Nothing left to say

I have not posted for a while as there is really nothing newsworthy about the Great Park to report. If you want news about the Great Park, then go see it for yourself. Besides, mentioning that the park lies on a former airport site only gets people upset. That only further divides North County and South County. It is time to end this blog.

Instead I need to get back to work for tax season, especially now that Obamacare has been jammed down our throats. The redistribution of the wealth agenda goes on despite polls against it.

Vernon

No bid contract for Ford and Mollrich

It was revealed that Ford and Mollrich is receiving $100,000 a month whether they spew any propaganda or not. For a park that is so called environmentally friendly, they sure kill a lot of trees with their incessant assault on flyers and mailers. First it was to sucker gullible voters into buying their make believe park. Now it is non stop propaganda that the park is a success.

During Thanksgiving weekend I had some relatives visit. I took my grand kids to the Amtrak station in Irvine and had them look at El Toro from the foot bridge. I asked them what they observed. The responses were runways and warehouses. But NO mention of a park. Just because Ford and Mollrich is paid 100,000 a month to tell the public that it is a park does not make it a park.

El Toro is an idle airport collecting dust. Someday Irvine will be so broke or fearful of the low income housing mandate from SCAG that they will face reality and re-open El Toro International Airport for business. Over Thanksgiving weekend travelers paid a Great Pork tax with high fares at John Wayne or longer commutes to cheaper airport like LAX. Even with the shuttle from Irvine it is $50 round trip and 2 hours each way. Some day the taxpayers will be able to use El Toro, the $10 billion aviation asset that their taxes paid for.

Property Values Don't Lie!

Politicians do LIE.....Like the Agranistas who duped South County denizens into delusional paranoia that their property values would somehow tank if El Toro International Airport had civilians take over operations. Never mind that commercial jets are far quieter than military aircraft and there is a huge buffer zone. The Agranistas had to spread lies, hate, class warfare and fear into tricking voters to handing over El Toro with no checks and balances and no oversight. It is all about Larry Agran's personal gravy train of no bid contracts and no accountability.

The facts are Newport Beach HAS the highest property values and has an active airport nearby, and they keep going up! We lead the county with 92662 zip code with a median property value of over $2.7 million. Plus 92661 has seen better than a 78% increase in values in one years time.

In contrast, most of South County is not even within 5 miles of an inactive airport and they have not seen a rise anywhere near comparable to Newport Beach. That has really got to burn up the RINOs and Socialists who wanted to tear down Newport Beach in order for them to have parity with us. That obviously did not happen and now they hate us more than ever.

The way to get ahead financially is not to hate and look to redistribute the wealth, but to take advantage of economic engines like El Toro International Airport. It is a $10 billion federal asset siting idle. Put it to use and demand for housing will explode and raise property values. Don't be a hater, be a wealth creator.

Here are the median property values of the Newport Beach area:


Town____ ZIP____ Price____ One Year Change %.

Corona del Mar 92625 $1,470,000 -1.0%
Newport Beach 92660 $930,000 -24.1%
Newport Beach 92661 $1,695,000 +78.4% (biggest gainer)
Newport Beach 92662 $2,753,500 +69.4%(highest values)
Newport Beach 92663 $790,000 -19.0%
Newport Coast 92657 $1,725,000 +25.5%


South County:

Town______ ZIP______ Price______ One Year Change %
Aliso Viejo 92656 $370,000 -8.6%
Dana Point 92624 $619,000 -35.9% (biggest loser)
Dana Point 92629 $562,500 -24.6%
Foothill Ranch 92610 $410,000 +5.8%
Irvine 92602 $775,000 +16.0%
Irvine 92603 $739,000 +4.8%
Irvine 92604 $515,000 -2.1%
Irvine 92606 $589,000 +30.9%
Irvine 92612 $497,500 -13.5%
Irvine 92614 $395,000 -13.2%
Irvine 92618 $648,000 +21.1%
Irvine 92620 $532,000 -18.8%
Ladera Ranch 92694 $458,000 -17.1%
Laguna Beach 92651 $1,300,000 -1.9%
Laguna Hills 92653 $425,000 +2.4%
Laguna Niguel 92677 $515,000 -5.2%
Laguna Woods 92637 $182,500 -24.0%(Lowest Values)
Lake Forest 92630 $425,000 +22.3%
Mission Viejo 92691 $447,000 -6.9%
Mission Viejo 92692 $475,000 +3.3%
Ran.S. Margarita 92688 $340,000 -24.1%
San Clemente 92672 $607,750 +25.2%
San Clemente 92673 $670,000 -6.8%
San Juan Capo 92675 $466,500 +38.2%
Trabuco/Coto 92679 $687,500 +7.4%

