STANLEY GETTING VALLEY STEAMED AIRPORT NOMINEE MORE 'PAY TO PLAY' BY HAHN?

Byline: James Nash Staff Writer

Mayor James Hahn's appointment to the Airport Commission of a sports agent who recently moved to the San Fernando Valley has upset local leaders worried that the community won't be represented at a time critical decisions are made on LAX expansion and controversies swirl around Van Nuys Airport operations.

Before shake-ups on the Airport Commission earlier this year, the panel included two Valley residents: Ted Stein and Eileen Levine. Stein, the commission's president, resigned amid allegations of ``pay to play'' contracting practices at the airport agency.

Levine held the spot on the panel reserved for a Valley resident before resigning earlier this year for unrelated reasons. Hahn announced May 20 that he was nominating W. Jerome Stanley, an attorney and sports agent who had just moved from South Los Angeles to Encino, to replace Levine.

Some Valley activists said the choice of Stanley, a Hahn campaign contributor, confirms their concerns that noise and the long-term future of Van Nuys Airport will be further relegated to the margins of Los Angeles World Airports.

``To my knowledge, he has never spoken at a public meeting to preserve the peace and tranquillity of homeowners,'' said Gerald Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino and a longtime critic of Van Nuys Airport noise. ``In all likelihood, this is another 'pay to play' appointment by the mayor.''

Others said the choice of Stanley was typical of Hahn's attitude toward the Valley.

``I was not surprised that the mayor would pick someone from outside the area who has no experience, with the absolute buffoonery coming out of the mayor's office for the last 15 years dealing with citizens' complaints coming out of Van Nuys Airport,'' said Wayne Williams, a board member of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and leading airport noise critic.

``He won't even talk to us. Why would he nominate one of us?''

Deputy Mayor Julie Wong defended Hahn's choice of Stanley - who had served on the commission overseeing the Los Angeles Convention Center - saying that it reflected the mayor's belief that airports and tourism were inseparable. Wong noted that Hahn's chief airport deputy, Phil Depoian, lives in the Valley.

``The mayor feels the Valley is going to be well-represented on this issue,'' Wong said.

Councilman Tony Cardenas, whose district encompasses the East and Central Valley including Van Nuys Airport, said he's concerned that the area's voice on the airport commission is diminished at the same time officials are closing in on a long-term plan for the nation's busiest general-aviation airfield.

Cardenas, chairman of a council committee that will review Stanley's nomination on Tuesday, said he doesn't have any qualms with Stanley personally.

``Jerome's a very nice guy and a very intelligent guy,'' Cardenas said.

``I don't want to comment on him personally. I'm disappointed that the mayor has gone down from two Valley representatives to one. We have a lot of very talented people in the Valley who would be able and interested to serve.''

To replace Stein and Airport Commissioner Alan Llorens, who resigned earlier this year, Hahn nominated attorney David Voss of Westchester and businessman Walter Zifkin of West Los Angeles.

Some political observers say that, despite Stanley's lack of obvious interest in airport issues, his appointment makes sense in several ways.

``I was surprised at the appointment because I didn't think he had the interest in the airport, but it's a good appointment for the mayor,'' said Kerman Maddox, a South Los Angeles political consultant. ``For one thing, he's getting a smart businessman. Secondly, it helps him re-establish his relationship with the African-American community, where he's had some trouble the last couple of years.''

Democratic consultant Richard Lichtenstein said Stanley's appointment surprised some because he is less known as a political player than many high-profile nominees. And Lichtenstein said that, while Stanley has not publicly expressed a special interest in airports, he is up to the job.

``As a sports agent, he is accustomed to complicated negotiations. He is an attorney and he also has some interesting relationships in the African- American community as well as being a resident of the San Fernando Valley,'' Lichtenstein said.

Stanley and his firm, Stanley and Associates, contributed $4,000 to Hahn's 2001 mayoral campaign - far less than Stein and other prolific fund-raisers. Stanley also has given hundreds of dollars to candidates in South Los Angeles council races, including Hahn's current mayoral rival, Bernard C. Parks.

Wong said there was no connection between Stanley's donations and Hahn's decision to nominate him for the panel.

Stanley said he was approached by a Hahn aide several weeks ago, before he moved to Encino, about openings on the airport commission.

He said the same Hahn aide - whom Stanley and Wong would not name - called him again on the day before he moved to Encino and asked for his address, explaining that he now could serve in the commission seat reserved under the city charter for a Valley resident.

Stanley said that his new home is in the flight path of Van Nuys Airport and that he is sympathetic to concerns of people who have complained about noise there.

``It is a major concern now that it comes into my home,'' Stanley said. ``I have an empathy toward those homeowners and nonhomeowners in the Valley who've complained about it for years.''

Stanley said he was also sensitive to competing business interests that fear a crackdown on noise would lead to fewer flights at the airport, which is one of the largest economic engines in the Valley.

Stanley, who is not a pilot but flies frequently for his job, said he will strive for a balance at Van Nuys.

He said he hasn't taken a position on Alternative J, the most popular blueprint for the future of Van Nuys Airport and one that has drawn fire from anti-noise activists for not eliminating the noisiest aircraft.

``I am one person on a seven-person board,'' Stanley said. ``I am not the king of the airport. I think what people want is someone who can balance the competing interests. I plan to engage.''

Staff Writer Rick Orlov contributed to this report.

James Nash, [phone]

james.nash(at)dailynews.com