El Toro would help during the Big...

El Toro would help during the Big One

New Orleans residents knew the Big One -- a Category 4 or 5

hurricane -- could flood and destroy their city.

Yet, when Katrina hit, they were not prepared.

Orange County residents live with the threat of the Big One too.

Only our fear is an 8 or bigger earthquake ripping open the earth.

Are we fully prepared?

One area of concern is our lack of airport runways for life-saving

purposes.

John Wayne, Long Beach, Los Alamitos and Fullerton airports are on

soil subject to liquefaction during a major earthquake.

The existing runways at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air

Station are on solid ground.

Equally important, only the El Toro runways are long enough to

accommodate heavy military transport planes carrying life saving

supplies for any catastrophe we might experience, including a

terrorist attack.

Directors of the Great Park have asked the public for input

regarding the design for the former El Toro Marine base. Join me in

asking that whichever architectural design is chosen, it will include

those runways. Contact information is accessible at o7www.ocgp.org/

contacts/default.aspf7.

It would be irresponsible to destroy something that has the

potential to save lives.

BONNIE O’NEIL

Newport Beach

Wide dissent on civic center

Here is my answer to the question: “Are the groups advocating a

vote on the civic center project overestimating the community’s

dissent?”

I pick up my daughter at Newport Elementary School every day, and

groups of parents stand around chatting, waiting for the kids to get

out. The subject of the city hall proposal comes up once in a while,

and so far, I have not heard anyone support it.

I’d have to say that the community dissent is quite widespread,

despite the fact that not too many have shown up at the City Council

meetings to say so.

CARL MUMM

Newport Beach

City deserves a better civic center

There are people who wouldn’t spend a nickel for a pup tent for

this city hall proposal.

I think Newport Beach deserves a very fine civic center, and I

think we should include it in our expenses for Newport Beach.

It will be something to be proud of and be able to be

photographed.

JEANNE DONAHUE

Balboa Island

Many oppose the civic center project

It is my opinion that the groups advocating a vote on the proposed

Newport Beach civic center are not over-estimating community dissent.

I believe the residents of Newport Beach should be given the right

to vote, and I would not be surprised that it would be an

overwhelming no vote.

SHARON RUMSEY

Newport Beach

Public should get vote on city hall

I think that there is a great deal of community dissent over the

idea of Newport Beach’s politicians building a $50-million Taj Majal

as a city hall.

I think that’s a very bad idea.

I think the public should have the right to vote on this spending

before the politicians go off again prying at the city’s resources.

DAVID CUTLER

Newport Beach