Businesses Not Sure on Miramar

OK, there’s something very interesting about this just below the surface.

Let’s start with the surface, though: The San Diego County Taxpayers Association now officially opposes the airport authority’s ballot measure pushing for a new airport at Miramar.

This stance is not really surprising. The taxpayers association has mocked and blasted the airport authority repeatedly. It has been hostile to the authority’s efforts for months and that it ultimately decided to oppose the ballot measure is to be expected.

Now look below the surface, though.

What is the taxpayers association? It only makes a decision like this after a vote of its board of directors. Its board of directors includes 53 of the most important businesses and their representatives in town. But only 20 voted. Five abstained, and the rest, well, who knows?

Of course, it’s late August. Even God is on vacation. But this is funny. The business community was supposed to carry the airport initiative – after all, it’s the presumed economic need for the new airport that’s driving it.

Now these businesses are voting not only to withhold their support, but to actively oppose the airport drive.

I mean, look at the list of the companies represented on the board of directors of the taxpayers association:

The Building Industry Association
Cox Communications
Ace Parking
The California Restaurant Association
Kaiser Permanente
Pardee Homes
AMN Healthcare, Inc.
Chevron
The San Diego Association of Realtors
EDCO
SHARP
South Bay Power Plant
Tom Shepard & Associates
SDG&E

An impressive list, and it goes on, but my wrists are getting tired. The taxpayers association is not telling us who voted against the ballot measure, so we’re going to do some calling around.

Until I get something definitive from these companies, I’m going to assume they support the decision to oppose the push for an airport at Miramar according to the plan put out by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

This is a big deal.

– SCOTT LEWIS