Now that the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has actually placed what many saw as the inevitable on the November ballot (see June 5 news release), meaning joint use with the military of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for SD’s future airport, the real fun begins. 
The Authority spared nothing in "spending" (I’m being nice there) millions of dollars to get to a ballot question that the Marines have opposed all along, and now no expense will be spared by various interests to get the thing passed….or defeated.
If folks in SD thought Bilbray-Busby was bad from an inundation in advertising standpoint, hang on to your seats for this one. Folks are starting to line-up.
Matt Potter in the San Diego Reader on Thursday mentioned the first horses out of the gate, a group called "Support Our Military-Vote No on Miramar," with my good friend Bill Baber, former aide to then-Mayor Dick Murphy, as the treasurer. Former Murphy COS John Kern, however, is working the yes side.
Jack Monger of the Monger companies, within days of the Authority vote, had sent out a part one and two missive, "Nine Reasons Why The Vote For Miramar Cannot Win." I especially liked these excerpts:
Underestimating the Opposition. Added to the lack of time is the fact that the opposition to Miramar is truly formidable. The communities of Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, La Jolla, UTC and University City are capable of raising a tremendous war chest to fight what they see as a serious threat to their quality of life. Now add to that the communities of Tierra Santa and Claremont which will also feel the affects of joint use at Miramar. Such capable opposition as this will be very difficult, if not impossible to overcome in a five-month campaign.
Coveting our neighbor’s property. Many voters will have a problem with the fairness issue. San Diego wants a bigger airport but can’t find the right place. The Marines have a nice place, so let’s take theirs, or at least make them share it. Which is usually followed by…“After all, they owe us for all that we’ve done for them.” For voters who don’t care whether it’s Lindbergh or Miramar, it will be fundamental issues like fairness that will push them off the fence.
Failure to complete the assignment. The assignment from the State Legislature to the Airport Authority was clear: provide the voters with a recommended site. But instead of giving the voters a proposed site, the Airport Authority has offered us a hypothetical question. Here’s what the ballot question really asks: If traffic and freeway improvements are made,…if military readiness is maintained without expense to the military,…if no local taxes are used on the airport, if overall noise impacts are reduced, and necessary Lindbergh Field improvements are completed – should we snatch 3,000 acres for a civilian airport at Miramar?
The Airport Authority may go down as one of the greatest boondoggles in San Diego history. Come November, when the voters may very well send the Miramar question a-packin’, will the Authority regroup and start spending another tens of millions in dollars for a different airport site? I’m surprised no one has involved the SD County Grand Jury, whose mission it is to investigate government waste. In the meantime, perhaps the legislature needs to take some action to cool some jets.