LA Times – Blood for Money
Once again the L.A. Times editorializes and ignores the facts about runway safety. Not surprisingly since the editorial side of the paper has historically taken the side of airport expansion over airport safety, this time trying to paint expansion as a safety issue.
Why? Because it’s good business for them and downtown interests such as the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Air Traffic controllers at LAX, now 14 short of the number negotiated between the FAA and the union stated that far greater safety gains would be made by adequately staffing the LAX control tower than would a parallel taxiway costing $500 million to $ 1 billion.
The Times insists however that the “parallel runways at LAX’s north field are too close together” and they argue using a parade of paid industry experts, current and former FAA bosses and a slew of industry funded reports that widening the runway is the only way to prevent incursions.
Michael Foote, President of the LAX Tower said in the recent safety report “that this very expensive improvement will bring far less in safety than simply attracting and retaining an experienced controller work force at LAX Tower”
The Los Angeles Times finishes off the editorial by debasing the entire Westchester/Playa del Rey community saying.. ”Though representing a tiny portion of L.A.’s population, this group of NIMBYs has been phenomenally successful in electing powerful politicians to promote its view.”
NIMBY’s?? We’ve already lost 4,400 homes, three schools and set back business growth in the Westchester business district for 40 years during the last expansion. And now they’re coming back for more.
What areas of Westchester are they looking to condem if they move the northfield runways. It seems to me they might be looking to take out everything to maybe Manchester. How would you know where to buy or rent in Westchester without worring that your property will be condemed and you wouldn’t get just compensation???