District expected to oppose Measure F

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- Amid pressure from concerned residents, the school board

is expected to vote next week on a resolution opposing Measure F.

The ballot initiative, set to appear before voters on March 7, is

designed to block the county’s proposal to build a $2.9-billion airport

at the closed El Toro Marine base. If the initiative passes, it will

require a two-thirds majority of county voters in order to build future

projects such as airports, landfills and jails.

Residents in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa fear if the plans to build an

airport at El Toro fail, the county would be forced to expand John Wayne

Airport.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has not yet taken an official

position on Measure F.

“Basically, what we’re looking at is protecting our legal options,

regardless of which way [the vote on Measure F] goes,” said school board

member Martha Fluor. “We need to protect the safety and health of our

schools.”

District officials and parents have been concerned about the effects a

larger and louder John Wayne Airport could have on education. In December

and again in January, residents asked the school board to take a stand

against the measure.

El Toro advocates have held several community meetings at Newport-Mesa

schools to garner support for the El Toro airport.

“We studied the information given at the meetings at schools,” said Dana

Black, school board president.

District officials also looked to the other side of the issue.

“It appeared we had a couple of colleagues in the south that took

positions, so this board decided we needed to take a position,” Fluor

said. “We needed to show good faith.”

The Newport Beach City Council last week passed a resolution opposing

Measure F, and the Costa Mesa City Council will soon consider a similar

resolution. The addition of the school board’s resolution would complete

a trifecta of opposition to Measure F.

“We are two small cities, and clearly if [Measure F] passes, we could be

overridden,” Flour added. “It’s to serve notice. The expansion of John

Wayne would directly impact the health and welfare of our students.”

Concerns in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa are centered on a possible

expansion of John Wayne Airport and the resulting increase in air traffic

over schools. And if El Toro is not built, public schools will not be

demolished but three private schools could fall in one proposed path of

expansion.

“[An expansion] would have a direct impact over all of our schools,”

Black said. “It is not an option for this school district.”