BALLOT

OC Register, November 21, 2001
"Poll: 6 in 10 oppose airport"

LA Times, November 21, 2001
"Lawsuit Targets El Toro"

LA Times, November 21, 2001
"El Toro Energy Costs Estimate Off Base"
"Budget: Spitzer says the miscalculation of future bills may have caused a preschool to close."

Website Direct, November 20, 2001
CSUF's latest poll shows increased opposition to airport
Park alternative support remains strong

Website Direct, November 20, 2001
ETRPA files lawsuit to overturn El Toro EIR

LA Times, November 20, 2001
"John Wayne Use Slowly Increasing"
"Passengers and flights are still down 10% from 2000 levels. The airport's ability to maintain its repayment schedule on 1990 bonds is being reviewed."

LA Times editorial, November 18, 2001
"El Toro Housing Is Wasted"

Website Direct, November 17, 2001
Upbeat reports on yesterday's Court hearing

OC Register, November 17, 2001
"Cox seeks JWA curfew extension"

OC Register, November 17, 2001
"Preschool a victim of county billing error"

Website Direct, November 16, 2001 - final
Court of Appeals hears arguments on park initiative

OC Register, November 16, 2001
"Airport advocate asks state's help"

Daily Pilot, November 15, 2001
"Riordan defends decision regarding airport solution"
"The gubernatorial candidate says El Toro is one of several regional answers to Orange County's air travel woes."

Associated Press, November 13, 2001
"Aircraft noise raises residents' blood pressure"

Associated Press, November 12, 2000 - updated
"Plane Crashes Near Kennedy Airport"

LA Times, November 12, 2001
"El Toro Might Be Closed, but It's Still Busy"

OC Register, November 12, 2001
"Wade courts airport foes in DA race"
"Deputy district attorney hopes El Toro issue will help him unseat Rackauckas."

Website Direct, November 11, 2001
John Wayne passengers and cargo use lagging

Website Direct, editorial comment, November 9, 2001
Both sides spin Rohrabacher-Navy correspondence

Reuters, November 8, 2001 - posted November 9
"Airports delay projects in post-attacks slowdown"

Press-Enterprise, November 8, 2001
"Foes of LAX growth say Inland airports should be the focus of a plan."

Website Direct, November 7, 2001
Navy says El Toro can be transferred for a park at no cost
Rohrabacher and AWG give Navy letter a pro-airport spin

OC Register, November 7, 2001 - updated
"CSUF to use El Toro space for classrooms"
"School will renovate the site despite base's uncertain future."

LA Times, November 7, 2001
"El Toro to Keep Getting John Wayne Funds"

Website Direct, November 6, 2001
Court will not act on Measure F before December 14

Website Direct, November 6, 2001 - updated
Supervisors move anti-airport initiative towards ballot
Refuse to curb JWA spending for El Toro

Daily Pilot editorial, November 4, 2001
"Newport leaders' John Wayne focus hits the mark"

Website Direct, November 2, 2001
ETRPA asks Court to stop approval of County airport plan pending outcome of Measure F appeal.

LA Times, November 1 2001
"Mayor Sides With Foes of El Toro Airport Plan"

OC Register, November 1, 2001
"Ambassador hearing a cinch for Argyros"

Click for earlier news briefs

Today, the County Auditor-Controller released the findings of a study commissioned by the Board of Supervisors. The much-anticipated report gave the County's determination of the economic impact of passing the park initiative and it was GREAT NEWS for park supporters.

The report's major findings show that the park can be created with no significant financial impact on residents, no new taxes, no land acquisition costs and no local cleanup costs. It refutes claims by pro-airport groups that the park would be too costly.

The publication of the report is in preparation for next Tuesday's Board meeting  - when the OC Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative will be placed on the March 5, 2002 ballot. Consultants from Public Financial Management, Inc. in Newport Beach conducted the $187,000 study.

The Public Financial Management consultants made several important conclusions:

• "The initiative does not impose a new tax or tax increase - this can only be done by a vote of the electorate."
• "It is likely the County could avoid any land acquisition cost under a park or an airport development scenario."
• "It is unlikely that the initiative would result in additional environmental remediation costs…  Passage of the initiative would not alter Department of Defense responsibility for required environmental [cleanup] remediation."

Full text of the 112 page report is available in Adobe Acrobat format on the Auditor-Controller's webpages. Click here.

"From Fullerton to San Juan Capistrano, developers are preparing to build tens of thousands of new homes in Orange County… Developers have submitted plans for the construction of more than 34,000 homes and have approvals in hand for an additional 17,000 homes in new developments... Expect 51,000 proposed homes to turn into roughly 40,000 actual homes.", one expert said.

"The projects now before regulators represent some of the last mega-developments Orange County will see."

Editor: Let's see how the numbers add up: Builders add 40,000 more homes and then the county is close to build out of all the usable land. Pro-airport supervisors want to add a 28.8 million annual passenger El Toro airport, supposedly to accommodate this growth.

Divide the number of passengers by the number of houses and each new household will have to generate over 700 airplane trips each year. I know that's an over simplification - but it looks like John Wayne airport should be able to handle the modest needs of 40,000 new families.

Next Tuesday, December 4, at 9:30 AM, the Board of Supervisors will meet and take up two items of importance to airport opponents.

Item 38. "Status Report regarding discussion discretionary spending of John Wayne Airport revenues and related Board actions"

The item concerns John Wayne's abilty to continue funding non-John Wayne projects, in view of the airport's reduced revenue this year and the increased cost of security.  The largest such discretionary spending item is the planning and promoting of El Toro Airport.

