MAILBAG - May 11, 2006

Just which Air Force One was that?

It was great to see President Bush waving from the door of Air Force One at John Wayne Airport. But how can that be? John Wayne’s 5,701-foot-long runway is one of the shortest in the country. You might just about land a 747 there, but it could not take off again.

Of course, Air Force One is whatever aircraft the president happens to be in, and on this occasion Air Force One was a Boeing 757, not the cool blue and white 747 we would all like to ride in.

GRANVILLE KIRKUP

Balboa Peninsula

Columnist, paper wrong on immigration

I guess everyone is entitled to his opinion, but please tell me that Steve Smith is kidding. He calls our City Council members stooges, juvenile and just plain wrong. Did he read his own piece, and does the Daily Pilot really have an editor that allowed this tripe?

Does this guy have access to any real research, any facts? Apparently not. To claim illegal immigrants are a great contribution is absurd.

Here are some facts from the Center for Immigration Studies. Illegal immigrants cost the federal government $10 billion a year. The average illegal household pays more than $4,200 a year in taxes, for a total of nearly $16 billion; however, they impose annual costs of more than $26.3 billion for a deficit of $10.3 billion a year. Illegal immigrants use an estimated $2,700 a year more in services than they pay in taxes.

For Smith’s information, the citizens do care. Remember Proposition 187? The people supported it, the Democrats fought it to pander to the Latino vote. And just for his information, the latest national polls say 67% of Americans now favor an enforcement-first approach to immigration and by 2 to 1 prefer the House bill version (a fence and enforcement) to the Senate version (amnesty and a guest-worker program).

Present all the facts, Smith, and wake up. The Los Angeles Times might be the owner of the Daily Pilot but give us the recognition of having some intelligence. Your opinion is just that: yours.

I live in Costa Mesa and have watched this fine city slowly rot and the quality of life deteriorate. Where was Smith on the “Hate America for All It Provides Us” day? If he means turning Costa Mesa in November back to the city that caters to non-citizens and bows down to racial hypocrites, lets hope not.

Yes, I hope in November the people do remember who stood up for citizens rights: Mayor Allan Mansoor and Councilmen Eric Bever and Gary Monahan. All they proposed was to uphold the law.

DON MARSHALL

Costa Mesa

Councilman should steer clear of financing issues

Newport Beach City Councilman Keith Curry says he has nothing to do with the city’s proposed certificates of participation financing of city projects, and nothing could be further from the truth.

He has direct inside knowledge of all the goings on and should divorce himself from any committee or advisory role that has the authority to discuss or raise any issue about public financing. His entire career is made up of advising public and private organizations on financing practices, and he needs to stand aside.

He thinks he’s not in conflict of interest on this issue, and to clear the air of any suspicion, he should publicly state in writing that anything that has to do with any public financing will not involve him.

PHIL DRACHMAN

Newport Beach

dpt.11-bush-BPhotoInfo1D1QQVGJ20060511iy8t3fncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)President Bush waves at the door of Air Force One ? Or was it? reader Granville Kirkup asks ? at John Wayne Airport. He landed there last month and spoke in Irvine.