Orange County Register, April 21, 1998
From the Register web site at http://www.ocregister.com

GOVERNMENT: The supervisor, with a crucial swing vote, now favors a smaller airport.

April 21, 1998

By DAVID PARRISH The Orange County Register

The fax machine hummed and the telephone rang Monday as old friends and political allies reached out to county Supervisor Bill Steiner, wanting to know whether he was abandoning his support for a civilian airport at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

"No, I'm not," he told one late morning caller — a longtime political and personal friend.

A few minutes later the phone rang again. "No. No, I still think we need an airport," Steiner tells this caller, a former supervisor.

All this is because over the weekend Steiner broke ranks from the county staff and two other members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors who want El Toro to be converted into a large international airport that could handle at least 28.8 million passengers annually by 2020.

Steiner is usually the third and deciding vote on the board that supports converting El Toro into a civilian airport when the military base closes in 1999.

Of the four plans for an El Toro airport to be officially presented today to the Board of Supervisors, Steiner wants the smallest one — about 19 million annual passengers with international flights from Canada and Mexico only. An airport much larger would have too much of a negative effect on the surrounding south-county communities, he said.

Steiner's position puts him at odds with some of his best political friends, including the Anaheim tourist industry.

"I'm already feeling the pressure," Steiner said, smiling and shaking his head Monday morning after taking his third call in 15 minutes.

The board has until July or August to pick one of the four options — and sizes — for the proposed airport.

County staff "already told me that 19 million annual passengers will not support international travel," Steiner said. "My thought on that was, 'So what?' Let's address the local demand and cargo, and let LAX handle the international flights. I know Disney will go nuts over that."

Such concerns would have weighed heavily on Steiner in past years because his district includes Disneyland. But Steiner, 60, is retiring from the board in January after six years in office.

"It's nice to be in an independent position, not having to look over your shoulder at an election, and only having to satisfy one person — myself," Steiner said. "I can do what I think is right, not what is politically expedient."

Steiner grew up in Bell, near Los Angeles International Airport, so he says he understands south-county concerns.

"I've lived a good part of my formative years under LAX's flight path," Steiner said. "I'm just trying to bring down the impact on the community. I believe the county does need this (airport at El Toro), but not at all costs."

Steiner's position has puzzled El Toro airport supporters — who wonder if you don't build a large international airport, why build one at all — and given a boost to those in south county fighting the airport option.

"The whole thing will die if we don't have international passengers and cargo service," said Supervisor Charles Smith, an ardent El Toro airport supporter. "Why go with another airport if they can just go over to John Wayne for domestic flights?"

Smith and other supporters of a large international airport see it as a vital link in keeping Orange County's economy growing. Without it, business and jobs will flow out of the area, they say.

That was the sentiment of one caller to Steiner's office — Ned Snavely, general manager of the Anaheim Marriott. An international airport will draw more tourists, he said.

"I don't think all of us would have begun this process if we weren't thinking globally, not just domestically," Snavely said.

But Irvine Mayor Christina Shea took Steiner's comments as a ray of hope that perhaps the El Toro airport could be stopped.

"I'm thrilled that someone has some common sense and consideration for the south county," said Shea.

On the five-member board, Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Tom Wilson oppose any type of airport at El Toro. Supervisor Jim Silva joins Smith and Steiner as airport supporters.

Smith, however, was not ready to concede that Steiner's position was major turbulence to an international airport. After meeting Monday with Steiner, Smith emerged saying that his fellow supervisor was willing to listen to an airport somewhere near 25 million annual passengers.

"I think Bill and I are not that far off," Smith said.

Steiner said he will listen to proposals in the next few months for a larger airport at El Toro, but political pressure will not work.

"I'm bulletproof," he said. "I don't have any projects in my district that I'd have to bargain away."

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