Item 51. "County Executive Office/Auditor-Controller - Receive and file Fiscal Analysis of "The Orange County Central Park and Natural Preserve Initiative" and Impact on General Plan of "The Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative" reports; adopt proposed initiative as an Ordinance without change or order placement of initiative on ballot for next statewide election, 3/5/02"

At this time, the County will present an $187,000 study of the initiative, requested by Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad, and then will assign a ballot letter and must place the initiative on the March election as required by state law.

It is important to have a large turnout for these items. Please be there for this interesting meeting.

"U.S. airlines remain troubled by a persistent slump in business travel--which isn't expected to rebound until the ailing economy improves, industry executives and analysts said Tuesday."

"Although airports and planes were crowded with holiday travelers last week, most of those passengers were flying to see family and friends on fares that the airlines heavily discounted just to fill their planes… the airlines are providing 15% to 20% fewer seats than at this time last year."

"… Financially, the airlines' high load factors over Thanksgiving (that is, the percentage of their seats that were filled) were 'largely irrelevant' because the crowds masked the lack of business travelers, said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, an advocacy group… Business travel is down about 20% to 30% from a year ago… Many businesses started paring their travel budgets a year ago to save money, relying more on videoconferencing and other tools to communicate with customers."

"Phil Condit, chairman of aircraft maker Boeing Co., cited those problems Tuesday in saying it might be more than three years before U.S. air travel returns to pre-Sept. 11 levels."

Editor:  Against this background, the County has mailed another in their string of "Just the Facts" flyers, "Reflecting on Recent Events" - and concluding that an airport at El Toro is needed because nine of the other locations in the region are unsatisfactory - in their opinion.

"For the record - An article Thursday incorrectly stated that Orange County would have to pay attorney fees in an appeals court challenge of a ballot measure that would make the former El Toro Marine base a large urban park. A group of pro-airport supporters must pay the costs."

Editor:  The attorneys to defend the O.C. Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative were hired by the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities. The CSHC is funded exclusively by contributions from the public. With this court ruling, Bruce Nestande and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy will reimburse CSHC for its costs. The Nestande group historically received most of its funding from George Argyros.

“Swedish researchers announced this month that aircraft noise may increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, even among people who live miles from airports, according to the Associated Press.  The likely cause: stress.  As soon as the story appeared on the wires, it was posted on [this] anti-El Toro airport web site—although the findings were of little surprise to airport opponents, who have been known to display signs of stress at the mere thought of airport noise.”

Click here to reprise the above mentioned post.

"The September terrorist attacks left many Orange County residents questioning whether a new airport at El Toro is needed, according to a new Cal State Fullerton poll. Opposition to the airport plan is growing in north Orange County, where half of residents say they would rather see a park at the base--as long as their tax dollars aren't used to pay for it, according to the study."

"More than any other factor, poll respondents said, the decline in air travel after the terrorist attacks suggests that a new airport isn't needed, 'even if the airport planners have a 20-year horizon in mind,' said political science professor Keith Boyum, director of the Center for Public Policy." 

"NEWPORT BEACH -- City airport boosters say they will tone down their anti-Great Park public relations campaign after this week's court ruling to allow a public vote on the El Toro airport alternative. Now that the South County-promoted Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative will be on the March 5 ballot, city money cannot be spent to lobby against the measure. State election laws prohibit it."

"Since early March, [the El Toro Educational Alliance] fueled by a $3.67-million grant from Newport Beach have been diligently working to dress down South County's Great Park plan in … mailings and television spots. The alliance, made up of Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy, has broadcasted TV spots depicting a bunny munching on money and released mailers deriding park supporters as weasels."

"The alliance also commissioned an economic study of the park plan."

"A Newport Beach taxpayer and South County officials, in a lawsuit filed July 27, accused the working group and Newport Beach of spending public money improperly on the campaign."

"Bruce Nestande, a former county supervisor who also heads Citizens for Jobs, defended the campaign and said it wouldn't be softened. 'We have been very careful in our content to present a balanced approach,' Nestande said. 'Whatever mail we've put out is not going to change.'"

"Orange County and Newport Beach are considering ways to retain the strict limits on jets operating at John Wayne Airport as voters prepare to decide in March whether to scrap plans for a new airport at El Toro."

"Newport Beach officials worry that if voters kill plans for an El Toro airport, there will be new calls for an expansion of John Wayne, whose flight path runs above the city. So city and county officials want to continue controlling the airport's size by extending the restrictions, which a federal judge approved in 1985 and which expire in 2005. The ruling restricts the number of passengers and regulated flights."

"John Wayne is one of only a handful of airports that have such agreements. Congress banned them in 1990."

"The county expects John Wayne traffic to shrink once El Toro is built, although some predict that major airlines eventually would leave the smaller airport completely, with the much larger El Toro just seven miles away."

"Five joint county-city proposals released this week consider modest growth at John Wayne Airport while extending controls for 10 more years, through 2015. Doing so would allow the airport to handle more of Orange County's air travelers while limiting the potential effect of added noise, pollution and traffic, according to an environmental review of the new proposals."

"The maximum capacity of the airfield--500 acres with one 5,700-foot runway--is 13.9 million passengers a year, the review said."

