"New pick gears up for LAX Commission"

Saturday, May 22, 2004

New pick gears up for airport panel
By Rick Orlov
The Los Angeles (CA) Times


The new San Fernando Valley nominee to the Airport Commission said
Friday that he has a steep learning curve ahead of him as he looks to
move the panel beyond its controversies.

W. Jerome Stanley of Encino, an attorney and top sports agent, said he
considers himself nonpolitical and has no plans to get involved in next
year's mayoral election -- even though he has been a past contributor to
Mayor James Hahn and other officials.

"My goal is to do the best I can for the city of Los Angeles," said
Stanley, who had served on the Convention Center Commission prior to
Hahn nominating him for the Airport Commission this week.

A native of Los Angeles and a graduate of the University of Southern
California and the USC School of Law, Stanley said he was approached by
Hahn aides recently and asked to consider the airport post to fill the
vacancy created by the resignation of Eileen Levine. 

"I told the mayor I would do whatever I can to help the city," Stanley
said.

He said he has not taken a position on the mayor's proposed $9.1 billion
modernization plan for LAX and needed to learn about issues at Van Nuys
Airport.

Gerald Silver of the Homeowners of Encino said he was disappointed with
the nomination of Stanley.

"None of us have heard of him," Silver said. "It's clear to me the mayor
is interested only in protecting the interests of the airport at the
expense of homeowners."

Silver has been a leader in seeking to limit activities at Van Nuys
Airport and reducing noise levels.

Stanley has represented some of the top athletes in professional sports,
including working at a firm representing basketball's Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, and now counts football's Keyshawn Johnson as a client.

In recent years, he also has become more politically active.

Records of the city Ethics Commission show he has contributed a total of
$3,000 to Hahn and also contributed to a number of candidates in last
year's 10th Council District race, including Councilman Bernard Parks.


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