EDITORIAL:

Maybe it’s a coincidence that as residents are urging officials to halt the expansion of John Wayne Airport, the very name of the airport is in question.

There is no need to change the name. In fact, that’s exactly what our residents don’t need.

Tourism officials say the current John Wayne name is confusing and makes marketing difficult.

We understand the tourism industry’s reasons, but the desire to turn the spotlight on John Wayne Airport is counter to the best interests of our residents.

Because the end result of successful marketing is more passengers, and the end result of more passengers is more pressure to increase flights and end current noise curfews.

The end result of increased flights and curfews will be a decrease in the quality of life for neighbors of the airport.

In the grand scheme of things pressing the county, changing the name of the airport certainly doesn’t seem to be important.

As our columnist Joseph N. Bell wrote, our city officials must keep the pressure on county and airport officials to curb growth.

Instead of changing the name, tourism and city officials should find alternatives to air travel other than John Wayne, and not ways to better publicize and in turn overpopulate the airport.

Residents already bear a huge burden with John Wayne in our backyard.

The answer is to find a facility more suitable for air travel expansion and increased noise.

While we see little reason to change the name of John Wayne Airport, we see every reason to change the airport’s course and ground any expansion plans, once and for all.

That’s something we’re sure John Wayne would agree with.