Total O.C. $432,000 +2.9%

The Projects are coming to Irvine!

SCAG just got the last laugh on Irvine as they prevailed in California Supreme Court that Irvine MUST build 35,000 "low income" housing units. Those Projects will sure look lovely from the orange balloon. Irvine has exhausted all appeals and there is not a damn thing they can do to get out of it. Well.......there is one thing. They could always swallow their pride, pick up the phone and accept L.A.'s previous offer to lease El Toro International Airport for TWO BILION DOLLARS! Unless Larry Agran can control that money personally, he will continue to remain uninterested. Especially when he has his own personal gravy train with the Great Pork.

Larry Agran does not care that Irvine will become a ghetto. So long as he has his gravy train. After all, he has pushed for low income housing in the past and now he has got it. Plus Laguna Beach just approved of a parking lot for the homeless to congregate. These cities are more friendly to gay marriage, and low income slackers than economic engines like the airport which would bring jobs and prosperity. Would you rather have thousands of new jobs in your city or thousands of new homeless? Apparently the illustrious leaders of those cities favor the latter.

If one thought that Irvine and neighboring cities were already insanely jealous of Newport Beach because of the gap in property values, that gap will get even wider as a flood of low income housing will further depress home values. That would not be happening if they had supported keeping El Toro International Airport. There would not be nearly 15,000 acres of buffer zone available for (undesirable) residential development. If the airport were kept open this would create demand for the existing glut of housing and instantly increase property values.

The way for south county cities to achieve parity with Newport Beach is not to hate us and hope to sink us down to their level. The way to keep pace with us is find ways to improve one's own city, create a healthy business climate and aspire to reach our level. In fact, there was an article about Laguna Niguel being very alarmed about the closure of businesses. Just imagine if tourists from El Toro were visiting Laguna Niguel and the airport was hiring lots of subcontractors from that city. Killing the Golden Goose that is El Toro not only stops it from producing golden eggs for the community, the corpse also leaves a stench. Hence, we have projects and homeless growth instead of economic growth.

El Toro will not die!

No matter how many millions Irvine spends trying to convince the public there is a "Great Park" at El Toro, people still know it is an idle airport. Look at the picture above. Other than the golf course (which Lennar subsequently ruined) does that look like a park? An objective observer would see large runways, hangars, and plenty of space. If it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, if it flies like a duck......

The Great Pork is an awful lot like the inept Oakland Raiders. We are talking SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS OF FUTILITY! Between Larry Agran and Al Davis, it is a close tie as to who has done the most damage to the organization they represent. They are both laughingstocks that have no credibility. They resemble the regime in North Korea, secretive and paranoid.

In 7 years, the Raiders have 25 wins since their Super Bowl appearance.
In 7 years, The Great Pork has 27 acres since conning the voters. Either way over two hundred million dollars has been wasted with very little progress to date.

People know they have been scammed by the Agranistas. If El Toro were "dead" as the NIMBYs and Agranistas would like you to believe, there would not be letters to the editor and comments on message boards supporting the re-opening of El Toro International Airport. Until the runways are completely gone, the people see that there is an idle airport at El Toro waiting to be re-opened.

---

By Russ Niewiarowski
Updated: Saturday, October 10, 2009 10:37 PM PDT
Daily Pilot
October 11th, 2009
Imagine a world in which local government bodies were ruled under Mike Aguilar’s logic (“You made the choice, now live with it,” Oct. 8).