"Throughout the discussion, the county and city have stood firm on two additional protections for airport-area neighbors: John Wayne's nighttime curfew and the county's ability to limit engine noise from jets taking off… The curfew dates to 1969; the noise limits to 1985."

"Orange County voters can decide in March whether to replace a planned airport at the closed El Toro Marine base with a large urban park, a state appeals panel in San Diego ruled Wednesday."

Bruce Nestande, who filed the lawsuit along with Newport Beach groups, "said airport supporters will decide by Monday whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court."

"The measure was certified for the March 5 ballot this month by Registrar of Voters Rosalyn Lever. The Board of Supervisors will take a strictly procedural vote Dec. 4 to place it there officially; by law, supervisors cannot vote "no" or abstain. Board members also will receive a financial analysis of the impact of the park on the county treasury."

Editor:  Both sides are dueling over the drafts of the $187,000 consultants' "financial analysis" that was commissioned by pro-airport supervisors.  Supporters of the initiative are recommending that the report contain some measure of objectivity while opponents have been loading the report with County and Airport Working Group projections on their assumed benefits of an airport and costs of a park.  Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom will distill a 500 word impartial analysis from the consultants' report for inclusion in the Voters Pamphlet.

"The initiative may go by the name Measure W. An initiative to create a county charter will appear as Measure V, County Counsel Benjamin de Mayo said. The board has no discretion whether to place the measure on the ballot but can choose the letter, he said."

"The same appeals court panel that issued Wednesday's decision will consider at a Dec. 14 hearing whether to overturn the ruling invalidating Measure F. That ruling was issued by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge S. James Otero."

"A county investigation into a billing foul-up that caused an El Toro base preschool to shut down revealed another miscalculation that will cost the county $775,000."

"On Nov. 6, the county Board of Supervisors approved a 10-year sublease with California State University, Fullerton, for a building at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. It included a credit on its monthly lease of 25 cents per square foot."

"The next day, county staff said the credit should have only been 11 cents per square foot. It's an error that will result in the loss of $775,000 over the 10-year lease, according to a report by Gary Simon, executive director of the El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority."

"A Nov. 7 letter by Mark Morgan, the El Toro real estate manager, to [Gary] Simon … showed that county staff was aware of the billing problems by Tait & Associates, but did not notify the Board of Supervisors. 'We have questioned these amounts on at least three previous occasions,' the letter said."

"'This is one of the worst examples of government at work that taxpayers have ever seen,' said Supervisor Todd Spitzer."  Post your reactions on the message board thread, "The gang that couldn't shoot straight."

Today, the Fourth District Court of Appeals in San Diego overturned an earlier adverse ruling of a lower court in the El Toro case.  The Appeals Court acted promptly following last week's hearing to allow the Central Park initiative to make it onto the ballot.

A lawsuit had been brought by Bruce Nestande and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy in an effort to block a public vote on the popular park initiative. Judge James Gray of Newport Beach had agreed with the petitioners that the County-written title and summary did not adequately describe the initiative. However, today, the higher court rejected Judge Gray's opinion.

The Board of Supervisors must now place the initiative on the ballot on December 4 for the March 5, 2002 election.

Polling by Cal State University, Fullerton this month, found the park measure to be favored by almost two-thirds of those surveyed.

The park will be funded by the leasing of land, houses and existing buildings on the base, by private donations, with some of Orange County's share of state park bonds and by user fees. The initiative clearly states that there will be no new taxes to pay for the long-term development of the recreational and educational facilities at the former base.

The Court's decision is available on-line.  Nestande and his group will have to pay the Committee for Safe and Healthy Communities' court costs.

Happy Thanksgiving.

"Opposition to an El Toro airport is solid, with six of 10 county residents saying they do not want it, according a poll released Tuesday."  See yesterday's website news for details.

"About two-thirds of residents polled said they favor a proposed initiative to make most of the closed Marine base a park instead of an airport, according to the quarterly El Toro survey by California State University, Fullerton, and the Orange County Business Council. But their commitment to the proposed park depended on what they believed about funding - stronger if they believed park backers' contention that no tax dollars would be used, and weaker if they agreed with airport backers that taxes would be needed."

"'The county has made a mockery of the environmental review process," [ETRPA] coalition spokesman L. Allan Songstad Jr., a Laguna Hills councilman, said in a prepared statement announcing the suit. 'The supervisors decided to pick and choose what information to share with the public. They systematically ignored any data that cast a negative light on the airport plan. The result is an [environmental impact report] that defies common sense.'"

"The county didn't study the possibility of westerly takeoffs over Irvine, something county officials have pledged to forbid. But a report last month by the Federal Aviation Administration concluded that western takeoffs would be the preferred route during certain weather conditions."

"The FAA report said the county intends to bar operations over western Irvine, but it said pilots have discretion to use whichever runway they believe is safest. The nation's two airline pilots unions and the air-traffic controllers have criticized the county's runway plan as unsafe and unworkable."

See yesterday's website news for details of the lawsuit challenging EIR 573.

"A consultant's miscalculation about future energy costs for tenants at the former El Toro Marine base raised the ire of a county supervisor Tuesday, who said the blunder may have spurred the closure of a preschool operating at the base."

"Supervisor Todd Spitzer grilled Gary Simon, executive director of the county's El Toro planning agency, about Friday's closure of the Community Day Preschool. Spitzer charged that the preschool owners left the base after being told their lease payments and electricity bills could jump more than fourfold, to $4,600 a month."

"'This is not an example of how we should run business at El Toro,' Spitzer said. The future bills of other El Toro tenants were also miscalculated."

