Airport Debate

Safer of 2 airports at El Toro

It is ironic that people opposed to an El Toro airport use safety

concerns as a reason. For instance, they talk of the Marines who died

when their C-130 crashed into Loma Ridge, but conveniently omit the fact

the accident was ruled pilot error. Actually, El Toro Marine Corps Air

Base had an excellent safety record.

The airport that should be of concern to all of us is John Wayne. It

has had airplane casualties, as well as an unprecedented number of near

misses, directly related to problems with the airport itself.

Due to an extremely short runway, a mix of large and small aircraft

using the same approach patterns, and no buffer zone in case of an

emergency, JWA has been described by pilots as risky and a major accident

just ready to happen.

Yet if Measure W passes and plans for the new El Toro airport are

scrapped, there is absolutely no doubt that the unsafe JWA will be forced

to significantly expand, becoming even more of a danger to those who fly,

as well as those who live, work and attend schools under its flight path.

For safety reasons alone, I’m voting “no” on Measure W. Our county

citizens deserve the safer airport, which is at El Toro.

LARRY ROOT

Newport Beach

Recent South County mailer a bit deceiving

The latest “Yes on W” mailer arrived in my mailbox recently. The first

paragraph says, “County bureaucrats have wasted eight years and $50

million planning an airport that is not needed, not wanted and unsafe.”

The paragraph immediately following then goes on to state, “That is the

county’s way of describing the 305,000 additional daily car trips, 91,000

pounds of deadly air pollutants and 300,000 flights a year, 24 hours a

day, seven days a week, that would be generated by an airport at El

Toro.”

Wait a minute. If an airport at El Toro isn’t needed, why would there

be 300,000 airplanes flying out of there each and every year? What idiot

is responsible for writing this self-serving and misleading stuff And who

would be dumb enough to buy into it by voting “yes”?

I have a suggestion. Everyone who believes that Orange County needs a

park nine times bigger than New York’s Central Park, and who believes it

can be built and operated without additional taxation, vote “yes” on

Measure W.

Everyone else should vote to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity

by voting a resounding “no.”

CHUCK CASSITY

Costa Mesa

Irvine’s Great Park menial compared with other worries

Nothing is more controversial in Orange County these days than the

Irvine proposal for a Great Park. Despite denials and denials, it would

cost homeowners thousands of dollars per year. Taxes to pay for a Great

Park are available on the Internet at o7 www.ocgreatpark.orgf7 .

The great park is promoted by lightning rod Irvine Mayor Larry Agran.

My question to Agran is simple; Why bring up a park at this time when

there are so many other things to worry about? Why not take on urban

sprawl, terrorism, Orange County security, jobs and unemployment.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

Irvine mayor concerned about JWA expansion

On Feb. 20, there was an El Toro debate at the Newport Dunes Resort.

One thing that Agran said that really stood out was when he said he

was concerned about the impacts that John Wayne expansion would have on

Irvine.

However, way back in 1985, the city of Irvine (with Agran on the

council) sued in federal court to have John Wayne expanded. They sought

to eliminate the caps, curfews and restrictions. Also, in a 1996 El Toro

debate against Hugh Hewitt, Agran threatened to put a measure on the

ballot to expand John Wayne as a way of revenge politics.

So where exactly does Agran stand on John Wayne expansion? Is he

genuinely concerned about the impacts it would have on Irvine residents,

or does he actually favor it?

REX RICKS

Huntington Beach