Negative impacts from airports, freeways, railway corridors, chemical plants and even violent gangs would rule and worsen, and the only way out would be to move to some isolated remote forest.

Aguilar states that he chose to live near John Wayne Airport and that it would be foolish to speak up when the noise and negative impacts worsen. The opposite is true. To not speak up is foolish.

Fortunately, this is not how the real world operates. As the population grows, so do the negative impacts associated with growth.

It is the duty of responsible citizens to speak up and to get involved to lessen negative impacts to better their community and to make a positive difference for future generations.

Look at the case of hydroelectric dams. The Columbia river has several, which power much of the northwest. Yet these beneficial dams were also destroying the salmon population. The negative impacts were studied and solutions were implemented so that both sides benefited.

Aguilar does not know the current facts associated with the JWA, nor does he know the historical facts of aviation in Orange County.

The fact is, the residential community of Santa Ana Heights was established in the 1920s, long before JWA existed.

The tract of homes I live in was built between 1962 and 1964.

The airport was used primarily for general aviation, and in 1967 it opened for commercial service.

The original NIMBY was none other than Newport Beach resident John Wayne himself who fought against the Eddie Martin airstrip being converted to accommodate commercial jets.

My community has lived with the airport and will continue to live with it. It is our desire to ensure that the airport remains a tolerable, responsible neighbor.

John Wayne and countless Newport Beach residents fought to protect their homes and communities from the negative impacts from commercial jets.

Because these activists spoke up and got involved we have a settlement agreement in effect today.

Imagine if the community had Aguilar’s attitude of “living with it” however the airport owner decided to dish it out.

There would be no cap and no curfew and many residents would be forced to move out of the communities that many, including myself, grew up in long before JWA became the looming threat it is today.

In comparison, it was Marine Corps Air Station El Toro that was built in a place and a time when Irvine and the surrounding environs was nothing but cattle grazing fields, orange groves, farming and open fields.

Even today, 50,000 contiguous acres of permanent open space exist to the north and southwest of the former MCAS El Toro base, despite the build up of residential communities that sprouted up knowing military jets were their neighbor.

Such a vast expanse of open space does not exist at JWA, but a vast expanse of homes and schools do. It is our responsibility to speak up and to be active in pursuing and implementing every viable option to safeguard and lessen the negative impacts to our communities to ensure that Newport Beach does not become the next Playa del Rey.


RUSS NIEWIAROWSKI lives in Newport Beach.

Los Angeles Times

October 13th, 2009

Conflicting views of the Great Park

Re “A soaring vision or just hot air?” Column One, Oct. 1

Is there really a question? With all the talk about creeping growth at John Wayne Airport and the lack of movement on the part of the Great Park advocates -- with the exception of the appearance of landscape architect Ken Smith, standing nobly in front of that ridiculous tethered balloon -- I think it's about time to put the question of making El Toro an airport to a vote again.

We voted for it, only to be bamboozled by Irvine's expensive PR campaign.

Nora Lehman
Newport Beach



I appreciate the focus on the Orange County Great Park. I wholeheartedly agree with the first part of your headline, "A soaring vision."

It reflects master designer Ken Smith's award-winning Comprehensive Park Plan, completed this year, that promises to put our Great Park in the same league with giants such as Golden Gate Park and Balboa Park.

We are well on our way. Major construction begins this year. Meanwhile, you missed the many events that are ongoing, such as the just-completed summer concert series that drew thousands.

Also, we are actively working to turn our nationally acclaimed design into a playground of sports fields, community farms and museums for all ages and for all time.

Larry Agran
Irvine
The writer is chair of the Great Park Corp.

---

Comrad Larry, you have all of 27 acres and a ruined golf course after $100 million down the drain. Your Great Pork is a bigger bust than Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russell combined.
Ken Smith can make pretty pictures, but that does not mean there is a park. Star Wars artists can create neat models of the Death Star, that does not mean the Death Star actually exists......unless you count Irvine City Hall.
Also, ANY location can have thousands of concert goers. For example, right here in Newport Beach, there are plenty of bands that play in garages. That would not make their garages "parks". Music can be played anywhere there is electricity.
Great Pork = FAIL!