More information below.

A poll, released today by CSUF reports, "Continuing, and somewhat strengthening, opposition to a proposed international airport at the closed Marine Corps base at El Toro is a key finding from the latest survey of Orange County residents undertaken by Cal State Fullerton's Center for Public Policy and the Orange County Business Council."

CSUF jolted many when it reported an unlikely pro-airport bounce in June. However, the latest November data was in line with all other published polls. When asked, "At the present time, do you support or oppose building an international airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station?" the results showed:
 

Strongly support	Somewhat support	Somewhat oppose	Strongly oppose
21.8%	18.1%	16.0%	44.1%

Respondents also were asked, "As you may know, Orange County will probably vote next March on a proposal to build a large urban park on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, instead of an international airport. If the election were held today, how likely is it that you would vote in favor of such a park?"

The poll found that, "Basic support for a large urban park appears to have increased slightly, from about 62 / 38 in favor in June, to about 66 / 34 in favor in November."

Click here for the complete report.

Today, the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) filed suit in Orange County Superior Court against the County of Orange and the Board of Supervisors seeking to invalidate the Environmental Impact Report (EIR 573) for the proposed El Toro airport. Chief among ETRPA's concerns is the failure of the EIR to disclose or analyze the environmental impact of take offs and departures to the west over Irvine, Newport Coast, Tustin, Orange and Santa Ana - some of the most densely populated communities in California.

According to ETRPA's attorney Richard C. Jacobs, "The suit contains three main causes of action: First, the EIR is woefully inadequate and does not fully disclose the significant environmental impacts. Second, the county has turned the review process upside down, and used the EIR to justify a predetermined outcome.  Finally the county failed to submit the airport proposal to the Airport Land Use Commission before taking action, therefore the county's certification is illegal.

ETRPA 's petition for a Writ of Mandate asks that the EIR be declared invalid. "This is another example of the County's complete disregard for the law.  The Supervisors continue to barge ahead with no respect for the process, apparently thinking that their approval supersedes the word of law," Jacobs said.

Click here for the website's Litigation Section with the complete statement from ETRPA and text of the actual document submitted to the Court.

"Passengers and flights at John Wayne Airport are inching closer to normal but remain 10% less than a year ago, with parking revenue sliced by the same amount, according to an analysis to be presented today to county supervisors." Listen to Board meetings live on-line.

"The Board of Supervisors has been debating for two months whether John Wayne's shaky bottom line justifies restricting or ending the use of reserves to cover the costs of planning an airport at the closed El Toro Marine base."

"The airport's hefty underwriting of El Toro--$40 million since 1996--caused enough worry a year ago for officials to warn that the drain couldn't continue without jeopardizing the airport's ambitious schedule for repaying bonds."

"Wall Street analysts also are reviewing the airport's ability to stick with a repayment schedule for $300 million in bonds sold in 1990 to finance a new terminal… Wall Street is reevaluating its rating on John Wayne's revenue bonds in light of the slump in travel. The same type of review is happening nationally as financiers evaluate the possible impact on repayment schedules."

"It probably will take many years before a commercial airport, park or whatever finally fills the 4,700 acres that once housed the Marine Corps air base at El Toro. But while the battle over that final use bounces from boardroom to courtroom to polling place, it has been a disgraceful waste of available and sorely needed facilities to allow most of the former base's buildings and homes to sit virtually unused for more than two years."

"The Cal State lease is a good start. But supervisors shouldn't stop there. In addition to those 40 buildings available for temporary leases, there are about 1,100 residences formerly used for Marines and their families."

"They, too, have been sitting unused while many people, including the county's teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters, have to hold down extra jobs and pay a disproportionate amount of their income to rent a home."

"It's unconscionable to keep holding 1,100 inexpensive homes political hostage and unavailable to the families that need them so badly." Click for photo.

Advocates for the Central Park initiative, were cautious, yesterday, to not express too much confidence about how it went. However, the newspaper reporters who were there have written what many of us, who were in the courtroom, felt.

Jean Pasco of the Times says, this morning, "Three-judge panel appears to favor giving the proposal a spot on the March ballot."  Peter Larsen for the Register writes, "The likelihood of a March vote on the future of El Toro soared Friday."

The Times reports, "Board Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad was disappointed there was no ruling Friday to guide supervisors."  In fact, the Appeals Court's August stay of Judge Gray's ruling, allows the initiative to go forward as though Gray had never ruled, pending a final determination.

Full articles are in the Early Bird section.

"Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Newport Beach, said Friday he plans to seek an extension of the curfews and flight limits at John Wayne Airport. The current limits expire in 2005."

"'It is acceptable to ... all interested parties that the existing agreement be renegotiated and extended,' Cox said."

"His action comes in response to a request that arrived Thursday from the city of Newport Beach, he said. He considered attaching the extension to the airport-security bill passed by the Senate and House on Friday, but there wasn't time. Now, he said, 'We'll just wait until there is some appropriate opportunity' to attach it to another piece of legislation." 

" A billing error by the county caused a child-care center at the former El Toro Marine base to close its doors Friday. County officials notified staff at the nonprofit Community Day Preschool in September that monthly utility bills would be raised to nearly $5,000 from $1,000."

"But last week, the week before the school planned to close, staff got another notice from the county - that it had made a mistake and that the school should have been billed just $2,000 a month for utilities. [Sue Puisis, the school's executive director] said at that rate the school could have remained open, but now most of the parents of the 80 children who were enrolled there have found other schools.

