EDITORIAL JIVE TALKING.

MAYOR James Hahn's proposal to lease El Toro Marine Air Station as part of a regional air traffic plan just got the unanimous endorsement of the Los Angeles City Council, even though it's a meaningless gesture.

Orange County officials trudged up to Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday to tell them so. Federal officials already made that clear.

The time to have fought over getting Orange County to endure its share of the problems caused by a major international airport - and reap the economic and other advantages - was several years ago when the issue of El Toro was on the table.

This is nothing but a cheap grandstanding play by city officials who failed in their duty to develop a regional air traffic plan. Their only intent all along was to give local unions, contractors and consultants an $11 billion payday for expanding Los Angeles International Airport - no matter what it costs the public in congestion, pollution and higher air fares.