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 .
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.