The San Diego Regional Airport Authority is finally on the run. Good. After reports late last month of SDRAA’s $16.9 million of expenditures thus far for an airport site selection process that has failed miserably to achieve what was tasked by the legislature, it is time to rein in one of the most significant boondoggles in San Diego history.
As I posted in June, the Airport Authority has placed on the November ballot an advisory vote for joint use of Miramar with the Marines, a significant waste of a public vote, considering the military’s long-standing opposition to any such scenario. No matter. SDRAA does what it likes, apparently, given state legislation creating and tasking its mission for site selection of a new airport. Close to $17 million later, and the Authority’s answer is to ask San Diegans to consider a non-starter, an anti-military proposal in a pro-military community, a measure that pits the emotional need for a new airport against the reality of national security.
Only the legislature has the power to change the face of SDRAA. Assemblyman Jay La Suer tried earlier this year with a bill that would have made the Authority board elected instead of appointed. It went nowhere. Assemblyman George Plescia, Congressman Duncan Hunter and others have been criticized in the past by the "downtown establishment" for their reluctance to sit still while the SDRAA made moves on Miramar.
Yet now, with reports of the huge costs for consultants and PR efforts, combined with a do-nothing ballot question, our San Diego state legislators — both sides of the aisle — are working together to take some action. It’s about time.
As reported in the Union-Tribune and Voice of San Diego on Friday, an August 29 letter to SDRAA signed by Sens. Battin, Ducheny, Hollingsworth, Kehoe and Morrow, and Assemblymembers Garcia, Haynes, Horton, La Suer, Plescia, Saldana, Vargas, Walters and Wyland (that’s all of ’em) is calling for the restructuring of the Airport Authority and public hearings culminating in legislation to make it happen.
The Kehoe-authored letter is careful to reference November’s ballot question on Miramar by saying, "While we may not agree that the ballot measure that the Airport Authority has placed before the voters meets the full intent of the (current) legislation, we will accept that the Authority has, in fact, completed its charge." That’s a too nice way of saying, "You didn’t finish the job, but now you’re done."
Yet, even that nicety was after a long paragraph reminding the Airport Authority that their real charge included assuring "the continued military readiness of the United States Department of Defense" and that "comprehensive airport planning must consider and protect military airspace needs in the San Diego region." That, by the way, is a nice way of saying. "This doesn’t cut it, folks."
A breath of fresh air, the entire San Diego delegation getting the big picture. Here is the letter.
The letter aside, Kehoe was a bit more forthright in the SDUT. Reporter Jeff Ristine pegs it with "Kehoe said yesterday the authority’s divisive decision to recommend Miramar Air Station and its other work on land-use issues suggested it was too far removed from the public it was created to serve."
It should also be noted that the two separate committees working to ensure San Diegans just say no to joint-use of Miramar in November, have now joined forces. Led by consultant John Dadian, this combined effort will go a long way to ensure a united voice on the issue.
Wow, all of the legislators working together, the committees setting aside egos and working together, it’s like…real leadership. A big harrumph all the way around.
San Diegans should send an emphatic no to the Miramar joint-use concept in November. Additionally, we should congratulate our state legislators for coming together on a sensitive issue, and encourage them to do whatever it takes to remove the hot air from the Airport Authority’s balloon.
September 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am
With or without an Airport Authority, we still cannot come to a decision about Lindberg. I, for one, believe that we lost our chance many years ago to create a new International Airport (I’m a 47 year old native so I’ve heard the many battles for a new airport). Face it; do we really want to become more like our neighbor to the north? Let’s just stop wasting our money with the Airport Authority and just modernize Lindberg so it will operate more efficiency.
Nevertheless, as usual, I have digressed. I’d prefer an elected Airport Authority, but the problem would still be the same- the politicians’ inability to come to a decision and then stand by it. It wasn’t possible 40 years ago and it is not possible now. For once I’d appreciate seeing REAL leadership.
Colleen and Kayleigh would kill me, but I’d vote for Barry for Airport Authority. At least I know he’s been on a plane out of Lindberg!
September 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Marlene of Ramona writes/asks:
How great to hear that the demise of the Airport Authority in San Diego is looming in the close future. Will the ballot issue to San Diegans be up for a vote by all of San Diego or just the City??
Answer: It’s a countywide advisory vote, so yes, you folks in Ramona get to vote too, a nice plus after you had to live with the ridiculous possibility that the airport would be sited near you.