Assembly-Senate Conferees Reject Compromise on Site of State Prison

Assembly and Senate negotiators, trying to reach agreement on the location of a state prison in Los Angeles County, rejected a compromise put together by Senate Democrats who oppose placing the facility on an industrial site near downtown Los Angeles.

But Sen. President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), invoking a rarely used parliamentary procedure, threatened to block any agreement reached by the two-house conference committee unless it meets the objections of prison opponents.

The conference committee adjourned without any agreement even as its members pledged to continue their search for a middle ground between Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, who strongly supports construction at the controversial site, and some Senate Democrats, who claim that the governor is trying to dump the prison on a heavily Democratic and Latino neighborhood.

Both sides appeared intractable, and some lawmakers predicted that the latest stalemate in the 2-year-old dispute could go on indefinitely without resolution. Lawmakers are meeting in a special session called by the governor but are under no deadline to resolve the long-festering issue other than their desire to adjourn in order to concentrate on the fall elections.

Additional pressure comes from a 1982 law that prohibits the state from opening any new prisons--such as facilities nearing completion in San Joaquin and San Diego counties--until a site is chosen in Los Angeles County, which does not now have a state lockup.

Underscoring the lack of willingness to compromise, Deukmejian, while on a campaign swing through Fresno declared, “I am not going to accept any compromises that have the result of delaying the siting of the Los Angeles (prison).”

Deukmejian began making good on his threat to campaign against Democrats who refuse to support his prison plan, telling an audience in Fresno that “a few Democratic senators, including Sen. (Rose Ann) Vuich, are being obstructionists in this effort.” Vuich represents a chunk of the Fresno area and is usually regarded as a Deukmejian ally despite her Democratic registration.

“I’ve always felt that I have been the best friend that the Duke has had in the Democratic Party in the state Senate,” Vuich told a reporter, describing herself as “very, very disappointed” at the governor’s attack against her.

Earlier in the day, Deukmejian assailed Sen. Milton Marks (D-San Francisco), an opponent of the prison, during a meeting with the editorial board of the San Francisco Chronicle. Vuich and Marks, neither of whom is facing reelection this year, had abstained from voting on Deukmejian’s bill.

In Sacramento, meantime, Rodney J. Blonien, undersecretary of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, bluntly told legislative conferees, “We have given, given and given and we don’t feel the opponents have compromised on even one point.”

In reply, Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles), one of the prison’s chief opponents, insisted that “we made the ultimate concession” in considering the possibility of a prison in his Eastside district. “If left to us, we’d say, ‘Get out of our backyards and stay out.’ ”

The Assembly solidly backs the governor’s plan. But the Senate, taking the side of community groups and Latino organizations that oppose the prison, passed its own plan last week that would require a full environmental review of the prison project before that state could purchase the site. The Senate plan would also require consideration of at least two other prison locations in the county.

Deukmejian strongly opposes that plan and has agreed to an environmental study only after the prison property is purchased. He has also made it clear that he will veto any measure that would delay construction of the prison at the downtown location, near 12th Street and Santa Fe Avenue, about two miles southeast of the Civic Center.

Reminded of the governor’s position, the conference committee, which is dominated by supporters of the prison, quickly rejected the Senate plan on a vote of 4 to 2.

Although a number of other proposals were raised during the committee hearing, none seemed to have broad support.

For example, Torres said he might drop his opposition to the bill if the Administration would agree to allow two other prisons to be built elsewhere in Los Angeles County.

‘It’s a Political Move’

However, the offer was quickly shelved after it became clear that it would find little support among other Los Angeles lawmakers who fear a prison in their districts.

“It’s a political move to make it look like Sen. Torres is giving us something,” Blonien said. “But all it’s doing is giving us more problems.”

Assemblywoman Gloria Molina (D-Los Angeles), another vocal prison opponent, proposed that the state be allowed to purchase the prison property immediately on the condition that the state conduct a full environmental review later. It too was flatly rejected.

Roberti has agreed to put several prison supporters on the conference committee as a concession to some dissident members of his caucus but Monday he said he will not allow the full Senate to consider any proposal advanced by the committee if it did not meet Torres’ objections.

Such a move, based on a rarely used Senate rule, would allow Roberti to appoint a new conference committee, this time one that is decidedly anti-prison. That could mean an indefinite stalemate for the prison proposal.

Leo C. Wolinsky reported from Sacramento and Stephanie O’Neill from Fresno.

Governor stands fast on his prison site proposal. Page 19.