Airport group wants to keep money

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Instead of handing back unused grant money given by

the city for a public information campaign about airport issues, a leader

of a pro-El Toro airport group wants to set it aside for a later time.

Bruce Nestande, who heads the group Citizens for Jobs and the Economy,

said the money should be used on a public campaign after the March 5

election on the Great Park measure.

An avid airport booster, Nestande said he is confident the initiative,

known as Measure W, will fail at the polls. Under that scenario, Nestande

said the money could be used to inform the public about the county’s

effort to plan an airport for the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air

Station.

The city’s $3.67-million grant, approved by the City Council on March

13, was given as a close-ended outlay to be used by the end of the

2001-02 fiscal year, Nestande said.

“At this point in time, a decision was made to put forth a grant until

June 30,” Nestande said. “There’s a whole new phase that commences from

the middle of March going forward.”

Polls have shown fairly solid support for a central park at the base.

Even a poll funded by the Orange County Business Council showed that

49% of respondents backed the idea, compared with 40% who were opposed.

“Nestande sounds like the orchestral leader on the Titanic trying to

cheer everyone up as the ship goes down,” said Measure W spokesman Len

Kranser. “The central park initiative seems to be ahead about 2 to 1.”

Newport Beach Councilman John Heffernan has said the unspent grant

money, which could amount to several hundred thousand dollars, should be

returned.

The council and the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority earlier in the

week agreed to a settlement that would end public spending on

airport-related matters before the election.

* 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 .