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Huntington Beach residents got their first opportunity on Tuesday to publicly speak on the multi-million dollar settlement city officials signed with a local air show, which many people said was a bad deal.
“I think this settlement is the most egregious disgusting misuse of taxpayer funds and paybacks to a political crony I have ever seen,” said former City Councilwoman Connie Boardman during public comment at Tuesday’s meeting.
Boardman wasn’t alone.
Most of the residents who spoke at the meeting criticized the $5 million settlement and questioned how exactly the deal was reached.
The Pacific Airshow has been a hot-button topic in the city since council members announced the settlement with the airshow’s operator last year, but refused to release the details of the deal until they were sued by Ocean View School Board Member Gina Clayton Tarvin.
[Read: How Did a Huntington Beach Air Show Become Embroiled in Controversy and Politics?]
The full deal revealed that officials hadn’t disclosed all the city subsidies promised to the air show. Under the agreement, operators of the event will receive perks like a 40 year exclusive operating deal, a waiving of all city fees and over 3,500 city owned parking spaces to rent out.
Most of the people who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting questioned why the deal was hidden until now, and why so many subsidies were given out.
Many residents also highlighted how Kevin Elliott, the head of the company that operates the air show, was a vocal proponent of the council majority – self-dubbed the “Fab 4” – and questioned if all the subsidies were for his endorsement of their campaigns.
“Huntington Beach residents are now stuck with the airshow settlement agreement,” said resident Paula Schaefer. “Is this what the Fab 4 meant when they said promises made, promises kept?”
Resident Wendy Rincon asked why the city needed to subsidize the airshow so heavily if it made so much money.
“If this is the case, then why are you continually coming to us saying we’re looking at a dire budget shortfall? Shouldn’t we be raking in the money?” Rincon asked. “You gave him everything he could ever want under the sun.”
Meanwhile, state auditors are investigating the deal and three city council members who opposed the deal are calling for an investigation by state Attorney General Rob Bonta.
How Much Does the Air Show Make Surf City?
Some residents defended the deal, highlighting how it brought extra business and revenue to town.
“People must not understand an attorney. No attorney wants to lose a case, he did not lose a case. He settled a case in good stead,” said one commenter who did not give their name. “There are many people here who want the airshow … check with the business people of this community. We were on Main Street, they all want the airshow.”
Yet the economic benefits of the airshow remain unclear, with some city leaders pointing to a study claiming the airshow produces over $120 million in economic impact every year.
But the author of that study couldn’t back up the math when asked about it by Voice of OC, saying it was impossible to double check the work.
[Read: How Much Money Does the Pacific Airshow Bring to Huntington Beach?]
Council members largely stayed quiet about the issue during the meeting since it wasn’t scheduled for a discussion.
But during the opening of Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman Casey McKeon defended the settlement publicly for the first time since its unveiling.
“To say the airshow doesn’t bring in money or a non-zero amount is absurd,” McKeon said. “This is our premiere event and the premiere event on the West Coast.”
He noted that while he understood the “heartburn,” around the concessions, he believes the city will make more than it loses on the deal long term.
“This was another mess and knot we had to untie,” McKeon said. “Cities provide concessions to large events all the time … these concessions are a baseline.”
Councilwoman Rhonda Bolton, who opposed the deal, quoted the opening lines of the Brown Act, California’s chief transparency law, highlighting how residents do not forfeit their right to access information when it’s held by a government agency.
“Government transparency flows from the same values, the people’s sovereignty and local control, that are often cited to justify the importance of charter cities and home rule,” Bolton said.
“Imagine that. I hope this city government will be consistent in its regard for the values of the people’s sovereignty and local control.”
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @NBiesiada.
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