L.A. airports chief calls input moot

John "Jack" Driscoll, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, doesn't want to see an advisory measure on the November ballot relating to the future of Los Angeles International, Ontario and Palmdale airports, all of which, along with Van Nuys, his department oversees.

Fifth District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich plans to ask fellow board members this morning to support an advisory measure that would poll public opinion on whether LAX should be expanded as planned, or if the Ontario and Palmdale airports should be groomed for more growth.

Antonovich staffers said Monday afternoon they expected a 3-2 vote from the five-member board but didn't know if it would go in favor of or against Antonovich's recommendation.

"The proposed question is a moot point," Driscoll wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors.

Driscoll said all the airports in Southern California will have to be expanded for more passengers and more cargo during the next 20 years, or the region will lose international trade, tourism and economic growth to other states and regions.

The proposed countywide ballot measure is a simplistic approach to what is an economically, environmentally and physically complex problem relating to an increase of airport demand of roughly 100% over today's levels in the next 20 years, Driscoll wrote in his letter.

LAX cannot and will not handle the bulk of this increased demand but must continue to be an integral part of a functional, modern future airport system - especially with regard to international passenger and cargo demands - otherwise the entire region will suffer serious economic consequences, Driscoll wrote.

"It has never been suggested that LAX should or could handle all of the region's future passenger and cargo demands," Driscoll wrote. "All the airports in the region must grow."

The proposed advisory ballot measure does not recognize the complete regional context needed to address the complexity of the problem, Driscoll wrote. All airports in Southern California must accept responsibility for future demand. Long Beach, El Toro, Burbank, John Wayne, Ontario, Palmdale and Los Angeles International airports are all part of the solution.

A 50-person aviation task force has been organized by the Southern California Association of Governments to address the issue, Driscoll wrote, and Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke has been appointed to represent Los Angeles County there.

Working with local governments, communities and citizens, SCAG has studied transportation issues in Southern California for the past 2 1/2 years.

Driscoll said the proposed advisory ballot measure is unnecessary, because it will answer a question SCAG has already worked to answer and because a 50-person task force will continue to study the issue.