"'They want to institute county agencies here and ultimately push the airport (plan) through,' Puisis said Friday."

The building at El Toro could accommodate 216 children. It had attendees from 13 cities.

Today, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeals in San Diego heard arguments in the case concerning the Central Park initiative's ballot title. The title, written by County attorneys, was challenged by Bruce Nestande and the Citizens for Jobs and the Economy, a Newport Beach based pro-airport group trying to keep the public from voting on El Toro's reuse.

As things stand, a lower court ruling against the title has been stayed [put on hold] by the Appeals Court. Law requires supervisors, to place the initiative on the ballot at their December 4 meeting. Today's hearing was to decide whether the Appeals Court's earlier action becomes final. The judges did not rule today and did not indicate when they would, so the initiative moves ahead on schedule as though the adverse lower court ruling did not exist.

An attorney from the County Counsel's office stated to the Court that the title and summary prepared by his office was adequate under the law. The three judges did not ask a single question regarding the accuracy of the title and summary  - of him or of the attorneys for the pro and anti initiative sides.

The Court's questions dealt solely with the issue of whether the opponents of the initiative even have a legal right to challenge the title.  The election code states that the "proponents" may make challenges.  CJ&E Attorney Fredric Woocher argued variously that the legislature had "inadvertently" left out the opponents, that it was "poor public policy", "irrational", "discrimination" and that it might even be "unconstitutional" to not allow opponents to sue. At one point he acknowledged that he was fighting "uphill" against the judge's questions.

Rob Thornton, attorney for the initiative, had a far easier time, seemingly satisfying the judges that the law allows the opponents to sue at later steps in the election process - but not now.

"An El Toro airport advocate who last month asked the Orange County grand jury to investigate Supervisor Tom Wilson has taken that request to the state attorney general.  Newport Beach attorney Richard Taylor, vice president of the [pro-El Toro] Airport Working Group, ... questioned Wilson's ties to [ETRPA] an anti-airport coalition of cities."

"Wilson says he has done nothing wrong."

"Taylor -- after a month and no response from the grand jury -- last week sought an investigation by the attorney general."

Editor:  This writer sees the AWG tactic as a pro-airport attempt to muddy the waters for Wilson's reelection bid in March - and force Wilson backers to divert money and effort away from passing the OC Central Park and Nature Preserve initiative.  Four years ago, the group fielded a pro-airport Newport Beach resident to conduct a mean campaign against Wilson.

The popular Wilson is a sure winner since his views, opposing El Toro airport, mirror those of the overwhelming majority of his constituents.

"NEWPORT BEACH -- Responding to local officials' allegations that gubernatorial candidate Richard Riordan has betrayed the city by doing a '180-degree turnaround' on an airport at El Toro, the former Los Angeles mayor said Wednesday his shift to a regional solution doesn't mean he's turning his back on locals."

"'Until six months or so ago, I focused just on El Toro,' Riordan said. 'But after talking to people down there . . . now I'm saying that El Toro is one of several possible solutions.'"

"A longtime supporter of an El Toro airport, Riordan drew fire from Newport Beach officials after announcing a shift at a Costa Mesa community meeting Oct. 29. He now advocates a regional solution for the ever-increasing demand for flights in Southern California. 'That has to include expanding LAX, dramatically expanding Ontario and Palmdale, and it also means that you need some more facilities in and around Orange County,' Riordan said… But he stopped short of saying what should be done within the county's borders."

"Newport Beach advocates building an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to absorb future flight demand that otherwise might mean expanding John Wayne Airport, where flights directly affect Newport Beach residents."

Editor:  Newport Beach leaders seemingly do not support meeting future flight demand at LAX, Long Beach, Ontario, March or any facility except El Toro. Only El Toro intimately shares market and airspace with John Wayne and only use of El Toro is likely to force a shrinkage or closure of John Wayne. The FAA airspace report indicated that an El Toro airport would delay almost all of the flights at John Wayne.  Several key industry groups have said that there can not be two airports in Orange County.

"Aircraft noise may increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease even among people who live miles from airports, according to a study out today."

"Researchers in Sweden found that people subjected to the highest noise levels were 80 per cent more likely than those from less noisy areas to suffer high blood pressure. Writing in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the scientists say the cause of the effect is likely to be stress."

"The researchers, led by Dr Mats Rosenlund, from Stockholm County Council's Department of Environmental Health, compared 266 people living near Arlanda Airport in the Swedish capital with 2,700 in other parts of the city. In areas subjected to average noise levels above 55 decibels, or peak levels of more than 72 decibels, … [and accounting] for lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, smoking and type of housing, people in the highest noise zones had an 80 per cent increased risk of high blood pressure."

"They point out that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, which therefore may also be linked to aircraft noise."

"Sweden is proposing guideline limits of 55 decibels for average aircraft noise and 70 decibels for the maximum level."  Click here for more on aircraft health impacts.

"An American Airlines jetliner on its way to the Dominican Republic with 255 people aboard crashed moments after takeoff from Kennedy Airport in a residential neighborhood Monday, setting homes on fire."

"At least six and perhaps as many as eight people, all adults, were reported missing on the ground, the mayor said. Four houses were destroyed, four were seriously damaged, and as many as a dozen others sustained lesser damage, [Mayor Rudy] Giuliani said." The Queens County neighborhood is 5 miles from the airport.

