Editor:
Regarding the petition to strip the city of Santa Monica of their ability to control the airport property:
I read the letter to the editor in the Santa Monica Daily Press May 28 written by a self proclaimed pro-airport petitioner. He was engaged in gathering signatures.
In order to support his position, to save the airport, the petitioner introduced fears of certain future overdevelopment at the airport site which is speculative at best given the current (and past) development climate among the residents of Santa Monica.
His petition and his fear mongering obfuscate the real issue. The issue is simply that Santa Monica should be able to control the uses of the airport for the good of the city and the electorate. This, regardless of how the airport is ultimately utilized; be it a park, a development or an airport (minus the ever increasing jet traffic).
The immediate facts are that jet traffic has grown at an exponential rate in recent years. The jets fly over our city and they emit toxins that are poisonous to the residents of Santa Monica as well as our unfortunate West Los Angeles neighbors. That needs to be dealt with now and the city of Santa Monica has stated and demonstrated their intention to do so. The proper governmental infrastructure is in place to take control of the airport property and along with it the rights of the citizens to decide what happens there.
Any petition that would interfere with that process should be taken for what it is, and that is an attempt by special interests to strip Santa Monica of their ability to control this property.
Fear mongering and speculating about future events is not relevant to the current simple matter. First thing is first. Santa Monica Airport was not intended to be a jet airport although it has become one. The jets need to be curtailed for the health and well being of the residents.
David Putnam
Santa Monica
