Supervisor changes his El Toro vote

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT-MESA -- In another stunning reversal, Supervisor Jim Silva

said Tuesday he no longer supports a public vote on Orange County’s

airport plan for the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

The news came in a statement Silva issued Tuesday evening.

“After discussing this issue with my constituents and community

leaders over the past day and a half, the input I have received is that

they believe that placing an additional measure on the ballot is neither

constructive or necessary,” Silva wrote. “I agree and feel that we need

to move forward with our plans for the reuse of El Toro.”

Relief spread through Newport Beach, where officials had publicly

questioned Silva’s decision Monday to put the airport plan to a public

vote.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Newport Beach Councilman Dennis O’Neil said.

“He has been one of the greatest supporters” of an airport.

Silva stunned airport supporters during Monday’s raucous board meeting

when he supported the public vote, a move that would cause a potentially

fatal delay to the project. On that vote, he sided with Supervisors Tom

Wilson and Todd Spitzer, both of whom usually end up as the losing

minority on airport votes.

The board majority -- Supervisors Cynthia Coad, Chuck Smith and Silva

-- has been lobbying the Navy to hand over the base for the airport by

March.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the board voted to postpone to Oct. 16 a

final decision on the 28-page environmental report analyzing an airport.

Silva, who represents Newport-Mesa, is scheduled to meet with Newport

Beach leaders next week to familiarize himself with his new constituents’

issues. As a result of redistricting, Newport Beach was moved into his

district in August.

Earlier Tuesday, Newport Beach leaders said they would demand an

explanation from Silva at that meeting as to why he supported a public

vote.

“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.”

O’Neil was also left grasping for answers, before hearing about the

Tuesday evening statement.

“Why would he do that after all of his involvement and his aggressive

zeal?” O’Neil asked. “For him to move away from that, it looks like

somebody who was confused.”

The city has long supported the county’s plan for an airport that

could handle as many as 28.8 million annual passengers. However, there

are indications the board will opt for a smaller facility.

South County leaders, who had initially applauded Silva, were left

wondering why he had reversed his call for an “up-or-down vote.” Such a

vote would once and for all register whether the county voters want an

airport at the closed base.

“Apparently, George Argyros and company have made up his mind for

him,” said Meg Waters, the spokeswoman for the group of cities fighting

the international airport. “It’s more weirdness. This whole El Toro thing

has been bizarre from the get-go. That Board of Supervisors meeting was

Mad Hatter.”

Argyros is the wealthy Costa Mesa businessman who poured $3.4 million

into the pro-airport campaign.

Reeling from the fallout his Monday vote caused, Silva reiterated his

strong support for an airport at the base.

In his statement, Silva said he would support certifying the

environmental report on Oct. 16.

Before the evening statement, Silva spoke of the need for “an

up-or-down vote” on the airport.

As airport wonks know, there have been three referendums on an airport

at the base since it was pegged for closure in 1993. In 1994, voters

passed Measure A, which changed zoning at the base to allow an airport.

Measure S, in 1996, was a South County attempt to repeal Measure A that

failed.

Most recently, Measure F passed in March 2000. That initiative would

have required a two-thirds voter approval for any new airport, jail or

landfill. It was deemed unconstitutional in December.

Silva’s vote Monday rang eerily familiar to those who remembered a

1990 decision he made as a Huntington Beach councilman. Then, he switched

his vote on a controversial beachfront development. His vote effectively

killed that project.

Proctor and others said they didn’t see the need for another ballot

measure. The Great Park initiative, created by airport foes, could appear

on the March ballot if it qualifies. If passed, a central park could be

built at the vacant base.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .