Judge allows vote on antiairport measure

Susan McCormack

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge decided Friday that the Safe and

Healthy Communities Initiative should go to the public for a vote even

though she has doubts about its validity.

“This court has considered the substantive arguments of both parties and

has grave doubts about the validity of the initiative,” said Judge

Dzintra Janavs.

She said the court would not stop it from going to voters, but that an

appellate court may need to review the initiative if it passes in March.

The measure was placed on the ballot in October after activists opposed

to an international airport at the former Marine Corps Air Station in El

Toro gathered almost 200,000 signatures. If approved, it would require

two-thirds of voters to approve any new or expanded airports, jails or

hazardous waste landfills.

The Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group and other pro-airport

groups filed a lawsuit against the initiative last summer, calling it

unconstitutional.

Len Kranser, a chief proponent of the initiative, said the lawsuit was a

waste of money.

“The lawsuit against the initiative was paid for in part with ... Newport

Beach city taxpayer money,” he said. “I think it’s outrageous that they

wasted their residents’ money and ours in a futile attempt to keep people

from voting on the initiative.”

A Los Angeles court was chosen to hear the case to minimize any bias that

an Orange County judge might have on whether an international airport

should be built at the former Marine base.

Rick Taylor, an attorney and member of the Airport Working Group, said

Dzintra’s opinion further confirms his belief that the initiative is

ill-conceived.

“This [initiative] will be tied up in litigation if it passes,” he said.