DEBATERS FOCUS ON V.N. AIRPORT SECESSION ISSUE LEAVES LOCAL AUDIENCE UP IN AIR.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - Neither supporters nor opponents of San Fernando Valley secession seemed able to sway an audience of airport business operators Thursday during a debate on what impact secession would have on Van Nuys Airport.

Secessionist Richard Katz and antisecessionist Larry Levine agreed the airport's fate is difficult to predict - because, if the Nov. 5 ballot measure passes, this would be up to the new city's council and because the federal government would have to OK the airport's transfer to the new city.

But Katz, who is chairman of the Valley Independence Committee, said the facility's situation couldn't get any worse and likely would improve if there were local control.

``The reality is the status quo has not been good for Van Nuys Airport,'' Katz said. ``If secession is defeated, we will continue to see the same lack of interest.''

Among the grievances that airport businesses have with Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that runs the Van Nuys, Los Angeles International and two other airports, is that the agency has yet to produce a master plan for the facility, after years of trying.

Also, some tenants are kept on month-to-month leases, preventing them from making long-term plans. And some business leaders feel the city caters too strongly to neighbors who seek restrictions because of the noise.

At the same time, many neighbors feel the city doesn't go far enough They would like to see stronger curfews and a phase-out of the older, noisier jets.

Secession would result in ``a lot of confusion, a lot of chaos and a lot of uncertainty,'' Levine said, adding that Valley control means the airport would be ``subject to the NIMBYs of the Valley.''

The debate, organized by the Van Nuys Airport Association, which represents aviation businesses, drew about 30 people.

Many in the audience said afterward they were still uncertain about the secession issue but expect to continue studying it.

``We have no clear questions or clear answers at this point,'' said Duke Tonry, an executive with Clay Lacy Aviation. ``Whatever happens, it's a montage of things going in different directions.''

``Eventually we will be a single voice as far as the airport is concerned, but it's early.''

On Nov. 5, voters will decide on whether the Valley secedes from Los Angeles and also elect council members for the proposed Valley city.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, the state agency that studied secession, ruled that the airport would transfer to the new city, subject to approval of the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA has said it will likely take some time to study the issue before making a ruling, so the airport probably would not be transferred immediately after the election.

Los Angeles officials have disputed LAFCO's legal authority to transfer the airport but have not indicated whether they plan to file suit on that issue.

The airport has an annual operating deficit of approximately $4 million, though several business officials at the debate said they doubted the accuracy of the figure.