"Bush administration officials said the FBI believed there was an explosion aboard the plane, and was investigating whether it was the result of a mechanical failure or sabotage."

"Until recently, the only tenants at the base have been operators of the golf course, stables, recreational vehicle storage lots, a pair of child care centers, and strawberry and bean fields. But that's changing. Since the beginning of the year, business has steadily picked up. In February, the county began issuing special-event permits for car shows, consumer test driving, television commercials and movie filming."

"Road & Track magazine used an old runway to test vehicles. On another runway, model jets took off and landed on a newly paved surface. At the maintenance yard once used for jets and helicopters, Volvo road-tested its new line of cars and SUVs. Nearly every day, the newly renovated Officers Club is used for business training seminars, weddings or receptions."

"A few days ago, Cal State Fullerton signed a 10-year lease to open a satellite campus in a 46,000-square-foot Spanish-style building that once housed the Air Wing headquarters. Over the next 10 months, university officials plan to spend at least $1.4 million to renovate the structure, built in 1986."

Mark Morgan, county real estate team manager, "said he is talking with Irvine Auto Center about turning nine acres of farmland into a parking lot next to the auto mall. He also is working with the county Probation Department to turn three old buildings into a youth and family resource center where children and their parents would be counseled."

"Morgan said he also has heard from a dairy interested in warehouse space, a moving company, two green-waste recycling firms and a mortuary. The mortuary owners said they would like to move into the closed base church... An old gym at the base might be put to use as an emergency homeless shelter this winter."

"Over the last few months, the Navy declared nearly 50 nonresidential buildings fit for use. Next month, the county will begin a public bidding process for the 40 buildings it has deemed worth restoring. It doesn't appear as though the county will have any problems filling the space. Morgan said he has received inquiries from more than 400 businesses."

"Despite the flurry of activity, El Toro has been a financial drain for the county, which projects the base will cost $14 million to operate this year. At best, revenue is expected to add up to $7.1 million. The refurbished golf course should gross $3.1 million, nearly half the total. And the RV storage facility, expanded to accommodate 2,000 vehicles, and the agricultural leases will generate about $1.2 million each."

"Wally Wade is tapping into the anti-airport fervor over El Toro, hoping it will help lift his underfunded campaign for district attorney past incumbent Tony Rackauckas in the March 5 election. Although the job has no direct bearing on whether the controversial airport will be built, Wade is hoping the issue will help him raise money, build support and avenge his 1998 loss to Rackauckas."

"'Exhibit A' for Wade, a senior deputy district attorney, is Rackauckas' opposition to last year's Measure F, an initiative approved by voters that called for a public vote before new airports or major jails could be built. 'He shouldn't have been poking his nose in it,' said Wade, a San Juan Capistrano resident."

"But donors may find other uses for their money besides giving it to Wade. Anti-airport candidate Chris Norby is challenging pro-airport Supervisor Cynthia Coad - and a Norby victory would change the board to an anti-airport majority. An anti-airport park initiative for El Toro is also scheduled for the March 5 election." 

Prior to the terrorist attack of September 11, John Wayne's utilization was lagging that of the prior year. The falloff in use since, leaves the airport operating at about 7.4 MAP for the past 12 months, or a million passengers below its current agreement level, according to the latest data.

John Wayne use is expected to pickup as passengers temporarily flee the tight security measures of LAX.  However, the loss in landing fees and parking and concession revenue, and the airport's own increased security expenditures, are cutting into income. Supervisors may be forced to review the extent to which JWA can be milked to fund El Toro planning and public relations.

Read Newport Beach's spin in the Daily Pilot [in the Early Bird thread] - "Navy letter puts park in peril" -  and you may think that the transfer of El Toro property at no cost for park use is highly unlikely.  Read ETRPA's reaction and you will think otherwise. Ah the joys of interpreting carefully phrased government prose which must cover all alternatives and all situations!

The slow conveyance of the former Tustin Air Base indicates that any base transfer can be full of obstacles that must be overcome. If Orange County has to jump through hoops to get land transferred as a Public Benefit Conveyance for a Central Park, the very same can be said for that part of the base property that the County says it will keep green in its "Air-Park" design.

And Orange County is a long way from satisfying the FAA and completing the complex steps for an aviation conveyance. When dealing with such projects, nothing is easy. I'm in no rush.

"After the Sept. 11 air attacks, the public's reluctance to fly, combined with increased security measures, have cut deeply into fees airports need for day-to-day operations, forcing many to delay for several years or cancel new runways, terminal upgrades and other projects."

"'Several billion in delayed projects is a fair guess,' said Jessica Soltz, an airport ratings analyst with Fitch in San Francisco."

"At Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, the perception created by police officers searching cars before they enter the parking garage, and the time spent waiting in line to be searched, have reduced parking fee collections by $500,000 a month.
… [and] forced it to delay $183 million in projects indefinitely and to call off a $200 million bond sale."

"Charlotte's not alone in canceling or delaying projects. 'Airports around the world are cutting where possible to remain competitive and one of the key ways of doing this is to slow down their capital programs,' said Adam Whiteman, an airport analyst with Moody's Investors Service."

"Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington State deferred by a year $185 million in projects by delaying or cutting spending on everything from new bathrooms to electrical projects, a spokesman said."

"San Francisco International Airport delayed building a new runway, telling analysts that it along with other major capital projects will be not be finished for several years beyond the original date."