Why is NFL Quarterback Mark Sanchez banned from South County?

The denizens of his hometown Mission Viejo have been brainwashed to hate Jets.

(Disclaimer: For the NIMBYs who are slow, this is a joke.)

OC Register readers give thumbs down to Great Pork!

All of these comments listed below made the print edition of either the Irvine World News or Register letters section. ALL of them are negative on the park. NOT one positive comment in defense of the invisible park.

As one will clearly see, the public has soured on the Great Pork. They see they have been had by the Agranistas. The only supporters left are those who are cashing in on Agran's gravy train, or those who are envious of Newport Beach and want to see our beautiful city condemned at any cost to expand the acreage of John Wayne.

Everyone else out there realizes that by re-opening the airport it would create thousands of jobs, create demand for the excessive housing stock, and be close and convenient for air travel. If a vote were held today, the airport would prevail hands down just like it did the first two times people voted for it. No amount of spending for Irvine propaganda will change that. You can't put lipstick on the Great Pig.

Irvine World News
September 17th, 2009.

VIEWS OF THE ORANGE BALLOON

The Great Park’s orange balloon ride has soared to a new milestone, with more than 100,000 riders hopping on the park’s signature feature.
The balloon ride hit the 100,000 mark in August, a little more than two years after it first took flight above the former El Toro airbase. The milestone comes as park leaders prepare for a more than $500,000 plan to replace the balloon, which has begun to fade and show its age.
The tethered helium balloon ride began as a $1.9 million gift from Lennar Corp., owner of the land surrounding the Great Park. The balloon consists of a gondola suspended below a 72-foot, 210,000 cubic foot balloon, filled with 5,500 cubic meters of helium. The gondola carries up to 30 people at a time, taking them 400 feet up.

Readers said:
MARC960 WROTE
Having the perfect color balloon is worth $500,000? With that half million you could put two people to work for 5 years at a decent wage. How about charging a $1 a ride from now on? That amount isn’t going to scare folks away. I just know deep inside the taxpayers of Orange County are ending up with the tab for this and all of the Great Pork.

JMAHONEY WROTE
Driving by this the other day we noticed that the balloon color is fading from being constantly in the sun all these months. My wife asked a good question: Does this constant exposure degrade the material of the balloon in any way? I’m sure that’s been considered (I hope), but does anyone know the answer?

ERIK1 23 WROTE
Money pit!

OCEANWANDERLUST WROTE
So far, the balloon ride has cost the city and Lennar $19 per person’s free ride? (not counting facilities and employees.) My wife and I took one of the quick flights when it first opened and I think the city could have spent our $38 much better elsewhere.

CHELSEAFC WROTE
Ha. Irvine taxpayers have to pay out $500,000 every six months to keep it Orange! It just keeps getting better!

BIGGIE WROTE
Makes you wonder about the integrity of the balloon also.

MADDIEGIRL WROTE
What a waste of money! And you all were outraged about the police protesting cuts to the department.

CARMADOGMA WROTE
Would have been much nicer to hear the first 100,000th passenger arriving at El Toro International Airport with wads of cash to dole out at Disney, Knotts and our beach communities.

VERNONDELIGHTS WROTE
Imagine how the view from the balloon will look once Irvine has to build the 35,000 "affordable" housing units as mandated per SCAG. What a great view that will be of the projects.


Orange County Register Letters
September 25, 2009

Great Park disaster

It's ironic to read the Register's lead story, "The cost of secrecy" [Sept. 23]and O.C. Supervisor Pat Bates' column "Get ready for the next disaster" in the same issue.
Although Bates' piece deals with natural disasters, the Great Park will probably be the county's next fiscal disaster.
I can't imagine denying members of a corporate board of directors the opportunity of seeing resumes of potential CEOs of that corporation. This is probably the tip of a Great Park governance iceberg.
Ivan Marks
Huntington Beach