Rebuttal

I am saddened by Tom Edwards’ (“Time for Plan B?” March 23) loss of

vision for the future of our county and our transportation needs. Tom,

although well meaning in his attempt to offer solutions for limiting

expansion at John Wayne Airport, has forgotten or set aside what the

future needs of air transportation will be for Orange County.

Let’s look at the true economics of this situation. If no airport is

built at El Toro, we, in this county are left with two options. The first

option is to ship all our future air transportation needs out of the

county. This would most likely mean using either Ontario or LAX for

passenger service (March Air Force Base still remains the best option for

all cargo transport even with El Toro).

If this is our first choice, we in Orange County stand to lose tens of

millions of dollars in federal grant funding for infrastructure. In plain

terms, the county that does address (air) transportation needs gets the

money form the Feds to build better roads, sewers, freeways, offramps,

intersections, etc. because they are the ones in need, due to the higher

volume of people using their facilities. What’s the likelihood our county

officials are going to kiss goodbye all that future additional money we

need from the federal government to maintain our county’s infrastructure?

And while I absolutely agree that we must all come together to keep the

restrictions in place at John Wayne Airport, it is completely unrealistic

to think that other communities are going to embrace our air traffic

needs. Ontario for instance is limited in expansion due to the Air

Quality Management District regulations. LAX is already designing its

facility to address additional air transport needs just for LA county

residents. If they were to consider embracing our needs, you can plan on

doubling your travel time just to get to the airport, of waiting for

flights at higher costs and who knows if you’ll be able to park once you

do get to the airport? Camp Pendleton keeps surfacing as a possibility.

But, there is zero interest in the Department of the Navy. It’s not even

an offer on the table.

This brings up to option number two, expand John Wayne. The cost of

expanding John Wayne Airport in today’s dollars is more than $4.3

billion. That’s almost two times the cost of building an airport at El

Toro. Most of that cost is in land acquisition and most of that land is

in the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. That’s some of the most

expensive and desirable land and businesses in all of Orange County if

not the entire state. That amount also only encompasses airport costs.

That does not take into account freeways, city streets, sewers, bridges,

offramps or service costs surrounding the airport for construction at

John Wayne.

Other key economic factors that have been quietly overlooked are the

costs of the land at El Toro if it does not become an airport.

The Department of the Navy has agreed to clean the land (soil) to a

specific level of industrial acceptability if it is to be an airport. If

the Millennium Plan -- which is to be parkland, commercial and

residential properties -- is to be implemented, the cost for cleaning the

land to residential standards falls on the taxpayers of Orange County.

This cost alone could run in the billions of dollars due to the size and

depth of the dirt to be considered. This only covers the cost of the

soil, by the way, it does not begin to approach the cost of cleaning

water contamination. Another cost that has not been outlined is the cost

of building the future “Great Park” that the Millennium Plan espouses.

Some projections have estimated $250 million for the park itself. And

beyond building the park, no cost factors have been outlined for the

maintenance costs of such a large park. Some estimates are more than $2.5

million per year to maintain it, based on other parks of similar size and

scope. This probably means another bond issue, which in plain terms means

higher taxes to everyone in the county. Personally, I would rather each

city use their bond measures to promote parks in their own communities,

not some Great Park site that few of the other cities residents will ever

experience.

So, that brings us back to El Toro. It’s already an airport. It’s the

least cost to everyone in continuing to be an airport. El Toro addresses

our county’s future air transport needs. The Navy support the

continuation as an airport both in clean up and future need. El Toro

still promotes commercial growth and encourages new business interests to

locate in Orange County

And here’s one last little gem I’d like to impart to the resident of

the entire county. Why not make El Toro a profit-sharing airport that

would directly contribute dollars to all our ailing school districts and

cities in need of better police, fire and other city services? Those

cities most directly affected by the new airport would receive greater

percentages than those less affected. John Wayne Airport goes on as it

has with the current restrictions and revenues to the county.

It is clear we need a new visionary direction. More information needs

to be shared. Measure F is not the end. It is the beginning of better

planning. Everyone can win with a little vision and a lot more

understanding of the potential costs and benefits.

HEATHER SOMERS

Costa Mesa

Heather Somers is a Costa Mesa Councilwoman.