Pro-airport forces losing money war

Jenifer Ragland and Jasmine Lee

NEWPORT BEACH -- Those pushing for an international airport at El Toro

were not surprised by news that support for the project is waning,

attributing the shift mainly to being outspent by the opposition.

A Times Orange County poll published Tuesday shows 44% of county

residents oppose converting the closed military base into a commercial

airport serving up to 28 million annual passengers, while only 39% favor

it.

While the county has always been divided on the issue, this is the first

time in four years that the anti-airport side has come out on top.

“I think the phenomenon is it’s always easier to gain support out of fear

than out of logic, and what’s in the best interests of the region,” said

Newport Beach Councilman Dennis O’Neil. “I believe those of us that favor

the airport need to do a lot more than what’s been done in motivating our

side of the issue.”

Presently, the largest threat to the county’s airport plans for El Toro

is Measure F, which will be decided by voters March 7. According to the

Times poll, 56% of likely voters would vote yes and only 18% would vote

no. About 26% remained undecided.

If the measure passes, every airport, jail or landfill project proposed

for a residential area would require approval from two-thirds of the

county’s voters.

But Bruce Nestande, who is heading up the “No on F” campaign through

Citizens for Jobs and the Economy, said his group’s polling figures show

a much less dramatic gap between Measure F supporters and detractors.

“If we were to believe the results in the [poll], we’d quit the campaign

right now,” Nestande said. “We’ll have a very intense three-week campaign

and I think the issue will turn on our side.”

David Ellis, spokesman for the Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group,

said the key difference between the two sides is money. He said South

County cities will spend between $11 and $13 million this year to

discredit the airport. A piece of anti-airport mail arrives in North

Orange County every three days, he added.

“This avalanche of public money is having an effect on El Toro support,’

Ellis said. “It’s something we warned everyone about a year and a half

ago.”

Ellis said his group will spend about $1 million in public funds -- most

of it from the city of Newport Beach.

Still, other pro-airport groups will also receive public money to push

the El Toro cause.

And these figures do not include the vast amount of money both anti- and

pro-airport groups have and will receive from private sources.

Meg Waters, a spokeswoman for a coalition of South County cities fighting

the county’s airport plans, said residents throughout the county are

responding to the group’s mailers and meetings. She said there has been

increased support to block an airport at El Toro since the county

released its environmental report in December.

However, Waters said the anti-airport campaign does not include a push to

expand John Wayne Airport in lieu of a second airport.

“Nobody in South County wants to see John Wayne expand, but we also don’t

want to lose our investments,” said Waters, who has consistently invited

local El Toro activists to join forces.

Peggy Ducey, executive director of the Orange County Regional Airport

Authority -- which is distributing pro-airport information on a $300,000

annual budget -- also attributed the poll’s results to disparate

resources between the two sides.

“I think we are facing a barrage of information from a very well-financed

campaign,” she said.

Nestande agreed, but has yet to give up all hope.

He said in the next three weeks, the “No on F” campaign will focus on the

public safety angle, primarily the frightening image of criminals being

turned loose on the streets because jails can’t be built.

“Generally speaking, people make up their minds in the last 10 days and

that’s when we’ll make our case,” he said. “If we didn’t feel we could

win, we wouldn’t put forth the financial resources to ensure defeat.”

ON THE WEB

For more information about the airport debate, log on to The Times’ newly

expanded Web site at o7 www.latimes.com/eltorof7 .

The site includes a comprehensive Measure F voter guide, special research

sections, interactive bulletin boards, an insider column and the latest

news.