Pasadena Mayor Objects to Burbank Letter on Airport

BURBANK —  In the latest offensive in an escalating publicity war over the Burbank Airport’s expansion plans, Pasadena Mayor Chris Holden on Thursday said he would ask for a state investigation of the legality of a mass mailing sent by the city of Burbank to Pasadena residents.

Earlier this month, Burbank mailed more than 11,000 letters to Pasadena residents on official stationery asking for support on issues related to the proposed airport expansion--in essence, seeking to undermine Pasadena’s official acceptance of the airport expansion.

“It is annoying,” said Holden, adding that he will ask the City Council to complain to the state attorney general, alleging that the mailing violates the Political Reform Act of 1974.

Burbank City Atty. Dennis Barlow denied that the mailing, which was done at city expense, was illegal, saying that Holden is interpreting state law too broadly.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has for years been pushing forward with plans to expand the airport to 19 gates, with the potential for adding another eight. Burbank, the city most directly affected by airport noise and traffic, is pushing for more controls on the airport’s growth.

The airport is run by the three cities, each of which appoints three members to the airport authority, an independent body.

The debate so far has produced a snowstorm of news releases and political advertisements as each side has vied for the public’s backing.

Burbank sent a mass mailing to Glendale residents earlier this year, and recently shifted its efforts to Pasadena, hoping to persuade voters there to pressure their elected officials to meet with Burbank directly and discuss Burbank’s opposition to the airport’s growth plan.

Pasadena and Glendale city leaders want Burbank instead to settle the issue in formal talks directly with the airport authority.

Holden said Burbank’s latest mailing crosses a line, especially because it contains the signatures of all five Burbank council members. State law curtails the use of signatures and photos of elected officials on city mailings, he said.

Burbank officials, “in their zeal to get their perspective to . . . Pasadena residents, overstepped boundaries of the law,” said Holden, who is also a member of the airport authority.

On June 2, the Pasadena City Council will take up his motion to file a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission and request an investigation by the state attorney general’s office.

Barlow, the Burbank city attorney, countered that state limits on mass mailings by cities are aimed solely at preventing incumbents from gaining an advantage in elections, not at cities fighting disputes among themselves.

“We feel comfortable that if this is looked at carefully, [state officials] will agree with us,” he said.