A little less in Fairview Park...

A little less in Fairview Park would be more

Hurray for the owl! (RE: “Fairview owl has friends in high

places,” Saturday.)

A little common sense at last. At last a species that prefers

“uncultivated land” at Fairview Park. I agree. Fairview represents

perhaps the last area that hasn’t been paved over for more recreation

areas. Thank goodness. This rare area in Costa Mesa should be

protected at all costs. There are many other developed areas in Costa

Mesa that could serve very well for the special interest business of

skateboarding. Costa Mesa already has a bark park and a pond at

TeWinkle Park. Let Fairview remain as is -- natural.

By the way, I don’t live on Canary, nor do I have a dog, but Jim

Gray does have a skateboarding business.

I enjoy the peace and quiet of undeveloped nature. Long live the

owl.

MARILYN FRENZ

Costa Mesa

Cox can’t win airport war being fought on two fronts

I see Rep. Chris Cox is once again trying to limit John Wayne

Airport expansion. In the past, he unsuccessfully tried to attach a

rider to a bill to do such a thing. Why does he think he would be

more successful this time around?

For starters, he would be up against a 12-member L.A.

congressional delegation that wants to limit Los Angeles

International Airport growth. Then, he would have to take on the

airline industry. If John Wayne was granted an exception to federal

laws, then lots of other cities would demand the same thing. Either

the laws would have to be repealed or applied consistently.

If Cox really wanted to limit John Wayne expansion, he would find

a way to utilize El Toro, rather than rushing to get it handed over

to developers the day after an election. There is no way any Orange

County politician can fight a two-front airport war by simultaneously

limiting John Wayne and banning El Toro. Fighting Mike Tyson and

Evander Holyfield at the same time would be a comparable feat.

Since 60% of Cox’s district voted no on W, he should take a cue

and listen to his constituents. If not, then at least have the

decency to get some federal appropriations to buy out thousands of

homeowners near John Wayne when the settlement agreement expires in

2006.

REX RICKS

Huntington Beach

No such word as privacy in homeland security

When Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden and other Newport-Mesa

officials declare they are looking forward to receiving “firsthand

and accurate” information from the newly formed Department of

Homeland Security, what your readers need to know is that the

information the chief and others will use derives from a massive

database that monitors every purchase made by every American citizen.

This is not some tinfoil-hat conspiracy, this is real. What sorts

of purchases? Try sudden and large cash withdrawals, one-way air or

rail travel, rental car transactions and purchases of firearms,

chemicals or agents that could be used to produce biological or

chemical weapons. Combine that with anonymous tips (be really nice to

your nosy neighbors now, folks), and the potential for

misidentification and misuse becomes apparent.

Of course, none of our elected officials would ever abuse this

data, but just in case: “Hey chief, if someone in my family on the

East Coast dies suddenly, please know in advance that I might need a

one-way ticket and a rent-a-car, all right?”

So who’s in charge of Big Brother’s fondest wish? Rear Adm. John

Poindexter, former national security advisor to President Reagan, is

developing the database under the Total Information Awareness

Program. Poindexter was convicted on five counts of misleading

Congress and making false statements during the Iran-Contra

investigation. Those convictions were later overturned, but who

believes that’s the kind of resume you want for someone entrusted

with such a sensitive task? Vigilance, awareness, coordination, etc.

is great, but tracking each and every purchase?

That’s not my America.

MICHAEL QUINN

Costa Mesa

Few really succumb when Death Tax comes to call

Rep. Chris Cox recently stated that many Americans misunderstand

the estate tax, and he’s absolutely right (“Death Tax is a burden

none can afford,” Sunday). Most Americans believe that they will be

affected by the estate tax, when quite the opposite is true.

Despite Cox’s clearly disingenuous statement that the estate tax

targets “small business owners, family farmers and ranchers,” the

true, verifiable facts are that in 1999, only the top 2% of estates

paid any taxes at all. Furthermore, half of the entire estate tax was

paid by only 3,300 estates, or 0.16 percent of the total, and these

estates possessed a minimum value of $5 million and an average value

of $17 million. Even more spectacularly, a quarter of the entire tax

was paid by just 467 estates worth more than $20 million.

And by the way, these figures are not the product of some (gasp!)

liberal economist or think tank, but are in fact the product of our

own congressman’s Office of Management and Budget calculations.

Now, none of this is to suggest that revisions cannot be made

(although an escalated ceiling -- estates worth $5 million or 0.65%

of all estates -- has already been rejected by Congress), but I think

Cox should be more circumspect and comprehensive regarding his

language about what he has termed the “Death Tax.”

MICHEL MOORE

Costa Mesa

Truth is, foundations are ready to spend money

I find it interesting how someone without all the information can

make the comments as those in your editorial (“Create schools

foundation and distribute money,” Nov. 21). You have given

Councilwoman Karen Robinson credit for trying to resolve the

“bickering” and “get this money where it belongs” when she, along

with Mayor Linda Dixon, have caused these funds to be tied up.

Maybe you are unaware that both foundations were tentatively set

up prior to this school year beginning, and they were ready to accept

the funds into separate accounts and start working on much-needed

programs at each school. The City Council, specifically the two

people previously mentioned, created all the delays that have caused

half the school year to pass without resolution to the foundation

issues. No other school has been required to combine their school

foundation money and efforts with those of another school and

maintain complete equality to both.

Your comments about the City Council being able to address the

needs of an entire city in reference to only one foundation for both

schools is completely unrelated and, as you say, “hogwash.” For those

in the city who are interested in the truth, two foundations have

been set up since May, ready to put the $2 million to work at the

schools. The only delay has been our beloved City Council.

As one of the tentative foundation directors, I am completely

disgusted with the City Council’s delay and the Daily Pilot’s

misrepresentation of the facts.

FRANK MASCIALE

Costa Mesa