California / IN BRIEF : EL TORO : Base’s Closure Costs Too Low, Marines Say

Marine commanders have told the Pentagon that the Navy underestimated by almost $1 billion the cost to move squadrons from the El Toro and Tustin Marine Corps air stations to the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego. Their figures--the first official confirmation of what local base commanders had suspected for weeks--showed that the cost to duplicate at Miramar the facilities and housing now used by the Marines at both Orange County bases would total $1.268 billion, instead of the $340 million estimated by the Pentagon. “These numbers simply do not add up to a sound decision to close El Toro,” said Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), who released details of cost estimates prepared by El Toro officials.