Argyros pumped $1.2 million into ‘No on F’

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- Multimillionaire businessman George Argyros poured

$620,000 into the pro-airport campaign in the final week before voters

decided the fate of a highly charged ballot measure, according to

financial statements.

Argyros, who lives in Newport Beach, contributed more than $1.2 million

to prevent the passage of Measure F, an initiative that calls for a

two-thirds voter majority for approval of future airports, jails and

hazardous waste landfills. The whopping amount was the most any one

person pledged on either side of the initiative battle.

Furthermore, the stream of money to support Citizens for Jobs & the

Economy -- a group founded by Argyros -- didn’t stem the tide of the

pro-F sentiment exhibited by voters. The measure passed convincingly by

more than a 2-to-1 margin. Two pro-airport groups and the city of Newport

Beach have since filed a court complaint challenging the measure’s

validity.

In a seven-day period between Feb. 22 and Feb. 29, Argyros gave $620,000

to the ‘No on F’ campaign. Both of the contributions were reported as

loans.

The figure is much greater than the $70,500 raised by Measure F

proponents during the same time frame. A large chunk of that money --

$56,500 -- was given by a committee to reelect Supervisor Todd Spitzer.

The campaign committee promoting Measure F raised nearly $1 million

total, according to financial statements.

Argyros has been the main financier for the campaign to bring an airport

to the closed U.S. Marine Corps air base at El Toro. Along with the

Newport Beach-based organization, the Airport Working Group, Argyros has

been at the forefront of the airport debate.

While the Airport Working Group, the city of Newport Beach and the Orange

County Regional Airport Authority educate residents about the benefits of

an airport at El Toro and the possible expansion of John Wayne Airport,

Argyros has supplied the funds to keep pumping out the campaign

propaganda.

In the filing period between Jan. 1 and Feb. 19, Argyros gave more than

$415,000. He also gave about $175,000 last year. The businessman spent a

total of about $2 million supporting the 1994 Measure A campaign and

defeating the 1996 Measure S effort.

Argyros was not available for comment Tuesday.