El Toro: Terrorism, the Environment, Taxes

Re “Now Comes the Hard Part,” editorial, Oct. 28:

The Times delivered an excellent editorial on the El Toro quagmire. If anything, it underscores the paucity of reasons for this project beyond the goal of closing John Wayne Airport so it will no longer annoy Newport Beach.

Specifically, the argument that runways ripped up in the midst of a major population area will be lost forever in an emergency if the park plan prevails is particularly weak. If you are referring to a military emergency, don’t forget that Orange County is well protected by the military stationed at Camp Pendleton, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos. The fighters formerly stationed at El Toro, now at Miramar, can be over Orange County within minutes if needed. A natural emergency such as an earthquake? Again, the military bases noted would provide more than sufficient air support if needed, not to mention LAX, Long Beach, Ontario and March [Air Reserve Base] airports are only minutes away. And if we should have learned anything in the last few weeks, there is no runway anywhere that can protect us from a war fought through diseases hidden in envelopes.

The facts about the El Toro project can still be summed up in four words: unneeded, unwanted, unsafe and unworkable. Waving the flag to justify this hopelessly flawed project is simply the last gasp from a lost cause.

Richard Soden

Lake Forest

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Airport proponents have consistently promoted the El Toro airport for increased trade, tourism, jobs, etc. Due to the recent tragic events of Sept. 11, I would like to add consideration of a more urgent need. Military security.

We must be fully prepared to meet unforeseen terrorist attacks with a coordinated military presence. Yes, I am suggesting that El Toro airport might also be used by the armed forces to protect our vital infrastructure and people of Orange County. This recommendation may not sit well with anti-airport factions. However, recent events do not belie the reality of times that we are living in and must face to preserve our American way of life.

Roger Garcia

Laguna Hills

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Opponents of a second Orange County airport should realize that while building the airport may represent an environmentally destructive and unnecessary drain on taxpayer resources, it will provide an unparalleled source of profit, not only for Orange County’s already wealthy movers and shakers in the construction business, but for local politicians who can look forward to a rich source of kickbacks.

A little empathy, please. On the other hand, proponents of the redundant airport should realize that an alternate source of profit resides in the work that must be done on repairing and replacing North County’s decaying water and sewage systems, building new sewage disposal plants and cleaning up the many sources of pollution.

Phillip Good

Huntington Beach

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Why not build a terminal with parking and check-in counters at El Toro on the north end of the base? You would drive there, check in your baggage and then board a high-speed rail that would have you at the gate at Ontario Airport within 15 minutes. The rest of the base can then be converted to parks (not Irvine-style wall-to-wall houses).

As a pilot, I can tell you that Ontario is a far safer airport than either the current plan at El Toro or the too-small runways at John Wayne Airport. It has better weather, better runways and lots of room, and would be very close by high-speed rail under the Santa Ana Mountains. It has a huge potential capacity for all-sized aircraft and is currently grossly underutilized. Except for small commuter flights, John Wayne could convert back to a pleasant general-aviation airport.

Dr. Chris A. Wills

Santa Ana

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County voters know a thing or two about local taxes. Stanton residents went to the polls this week and voted on a city utility tax to help pay for police protection. It was their decision. La Habra and La Palma voters soon will get the same yes-no choice.

The California Supreme Court ruled that there can’t be new local taxes without voter approval.

That’s why there’s no reason to expect a tax increase for a central park at El Toro. The ones talking that way are pro-airport propagandists trying to scare people about the non-aviation alternative.

I’ll take a park, even if it isn’t finished until my grandchildren are my age, rather than see every bit of Orange County paved over or fouled with airport traffic and pollution.

Marion Pack

Laguna Beach