Silva comments worry El Toro supporters

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- An announcement by Supervisor Jim Silva that he would

comply with the central park initiative if it passes caused a stir here

Friday, the county’s hotbed of support for a proposed El Toro airport.

If Silva, who represents Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, abandons the

airport project, it would die on the vine, Councilwoman Norma Glover

said.

“If Silva is not supporting the airport, then that probably means

there won’t be an El Toro airport,” Glover said. “If Measure W passes,

that’s the law of the land.”

At a Thursday press conference in Washington, D.C., Silva said he

still strongly supports an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air

Station. However, if a majority of Orange County voters approve the

central park initiative on March 5, Silva said he would stop pushing for

an airport at the base.

Silva could not be reached for comment Friday.

The supervisor joined colleagues Cynthia Coad and Chuck Smith on the

trip to the nation’s capital to lobby federal agencies to support the

county’s plan for an airport at the base. The board approved the

environmental review of an airport at the base on Oct. 23.

El Toro planning director Gary Simon and architect Mark Molen joined

the officials on the trip.

Silva’s hedging on the controversial, county-dividing issue is

reminiscent of his September vote on the airport plan. Then Silva said he

wanted an “up or down vote” on the airport from the public. After he

supported the move, he then reversed himself the next day after airport

backers criticized him.

Meg Waters, a South County spokeswoman, said she was confident Silva

would stick by his comments.

“Jim has always been a man of his word,” Waters said. “I hope when and

if Measure W passes, he’ll uphold it.”

On Friday, other airport supporters said they weren’t worried by

Silva’s public comments in the nation’s capital.

Bruce Nestande, the president of Citizens for Jobs and the Economy,

said he talked with Silva on Friday morning and wasn’t worried about the

seemingly wavering support.

Silva, who was first elected to the board in 1996, has been one of the

most strident supporters for an airport at the base.

“It wasn’t that emphatic a statement,” Nestande said about Silva’s

remarks. “His position is wait and see. . . . When you have longtime

supporters, I’m not going to get that far out to worry about it.”

If airport boosters were to lose Silva, it would mean losing their 3-2

majority on the board on El Toro issues. Supervisors Tom Wilson and Todd

Spitzer have said they are against the project.

* 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 .