The Airport Debate

Financing needed to fight anti-El Toro propaganda

Those of us who live in the Newport-Mesa area -- cities critically

impacted by John Wayne Airport -- understand the importance of being kept

updated on airport issues, as well as the need for El Toro airport.

The Daily Pilot’s article, (“Q&A;, A new flight plan,” Feb. 25

Community Forum) was interesting, and while I appreciate our new

councilman Steve Bromberg’s commitment to an El Toro Airport, I have a

concern about his answer to the question: “How has the new Newport Beach

council, with the addition of you, John Heffernan, and Gary Proctor,

changed the city’s stance and attitude toward the El Toro debate?”

His answer, “I don’t think the stance has changed,” is not the one I

had hoped for because the stance must change. If we are to succeed in

this war to keep John Wayne from expanding, activity by the Newport Beach

and Costa Mesa City Councils must be significantly escalated. Measure F

won, by a big margin, and that should send us all a big message. It

indicated our opponent’s propaganda campaign worked and we are to blame

because we did not adequately get the facts and truth out to people.

It is up to the council to reverse that trend and they have not much

time before the March election, where we can expect another anti-El Toro

initiative from our opponents.

I have a question of my own to ask the two City Councils. What plans

do you have to match South County efforts in this war over the airports?

It is absolutely clear that without El Toro, John Wayne airport will

significantly expand. Even our opponents have finally admitted to that

truth. We need our quality of life protected, no matter what the cost.

CASEY WRIGHT

Newport Beach

Newport Beach alone in its fight against El Toro

Conrad T. Timpe (The Airport Debate, March 6) attempts to claim Garden

Grove and other North County cities support the proposed El Toro Airport.

Garden Grove supported Measure F with a 57.2% “Yes” vote. The Measure

also passed overwhelmingly in every city in the county except for Newport

Beach and Costa Mesa.

Measure F also would have protected Newport Beach and Costa Mesa from

uncontrolled airport expansion by requiring a two-thirds countywide vote

on any such plans. Having been offered this protection, Newport Beach

leadership chose to sue and have these protections removed.

Timpe and the residents of Newport Beach must begin to realize that

they have alienated any and all possible allies in this fight, and any

thought to the contrary are simply fantasies. Your city may say “Beach”

but the thought process of your leaders says “island.”

RICHARD SODEN

Lake Forest

Reader unhappy with columnist’s airport views

As long as someone like Steve Smith (“Want to see the El Toro airport

fly? Here’s how,” March 10) is permitted to voice his totally immature

and inane drivel about the El Toro Airport (or Steve’s “Park”), citizens

in the Newport-Mesa area will continue to lose credibility for a viable

solution to the ever-obvious need for another Orange County airport.

John Stege, Jr.

Newport Beach