Mailbag - May 20, 2000

I am writing about the former mayor of Newport Beach and his suggestion

that we should move on to plan “B” (“Time for Plan B,” March 23).

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to England. When we returned

home, I learned that the former mayor of Newport Beach wanted to throw in

the towel and appease the foes of El Toro airport and other people in

South Orange County by advocating what he termed plan “B.” His plan “B”

seems to imply that we should discontinue our support for an airport at

El Toro, in this way we will gain the support of South County to oppose

an expansion of John Wayne Airport.

I do not believe most people in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa agree with

our former mayor and his current position.

I am reminded of the former Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Winston

Churchill. Early in the war with Germany when Great Britain had its

bleakest hour, the British troops had left Dunkirk and the continent was

falling to the German troops, Churchill did not give up but rather

inspired the English people to stand firm.

I feel that if the British people had a Prime Minister who was Tom

Edwards’ type, he would have opted for plan “B” and both Britain and the

United States would be different countries today. I believe this county

needs El Toro as an airport and I certainly hope no one on the City

Council agrees with our former mayor.

AL BARTOLIC

Newport Beach

Reader gives Moorlach an “F” for grade on Measure A

The problem with Orange County Treasurer John Moorlach’s “A” for the

proposed Newport-Mesa Unified School District school bond Measure A is in

the fact that the criteria he uses in giving the mark assumes the money

is needed (“Measure A gets an ‘A’ from Moorlach,” May 12). It isn’t.

Call it junk in, junk out. Moorlach’s methodology would be a little like

going to a garage and getting a new transmission for your car without

first determining if a transmission is needed at all. If Moorlach were

using a similar criteria for the transmission replacement, he would start

with the assumption that one is needed. Even if it isn’t. Then he’d do

things such asking the mechanics if they knew how to replace a

transmission; if the money was going for a new transmission, etc.

Finally, he’d give the new transmission bill an “A”. Terrific. But what

if the original premise that a new transmission was needed was wrong? He

just endorsed something that wasn’t needed. Poor logic.

John Moorlach’s methodology deserves an “F” for the fact that he’s

allowing himself to be used by the tax and spend educrats in this manner.

H. MILLARD

Costa Mesa

Leave the RVs parked in the street

I have lived in Mesa Del Mar as a property owner since 1970 and was an

owner of an RV (“Take your RV and park it -- elsewhere,” April 26).

I, and my neighbors, agree with Wayne Anderson, “Live and let live.”

A recommendation for Michael Dilsisian and Kelly Wilcox -- move.

TOM CONNOR

Costa Mesa

Forget El Toro for now, beef up bus service to LAX

I read with great interest John and Sheila Noyes letter (“Now is the time

to extend flight restrictions at John Wayne,” May 6) on John Wayne

Airport flight restrictions, and wholeheartedly concur with extensions of

the original settlement and encourage the Orange County supervisors to

make this happen.

As for El Toro, I personally would like to see the Navy keep the facility

and let both sides on the issue “cool off” for a few years. During this

period we can work on transportation alternatives to LAX for

transcontinental and international flights or the late night red eyes. If

you have traveled out of LAX recently, you know that congestion has

escalated, parking is always a challenge and the lines are long for

checking luggage.

If any of your readers own or operate a private bus company and are

interested in a “new business,” consider 24-hour service to LAX from key

points in Orange County which simply goes point to point with no stopping

to pick up or drop off other passengers. This may to some degree mitigate

pressures on John Wayne while the legal process works its will.

LAURA BEKEART DIETZ

Corona del Mar