Editor:
One of the reasons high-powered corporations and individuals have located in and near Santa Monica is access to Santa Monica Municipal Airport. These organizations do not want their high-paid employees to wait on line at check-in counters and security. Hence, they base their own airplanes at Santa Monica Airport or charter planes from Santa Monica.
What will these companies do if SMO closes? I guess that most would transfer their airplanes to Van Nuys Municipal Airport. Rather than ask their people to commute by automobile on the 405 freeway, they would helicopter there from rooftop helipads in Santa Monica and Century City. This would increase noise and pollution tremendously.
Another option for the companies would be to relocate their offices closer to another airport, perhaps Van Nuys, Hawthorne or Torrance. A move out of Santa Monica would parallel Douglas Aircraft's moving its manufacturing, engineering and corporate offices from SMO to Long Beach when Santa Monica refused to lengthen its runway in the 1950s. The departure of the entertainment industry would be more catastrophic.
I am a retired 50-year homeowner in Santa Monica. I have no economic interest in the airport. The north side has been prettified since Douglas left. The south side could use a facelift as well while serving the aviation businesses that employ people and spend money there. The aircraft using the field should pay for upgrades.
Myron Kayton
Santa Monica
Rethinking corporate influence
Editor:
It is well beyond argument that corporations have way too much influence and even outright control of American life. It would be unthinkable to sign a major trade agreement that grants sovereignty over American state and federal laws to international tribunals in cases in which corporations claim their profits were or simply could be affected.
William Schoene
Santa Monica
