Lunken at issue in East Side group's endorsement

Among the many groups making endorsements in the mayor and council elections, there are groups that really only care about a single issue (like the Right-to-Life PAC) and groups that only care about certain neighborhoods (like the Partnership of Westside Residents, or POWR PAC).

The Lunken Neighborhood Coalition is both. The East Side neighborhood group was formed in 2000 to represent the neighborhood interests as City Hall developed plans to expand traffic at the municipal airport.

The LNC has endorsed David Pepper for mayor and three incumbents for City Council: John Cranley, David Crowley and Chris Monzel.

LNC Secretary Judy Zehren said in an e-mail to East Side residents the mayoral endorsement was unanimous:

David has been supportive throughout the four-year effort to bring the Lunken issues to resolution through a formal planning process involving the communities, users, and other stakeholders. Further, David indicates through his comments that he respects that process and the conclusions reached; namely that the airport be developed for the current users and not be expanded to facilitate commercial passenger service. Mr. Mallory, by contrast, speaks as though he understands that Lunken is an issue with the neighborhoods, but with words that demonstrate a total lack of respect and understanding for the progress to date in resolving those issues. Mr. Mallory says he is willing to take an unpopular stand and seek further development of what he calls an "under-utilized asset."

Mallory declined to discuss the issue Sunday, saying it wasn't an issue he could win politically. But he explained his position in a questionnaire published in the Linwood Lantern, a neighborhood newsletter:

Maybe the easiest thing for a candidate to do is to say what he thinks you want to hear. With Lunken Airport in (Linwood's) back yard, it might be easy to say I oppose all service expansion at Lunken. But I don't think that's in the city's best interests. It doesn't make sense to continue operating Lunken as we have been, especially with the city's budget so tight. What we'll have to do is find a way to balance the community's concerns with the economic potential of the airport.

Here is my commitment to you: Before any expansion is decided upon, there will be full, open, hearings in the communities that are most affected. I also pledge to do everything in my power to mitigate any potential negative impacts that a Lunken service expansion would have upon the neighborhood.