Meaure B FAQ's
In going door-to-door and talking to Burbank residents, it’s amazing how much confusion is out there! Most Burbank citizens don’t have any idea about the negative impacts a new terminal would have on their health, property value, and quality of life.
Here’s a list of frequently asked questions and answers. Feel free to share it with your friends and neighbors. Together we can’t get the truth out there. Vote NO on Measure B!
Our terminal was built in 1930, don’t we need a new one?
Not really. The Burbank Airport has seen plenty of renovations over the years. Most of the buildings date back to the 1980s and Terminal A was renovated and expanded in 2002. Only small portions of the current terminal date all the way back to 1930. While our existing terminal could benefit from additional renovation, we certainly don’t need a new one.
Is our current airport terminal unsafe? I’ve heard that the runway is too close to the terminal.
No. While calls for greater safety are always welcome, Burbank Airport has an excellent safety record. The FAA has actually stated that “operations in the present location can continue safely in the future.” If our airport were unsafe, the FAA would have halted operation long ago or fined the airport for unsafe operation. The Burbank Airport has yet to receive a safety fine from the FAA. With regard to Measure B, safety concerns are being used as a trumped-up scare tactic to pressure voters into approving airport expansion.
Where can I review the architectural plans for the proposed airport terminal?
You can’t. Architectural plans don’t exist yet. Burbank voters are being asked to vote for airport expansion, plans unseen. Most building projects need specific blueprints before approval, but the Airport Authority wants Burbank voters to give up their voting power in exchange for vague and murky design concepts that could change at any time.
The new Measure B says there won’t be more than 14 gates. That’s great news right?
Not really. While the amount of gates will remain the same, the new terminal will be much larger, and it will accommodate many more passengers. When new Next Gen air traffic control technologies go into effect this November, our Burbank Airport will see an increase in flights. An enlarged and relocated airport terminal will be able to accommodate even more air traffic. The number of gates has nothing to do with the number of flights. Measure B will definitely expand our airport’s capacity and bring more traffic, more planes, more noise, and more pollution into the city of Burbank.
Didn’t Measure B already pass in the year 2000? Why are we voting on it again?
This is a different Measure B.
In the year 2000, a previous ballot measure (also named Measure B) was passed by Burbank voters. That Measure B was extremely popular. It guaranteed public input prior to airport decision making by giving Burbank citizens the right to vote.
This new Measure B would eliminate those voting rights. By voting yes, this time you are approving airport expansion now and into future. You are turning over your voting rights to the unelected bureaucrats of the Airport Authority, bureaucrats that have been corrupt and bribed as recently as the 1990’s.
Those who have drafted this brand-new Measure B want to confuse Burbank voters. By giving this new ballot measure the same name, they are hoping Burbank citizens will be willing to sign away their voting rights. Don’t be fooled! This time, B means BAD.
What about the supermajority? That sounds like a good thing.
Not really. The new Measure B will strip Burbank residents of the only power they have - THEIR VOTE. If this new Measure B is passed, power shifts from Burbank citizens to Burbank’s Airport Authority Commissioners. These commissioners are unelected bureaucrats. They are appointed by City Council. And any future decisions they make regarding the airport can be made behind closed doors without any input from the public.
The Airport says the voluntary curfew will still be in effect if the new Measure B passes. Is this true?
Not necessarily. Remember, if the new Measure B passes, power shifts from YOU the voter to Burbank Airport Authority commissioners. These commissioners are not accountable to the public. They are appointed by our pro-growth City Council, and they could be influenced by a variety of factors. (Previous airport commissioners have accepted free flights to Hawaii from airline carriers). Burbank citizens will no longer have a say in decisions regarding the Burbank airport if this new Measure B passes.
Building a new terminal will bring better ADA compliance to our citizens with disabilities. Isn’t that a good thing?
Sure, but…we don’t need to spend over $400 million dollars to make our airport terminal friendlier for our disabled family and friends. ADA compliance is the law of the land, and it can be accomplished without building an entire new facility. There are no specific plans in place showing what improved access would look like at the new terminal, and the only graphic provided to the public shows an enormously long and cumbersome ramp system.
I’m concerned about pollution. I heard there was an Environmental Impact Report. Does that mean Burbank residents are safe?
No! The Environmental Impact Report states that terminal construction would have a “significant unavoidable adverse impact related to the generation of toxic air contaminants.” In fact, construction would make the air so unsafe that Air Advisory Notices would have to be issued to encourage nearby residents to stay indoors. In addition, an expanded terminal would bring more flights over Burbank, further decreasing our air quality. Flight paths from the terminal extend over homes and public schools and young children and the elderly are more adversely affected by pollution and poor air quality.
At least taxpayers won’t have to pay for this terminal right? That’s great news!
Well, yes and no. The current $400 million price tag doesn’t require Burbank citizens to pay an additional tax for the new terminal. Money for airport expansion would supposedly be generated by parking fees, landing fees, ticket fees, federal taxes and FAA grants. Airline customers would be subsidizing the terminal. But $400 million dollars is an extremely conservative estimate. What if the project goes over budget?
What else has the Airport Authority built recently?
The Airport Authority also built the RITC (Regional Intermodal Transportation Center) along Vineland Avenue near the Burbank Metrolink and Fry’s Electronics. At a cost of $112 million, residents of nearby neighborhoods had to deal with staggering amounts of light pollution for over a year. The parking structure is considered an eyesore by local residences and rarely filled. If a parking structure cost $112 million, can we really expect an entire terminal to be built for only $400 million? If it goes over budget, where will the rest of the money come from? So far, those supporting Measure B have yet to tell us.
