Survey on airport questioned Aviation: 83% support found in study paid for by JetBlue Airways. By Felix Sanchez, Staff writer LONG BEACH -- JetBlue Airways CEO David Neeleman said he has always had a gut feeling that Long Beach resident opinion about the airport wasn't as negative as what airline executives have heard expressed at City Council meetings over the last year. So to back up his opinion that it was only a vocal minority ripping the airport, JetBlue and Neeleman commissioned what he said would be an indepen dent and unbiased survey of Long Beach residents, both living near the airport and around the city. The results of the survey, performed in mid-February by Carlsbad-based Godbe Research & Analysis, were released Tuesday before the City Council and showed overwhelming support of the airport and for more permanent facilities as long as they didn't mean more flights in violation of existing noise restrictions. But the Godbe survey only fueled the fire of controversy, with members of a resident activist group, LBHUSH2, dismissing the report as an "infomercial' for JetBlue, and at least one council member, Tonia Reyes Uranga, charging that the survey questions were skewed to give JetBlue exactly what it wanted. "I am really anxious to set the record straight,' Neeleman said Tuesday about the survey. "That the people are being governed by a vocal, very slim minority that show up at meetings and make a fuss and they think that is the will of the people.' JetBlue maintained that Godbe is a reputable independent research firm. Among Godbe clients for previous surveys are dozens of school districts and municipalities, including the cities of Los Angeles, Norwalk, San Diego, Santa Monica and Tustin, as well as the Contra Costa Water District, Fresno County Libraries, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and the Marin County Public Works Department. The results: Eighty-three percent of 900 registered voters surveyed agreed that Long Beach Airport is a "valuable asset' because it stimulates the economy, enhances tourism, creates jobs and provides convenient transportation for residents and visitors. The survey showed 12 percent thought the airport should be closed because it creates traffic, increases the number of people coming into the city and degrades air quality. Another 79 percent said they supported a proposal for more permanent facilities at the airport, with 13 percent opposed. And 85 percent said they would support the possibility of increasing the number of flights as long as the current noise ordinance is not violated. Those opposing increased flights totaled 12 percent. Uranga blasted Godbe's questions, saying on the issue of support for the airport, the survey questions made residents choose between a "hunky dory' scenario and closing down the airport. "There is nothing in between. You can craft questions to get what you want,' Uranga said. Several residents also questioned the motives behind the survey, with LBHUSH2 president Rae Gabelich saying that since it was paid for by JetBlue the results could be skewed, and others saying JetBlue was merely patting itself on the back. Councilwoman Laura Richardson said some of the criticism of the JetBlue survey likely happened because it was listed on the council agenda as a report of community outreach being done by the airline. Richardson also said there does tend to be the same comments about the airport meeting after meeting from a group of a half-dozen residents. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************