"In Minnesota, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is already projecting it could lose up to $24 million this year from a drop-off in revenues and passenger facility charges. To deal with the revenue crunch, the airport has cut $4.2 million from its budget, deferred $400 million in construction projects and stopped all new bond issues, airport spokesman Patrick Hogan said in September."

"ONTARIO - Familiar calls for more passenger flights at Ontario International Airport and more cargo traffic at Inland Empire airports echoed at a hearing held by Los Angeles World Airports on Wednesday night."

"Opponents of growth at LAX urged Los Angeles World Airports to consider promoting flights at Ontario International … Opponents of LAX expansion want to cap the airport at 78 million passengers and divert traffic to Ontario International and other airports.."

"'Inland Empire airports need to be a priority for a regional airport plan,' said El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon, who opposes LAX expansion."

"Victorville Deputy Redevelopment Director Keith Metzler said the former George Air Force Base near his city is ready to handle some of the LAX cargo traffic."

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, (R-45th) is an outspoken advocate for an airport at El Toro. On July 11, Rohrabacher wrote to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, asking a number of questions about base transfer regulations as they apply to El Toro. On September 14 he received a reply from H. T. Johnson, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installation and Environment.

Rohrabacher then issued a November 1 press release, published by the Airport Working Group's website. The Rohrabacher/AWG press release contained no direct quotes from the Navy letter and gave a decidedly pro-airport spin to the Navy's response. Follow the above links to read the full documents.

Today, the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority provided a more detailed summary of the Navy letter in its own press release. “This letter clearly debunks the notion by airport advocates that it will cost $400 million to purchase the land for the park.  The land can be transferred at no cost for public benefit users,” stated ETRPA Executive Director Paul Eckles.  “Clearly, the Navy can approve a public benefit conveyance for either a park or an airport."

The Navy writes, "For a public benefit conveyance for parks, the National Park Service (NPS) would recommend that the Navy assign the property to the NPS.  The Navy would assign the property to the NPS, and the NPS then would sign the deed conveying the property to the State or local government applicant.”

The falacious $400 million cost for the land is at the heart of a recent Newport Beach funded analysis of the park proposal, and has been picked up by some in the media, including the Register's editorial board. The Navy letter makes clear that a no cost Public Benefit Conveyance is possible, especially if the Board of Supervisors recognize that the voters only will allow a non-aviation future for El Toro.

"Cal State Fullerton struck a deal Tuesday to open a satellite campus at El Toro next fall, spending $1.5 million to fix up a building there even as the fate of the former Marine base remains hotly contested… The university will move its current south-county classes from Saddleback College to a 46,000-square-foot building built in 1986 as the Air Wing Headquarters."

"Supervisor Charles V. Smith said the county soon may consider more leases at the base - such as a deal on the table with the Irvine Auto Center - but said there is some hesitancy to do much until after March, when airports foes hope to have an initiative on the ballot to turn much of the base into a park."

"'If that (initiative) gets passed, it will throw a serious wrinkle into the airport plan,' Smith said. 'We'll probably tell the Navy, 'We can't take it, you keep it,' and put a padlock on the base.'"

"About 1,000 students are expected initially, with plans to expand classes in future years. The deal gives CSUF 180 days to prepare remodeling plans - during which it can back out of the pact. Its rent for the first five of 10 years is $56,000 a month, though it will be allowed a credit of $12,000 a month to offset the renovations."

Click for link to LA Times article about the CSUF move to El Toro.

Editor:  CSUF is reportedly interested in about 300 acres of land if the park initiative passes and designates a major piece of the base for educational and cultural uses.  Rent from tenants like the university will go to pay for park upkeep and infrastructure. In CSUF's case, the rent on this one building will net nearly $6 million over 10 years.

"A move to freeze spending John Wayne Airport funds on anything not related to the airfield's operation was thwarted Tuesday by a majority of Orange County supervisors, who called the action premature."

"Eliminating nonairport spending would have halted preparations for a new airport at the closed El Toro Marine base--something the pro-airport board majority wasn't willing to forgo. About $45 million has been pulled from John Wayne revenues since 1994 to cover planning costs for an El Toro airport."

"So far, [Airport Director Alan] Murphy estimated, the county will pay an additional $12.6 million for airport-related expenses as a result of the terrorist attacks, ranging from increased security to added office expenses. John Wayne Airport lost another $9.2 million because fewer passengers used the airport."

"The county is gambling by continuing to spend money on El Toro until a clearer financial picture emerges, [Supervisor Todd] Spitzer said. 'It's like they took the mortgage payment and went to Las Vegas and bet it all on black,' he said. 'I sure hope they're more lucky than smart.'"

For more on this, see the newsbrief below and the Early Bird section of the website.

The Court of Appeal in San Diego denied an ETRPA November 1 request for a stay, under Measure F, of the County's airport system master plan which was approved by the County on October 23.

Both the County and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy promised the court that the voters will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed El Toro airport if Measure F is ultimately upheld on the appeal. ETRPA had requested the stay to prevent any legal backstepping by airport proponents.  It would have added another safeguard to the publics' right to vote on the airport plan.

The stay request, and its denial, had no effect on the federal timetable for the El Toro project.

The court has calendared oral argument on the full merits of the Measure F appeal for December 14, at 1:30 p.m.

The Board of Supervisors moved the O.C. Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative one step closer to the ballot today. The Board requested a study of the initiative to be brought back to them on December 4, at which time Chair Cynthia Coad must assign a measure letter to the initiative and place it on the March ballot. Thus, the park initiative takes its steady way towards a climactic public vote to end the aviation "zoning" of El Toro.

