The LAX Difference
If there is any compelling reason to support Antonio Villaraigosa over James Hahn, its LAX.Forget the pay to play scandals, the lack of progress, the lack of vision, etc. James Hann, if re-elected, will pursue the most costly, ill-advised and potentially dangerous public works boondoggle ever - his $13 billion LAX project - which includes nearly $500 million in "greenmail" payments to labor unions and left wing groups.
As well Hahn's LAX plan has been criticized as making LAX more likely to be the target of a terrorist attack.
Villaraigosa on the other hand supports a more rational, regional approach to our airport problem. We need to expand Ontario and Palmdale, both owned by the City of LA as well as work with other airport authorities to take their share of the growing traffic.
This issue is so important that an overwhelming number of often Republican leaders from Westchester and the South Bay are supporting Antonio Villaraigosa. Indeed, just Saturday former GOP congressional candidate Paul Whithead from Westchester joined the chorus.
Jim Hahn is giving into his airport special interests to pursue a dangerous flight plan at LAX. That's why his flight should be cancelled.
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 5/16/2005 10:04:00 AM
12 Comments:
Antonio Villaraigosa's main IE private supporter and friend is going to court soon.
http://www.ladowntownnews.com/articles/2005/05/16/news/opinion/edit02.txt
Antonio Villaraigosa tampered with his schedule and committed fraud by ommitting key dates.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/1576712.html
P.S. LAX
George Pantazis, a Greek immigrant who owns Dino's Burgers in predominantly Latino Lincoln Heights, hasn't decided who he's voting for but said his decision will have nothing to do with ethnicity.
"Personally, I'd like to see people not talk about ethnicity too much - that's not what's important," he said. "The question is, `Who's good for the city?'"
That's also the position of Manny Hernandez, who'll be among Latinos voting against Villaraigosa.
"You pick the man who is best," said the retired California Highway Patrol officer. "The city is made up of a very diverse group of people and ethnicity shouldn't have anything to do with it."
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Yeah, Antonio has soooo much support in Westchester that when he stopped there on Saturday at 4:30pm his flacks were frantically running into the stores to get people cause only about a handful showed up even though he had Sen. Harman and that loser Maxine Waters. LAX is worlds 3rd busiest airport and thankfully with Hahn's expansion will be updated.
Why can't we have Riordan's plan back?!?
10:39 ANON
Hasn't that been the theme of Tony's events in this campaign, miniscule crowds prompting Tony hacks to start frantically using their cells phones to call people - probably other staffers - to come to the event. With all that money you'd think he'd be able to find one decent organizer or a professional adavnce team.
It's ALL for the cameras... STORY of ADV's bogus political life.
LAX is under a federal mandate to expand the number of flights.
They have no choice. Jim Hahn is fighting that mandate and has used creative ideas to both keep the number of flights to a minimum and also to try and protect the surrounding neighborhoods.
To claim you can send more flights to Ontario or Palmdale (which beyond federal requirements also has a lack of roads for cars to reach the airport) is just political posturing.
Antonio Villaraigosa supported several pieces of legislation in Sacramento that would have expanded Airports in Burbank and Van Nuys along with probably creating more traffic than Hahn's plan will in Los Angeles. Antonio has always been pro-big business and pro-developer. That won't change if he becomes Mayor.
Antonio is going to "roll up his sleeves" and "bring people together" to "build a coalition" of support from "all parts of the city" (except CD 14) to have a "regional" approach to (fill in blank) (i.e., LAX, Gangs, Housing, etc.).
Of course I'm votin for him because he's got such a record of accomplishments at Chair of the Transportation committee and member of the Education committee.
BTW, under what context is it okay to vote against imposing a higher penalty for child abusers who kill the child?
Just tell me the context since the ADV lovers claim Hahn is taking the vote "out of context." The vote speaks for itself and just like the Vignali decision ADV has no real explanation for his actions.
Hahn broke his promises on LAX expansion and therefore he should be dumped from office.
First, Hahn violated his 2001 pledge to limit LAX to 78 million annual passengers (MAP). Hahn's LAX Alternative D plan has a "theoretical" limit 78.9 MAP. One cannot say $4.99 is $4 when it really is $5.
Second, on July 2, 2002, in a televised press conference, Hahn promised the City of El Segundo to have access to the LAX Master Plan consultants and to have sign-off on the LAX Master Plan project. Guess what?- it did not happen! El Segundo is now one of four groups of plaintiffs suing the City of L.A. to invalidate the Environmental Impact Report.
Third, Hahn promised to have the prestigious RAND Corporation do a security cost/benefit analysis on Alternative D. The contract for this work has not been negotiated. RAND did complete a study on the current security at LAX, but Hahn has chosen to ignore its recommendations of speeding up processing of passengers by adding more check-in staff and adding more security screeners.
And finally, while not a campaign promise, Hahn has ignored the recommendations in a $900,000 report that the Board of Airport Commissioners authorized at his direction. The "CounterTech" report clearly stated that the Airport Police should remain independent of the LAPD. Hahn favors Measure A that would allow the City Council to merge the Airport Police into the LAPD. Adding 300+ Airport Police into the LAPD will not help Hahn meet his 2001 campaign pledge of adding more police officers. Instead, it may reduce security at LAX.
Hahn has claimed that he wants to make LAX "safe and secure." But all his actions clearly show that he is willing to throw common sense airport planning and security out the window for union support for his re-election campaign.
Vote NO on Hahn and NO on Measure A!
Anyone familar with the regional transportation issues of Los Angeles will tell you that the future of airports in this region lies in Palmdale and Ontario.
With High Speed Rail and MagLev on the cusp of being adopted in California, these high speed conveyances will link these outlying airports owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles (LAWA)and relieve the congestion that is LAX and the 405.
Antonio has been in the forefront of development of plans for High Speed Rail and MagLev; he has appeared coountless times, in person, to support the California plan.
Hahn has never appeared at a meeting of the California High Speed Rail Authority.
It is beneath him to roll up his sleeves and have to testify for his city.
It is beneath him to take the chair of the MTA when offered, to help our desperate transportation needs.
I say, send him a message; "Go back to San Pedro".
Vote Villaraigosa today for a better tomorrow!
Jimmy, your flight is about to be canceled!
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