October 25, 1998 Naval Base Complex   Why are you afraid to let the people decide the fate of their Naval complex (editorial, Oct. 16)? The people should know the true financial cost of destroying the Naval complex is approximately 2 billion dollars of taxpayer money. Additonally, the Navy has found that the destruction will not provide the greatest number of jobs and will destroy the physical, cultural and historical enviornment of the Naval complex. The 2 billion dollars is composed of: 1.) Approximately 834 million to improve the Naval complex according to the Port's 1998-1999 budget. 2.) 630 million for interest on the 350 million dollar bond issue which the port is floating. 3.) Approximately 350 million dollars of existing buildings which the Navy has found are unuseable, and 4.) Approximately 183 million dollars of land value for the 330-acre cargo container yard. Using your best estimate of 2. 5 million per month of income which is 30 million per year, it would take approximately 66 years to repay these expenditures. However the repayment won't occur since the Port has admitted in court papers filed October 14 that it does not even have a tenant. In these circumstances, there is not any question that plaintiffs will prevail on the merits of this case. Your final comment that the ballot measure should have been brought a year ago ignores the fact that last year at this time, the Navy had not finished its Environmental Impact study regarding the destruction of the Naval complex. A ballot measure at that time would have been premature. Richard I. Fine, Esq. [Naval Station Preservationists' legal representative]