The study, ordered today, actually has been in the works since July. On the usual 3-2 vote, the supervisors had authorized a broad ranging $187,000 contract for a study of the park's economic impact. A panel, including Supervisor Coad's husband, Tom, is overseeing a consultant's work which could produce a biased view of the measure.  The County Auditor-Controller, David Sundstrom, will then extract from the study information to prepare his legally proscribed 500 word impartial ballot analysis.

At today's meeting, Coad asked that additional items be added to the study, which Supervisor Spitzer referred to as a "kitchen sink" motion.

Click here for a handout on the park's economic impact prepared by this website.

In another agenda item, Supervisor Tom Wilson urged his colleagues to curtail all discretionary spending of John Wayne Airport funds on non JWA projects, pending a study by the airport manager of the airport's ability to meet operating requirements, new security needs and bond payments. He reminded supervisors that nationally, airport bond ratings are falling and investors are taking a hard look at airport funding.  John Wayne funds have been drained of over $40 million for El Toro related planning and public relations.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer supported Wilson's motion, noting that "it is important that we not create a financial meltdown at John Wayne."  On a procedural vote, Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad blocked action on the matter.

"If El Toro doesn't go, what happens to John Wayne? ... Will the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline industry pressure the county for more flights?"

"...for too long, El Toro seemed to be the sole obsession of Newport Beach city leaders, who were … neglecting to watch the trickling John Wayne hourglass sitting right in their own back yard."

"That all changed earlier this year when Newport Beach city leaders … began a series of negotiations and talks with county officials to keep in place caps on flights and curfews at John Wayne Airport that were set to expire in 2005."

"And last week, the city took that fight even further by agreeing to shell out a cool $350,000 to pay for lobbying efforts in Washington D.C., where the next battle over John Wayne's future will take place. In addition, the city is spending $384,000 for mailers that will be sent to neighboring cities to explain the city's newly proposed settlement agreement."

"Does that mean the city shouldn't help fund efforts to turn El Toro into the county's next regional airport? Of course not. But we believe those efforts can be better forged by advocates like the pro-El Toro Airport Working Group, which receives money from Newport Beach, and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy, a group largely funded by Newport Beach millionaire George Argyros." 

Today, the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) and Measure F proponent Jeffrey C. Metzger asked the Court of Appeal to stay the effect of the County’s approval of the proposed El Toro airport until the appeal on the Measure F case is resolved.

Measure F requires a 2/3 ratification by the voters of any approval by the Board of Supervisors for any construction or expansion of an airport. It passed by 67.3% in March of 2000, but was then invalidated in a trial court ruling.  The appeal is pending in the Fourth Appellate District in San Diego and argument on the appeal is expected in December.

According to Richard C. Jacobs, ETRPA’s attorney, "We’re asking the court to stop the effectiveness of the Board’s approval of the airport, to protect the voters’ desire that they - not the Board of Supervisors - make the final decision on El Toro."

ETRPA notes, in its petition to stop the effectiveness of the County’s El Toro airport approval, that the county’s recent adoption of the Airport System Master Plan is an action, which under Measure F, requires a countywide vote. This vote, ratifying the airport is required before the Board of Supervisors’ approval of the ASMP is effective.

As ETRPA Chairman Allan Songstad noted “Even if the appellate court ultimately reverses the trial court ruling on Measure F, the county will still undoubtedly try to make the claim that Measure F does not apply, and that the Airport System Master Plan is already approved and beyond the reach of the voters.  We’re asking the Court to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Ever since the county revealed its plans for an airport at El Toro, voters have been trying to get the message across to the three pro-airport supervisors that they don’t want this airport. Unfortunately, they refuse to listen - to the detriment of the community, and the region.  We are hoping the legal system will at least keep the county within the bounds of the law, and the will of the people,” said Songstad.

"Huntington Beach Mayor Pam Julien Houchen has joined several other North County officials in opposing Orange County's plans for an airport at the closed El Toro Marine base."

The airport "'will have a significant negative impact on Huntington Beach and its neighboring cities to the north,' Houchen said in a written statement."

"Specifically, jets preparing to land from the west at El Toro during windy conditions would pass over Huntington Beach, she said. A vote by a majority of supervisors last week to approve an environmental review of the airport 'has forced city leaders to wake up and smell the jet fuel,' Houchen said."

Editor: Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem Debbie Cook is one of the official proponents of the OC Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative.

"Officials in Fullerton, Orange, Tustin and Villa Park also [publicly] oppose the county's airport plans because of potential effects of jets flying over their cities." 

"Newport Beach business magnate and major Republican fund-raiser George Argyros breezed through Wednesday's Senate confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the next ambassador to Spain and Andorra."

"Argyros says he will have to give up some key activities he's been involved in Orange County, most especially his activism for a new airport at El Toro."

"Barbara Lichman, executive director of the Airport Working Group, which favors an El Toro airport, said she has not spoken to Argyros and does not know exactly what his role would be if he is confirmed as ambassador. But 'things will go forward exactly as they have - no one is indispensable,' she said."

The Times reports that "In late September, Forbes magazine included Argyros, who raised nearly $30 million for President Bush's campaign, in its annual list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, estimating his fortune at $1 billion. He is the former owner of Air Cal and the Seattle Mariners baseball team." 

For more on the above, check the LA Times and Orange County Register websites.

Click here for previous news stories