Deukmejian Assails L.A. Action to Block Prison, Hints at Retaliation

Denouncing Los Angeles officials as irresponsible and uncooperative, Gov. George Deukmejian threatened Friday to withhold state aid to the city--particularly state support for Metro Rail--if its council and Mayor Tom Bradley pursue a lawsuit to block construction of a prison on the city’s Eastside.

The governor, speaking during the taping of the KCBS “Newsmakers” program and in an interview later, appeared visibly angered by the City Council’s unanimous decision on Wednesday authorizing City Atty. James K. Hahn to consider ways of blocking the prison.

Calling the decision “very unfortunate,” Deukmejian warned: “Frankly, if they are not going to be cooperative with us in helping to find locations for these prison inmates, there are some other things that the City of Los Angeles wants from the state. And I am not going to be cooperative with them.”

Later, Deukmejian added: “The more cooperative they are, the more cooperative I can be. On the other hand, if they are uncooperative, I can be uncooperative.”

Asked what programs might be endangered, Deukmejian pointed to state funding for the Metro Rail rapid transit system as one example. He declined to list other possible targets, however, saying, “I’m not going to be putting out any kind of a list at this point.”

Michael Gage, Bradley’s chief of staff, immediately characterized the governor’s remarks as a “rather mean-spirited attack on the citizens of Los Angeles.”

Vowing that the mayor will not back off his support of a lawsuit, Gage added that Deukmejian “is a big boy and it’s right and reasonable for people to differ. But to treat 3-plus-million people of Los Angeles with punitive actions because the mayor and the council differ with him seems patently unfair.”

City Council President John Ferraro said through a spokesman that he would have no comment until “he sees what the governor said.”

An estimated $300 million annually--mostly money that originates with the federal government--passes through state coffers before it is sent to Los Angeles. Much of it, however, is required to be allocated for local programs and Deukmejian may have little control over that.

The governor, however, would appear to have veto power over at least some of the estimated $400 million in state support that Deukmejian had promised to provide for Metro Rail. However, the actual loss would be smaller since about $190 million of the $400 million already has been spent by the state out of a total project cost of $4 billion.

$25 Million Is Committed

Lois Wallace, an assistant director of the state Department of Finance, said the state Transportation Commission, all of whose voting members are appointed by the governor, has control over the $25 million in state Metro Rail funds allocated in the current budget. But Metro Rail spokesman Jim Smart said the $25 million is committed to the rail project in a “contract” between the state and the Southern California Rapid Transit District and “I don’t think they can withhold it.”

Wallace said the governor’s promise to support Metro Rail, made in 1983, also is contingent on Congress fully financing its portion of the transit system’s cost. So far, Congress has approved funding for only the system’s first 4.4-mile leg, which carries a $1.25-billion price tag.

Until this week, the City Council had largely stayed out of the state fight over where to build Los Angeles County’s first state prison. But Bradley, who is among the strongest supporters of Metro Rail, vocally opposed the prison during his unsuccessful bid last year to unseat Deukmejian. And on Wednesday, he appeared before the council and urged that it back the fight against the Eastside prison site, which Deukmejian has long sought.

Asked whether his threat to withhold Metro Rail funding was directed against the mayor, Deukmejian answered, “No.” But he immediately added that Bradley “has not been helpful at all in the past two years to assist us.”

The contested Eastside prison site, in an industrial area next to heavily Latino Boyle Heights, and a second prison site west of Lancaster were authorized in legislation signed last week by Deukmejian.

City Council members, led by Gloria Molina, complained that the legislation allows the state to purchase the Eastside site without first conducting required environmental reviews. By contrast, the state may not commit any money to the Lancaster project until a review of that location is completed.

Gage said the fact that the sites are being treated differently raised concerns among Bradley and members of the City Council that “Los Angeles is being singled out. . . . I think all the council and mayor are asking for is equity.”

Argument Dismissed

Deukmejian dismissed that argument, saying: “We all know it’s taken two years to reach this agreement. And now, for the city government of this city to indicate that they want to take steps to further delay it, definitely demonstrates to me they are not being reasonable.”

As to charges that his actions will penalize residents of the city, not just its political leaders, Deukmejian said: “I think the people of Los Angeles would really expect their elected representatives to be cooperative with the state in solving our overcrowded prison situation. I am sure their constituents are very concerned about public safety and want convicted criminals removed from this city and put in prison.”

In an unrelated matter, Deukmejian issued a statement Friday condemning Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan, saying the minister “is not welcome in California” for a planned speech next month at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Deukmejian scored politically in 1985 when he spoke out strongly against a Farrakhan visit at a time when Bradley remained silent. This time, however, Bradley was the first to speak out, saying he would find a way to break Farrakhan’s contract with the Convention Center.