Wilson doesn’t support city’s plan for JWA

June Casagrande

The city’s dream of taking over or even purchasing John Wayne Airport

has suffered a serious setback as county Supervisor Tom Wilson said

he would not support the idea. But city officials say they haven’t

given up hope.

“My colleagues and I feel like having it managed by more of a

regional global authority is better than a specific city,” Wilson

said Friday. “I think in general that’s the feeling: Being under the

auspices of county government is better than having in under the

control of a single city.”

Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway sees things differently.

“I don’t agree with his analysis that the county is better suited

to run it,” Ridgeway said. “We have accepted more than our fair share

of the regional transportation demand and why shouldn’t we have a

significant role in controlling what happens at the airport?”

The city recently approved the creation of a Sphere Issues

Committee with the goal of pushing for a larger city role in a number

of county functions. The committee’s job is to open talks with the

county about the city playing a role in or taking over John Wayne

Airport, a number of local tidelands areas, the Sheriff’s Harbor

Patrol, the Santa Ana Heights Redevelopment Agency and the Coyote

Canyon Landfill.

Wilson, whose district includes Newport Coast, said he’s still

open to discussing the other sphere issues with the city of Newport

Beach.

“I think all those other issues are legitimate to put on the table

for discussion,” Wilson said.

No formal action has been taken at the county level, explained

Wilson, who last week wrote a letter to Ridgeway to state his

opposition to a city takeover of John Wayne.

County Supervisor Jim Silva, whose district includes much of

Newport Beach, was out of town and could not be reached for comment

Friday.

City officials were disappointed by Wilson’s remarks, but none

were ready to say the issue was dead.

“Let’s just say I hope not,” Ridgeway said.

Wilson, who’s running for state assembly, could be out of county

government before the matter is decided. In the meantime, city

officials say they want to continue to pursue talks on the other

sphere issues.

City Manager Homer Bludau said that local representatives hoped to

meet with county officials sometime next month to discuss sphere

issues.

“We should take advantage of the opportunity to discuss issues we

have in common interest with the county,” Bludau said. “And those

issues we’ve identified other than the airport could take a long time

to work through the details.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.