The Times Poll : Bradley Rating Sinks; Resignation Opposed

Mayor Tom Bradley’s popularity continues to plummet, but in the wake of a city attorney’s report criticizing his conduct most Los Angeles residents do not want him to resign, according to The Times Poll.

The survey of 572 Los Angeles residents showed stark declines in the number who approve of Bradley’s performance as mayor and of those who have a favorable impression of the five-term chief executive. Half believe the mayor has lied about his financial affairs and almost as many--45%--said they believe that Bradley was guilty of a conflict of interest between his mayoral duties and his personal finances.

Only half of those who voted for Bradley in his mayoral election last April said they would vote for him again, and one out of every five said they would vote for someone else if they had it to do over again. More than half said Bradley’s effectiveness as mayor has been damaged.

But other results showed a sense of ambivalence among Los Angeles residents: While almost half said they believe Bradley was guilty of a conflict of interest, roughly the same proportion said the mayor should not have been charged with criminal acts. And the respondents split nearly evenly on the question of whether Bradley had “let you down.”

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points.

Overall, the poll underscored a sense of disappointment in a mayor who has traditionally been highly regarded for traits of honesty and integrity, said Times Poll director I.A. Lewis.

“They’re surely disappointed,” Lewis said. “They used to like him.”

The Times Poll was conducted Thursday night, a day after City Atty. James K. Hahn filed a six-count civil lawsuit against the mayor, alleging that he had failed to disclose major stock holdings on the statements of economic interest that public officials are required to file. Hahn’s investigation centered on whether Bradley, who received consultant or adviser fees from two financial firms, had created a conflict of interest when he took actions that resulted in a benefit to the firms.

No criminal charges of conflict of interest were filed against the mayor, Hahn said, because investigators lacked sufficient evidence. But, the city attorney said, “no vindication of the mayor’s conduct is intended, implied or should in any way be inferred.”

Bradley, in a 40-minute televised address and subsequent question-and-answer session with reporters Wednesday night, ignored Hahn’s strong criticism and contended that he had been vindicated by the report. If Bradley was hoping residents would hear him out, he would have been disappointed. According to the survey, only a third saw or heard Bradley’s City Hall address.

Earlier Findings Confirmed

The poll results confirmed earlier findings that Bradley’s political image has declined as publicity about his financial dealings has increased over the last six months.

For example, only 41% said they approved of Bradley’s handling of his job, a drop from 53% in a May, 1989, poll. Three years earlier, in March of 1986, when he was in the midst of his second unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign, almost three of every four residents approved of the way the mayor did his job.

Also, 37% of respondents on Thursday said they disapprove of the way Bradley is doing his job, up from 30% in May and a mere 5% in 1986.

Similar patterns were seen when residents were asked whether they had a favorable impression of the mayor. The question is a common indicator of a politician’s strength.

In February of 1986, for example, 75% were favorably impressed, a percentage which had held virtually constant until February of this year, a month before the controversy over Bradley’s finances erupted. But on Thursday, only 45% said they had a favorable impression of the mayor.

A 34% Increase

In the same time frame, the share of people who had an unfavorable impression of Bradley climbed from 12% to 46%.

Perhaps explaining the slide, more than half of the Los Angeles residents questioned by the Times Poll said Bradley “has told lies about his financial affairs,” a notable number given Bradley’s reputation for honesty. Only 19%, in contrast, felt the mayor had not lied.

Most people--54%--believe Bradley’s political effectiveness has been damaged by the controversy, while only a third said he has escaped undamaged. Bradley himself has acknowledged the damage, most recently in a response Wednesday night to a reporter’s question.

But the reservoir of good feeling that has traditionally buoyed Bradley--who has served for 47 years as a police officer, city councilman and mayor--clearly continues to offer him support.

Asked whether Bradley should resign, 54% said no. Only 31% said he should quit, and the rest were undecided.

Others Also Affected

Besides demonstrating the serious impact the controversy has had on Bradley, the results of the Times Poll showed clearly that the Bradley controversy is casting a negative reflection on other politicians as well.

Two-thirds of those polled said they believe that other local government officials are often guilty of the same sorts of misconduct of which Bradley is accused.

And no public officials--even those most closely linked to the investigations--have clearly benefitted from the controversy over the mayor’s finances.

City Controller Rick Tuttle last week blasted Bradley for “interfering” with his investigation into a city-funded task force run by Juanita St. John, a financial partner of the mayor. But 72% of the respondents said they had not heard enough about Tuttle to have an impression of him.

Similarly, nearly half of those polled said they have no impression of Councilman Michael Woo, whose committee opened hearings into the Bradley matter last spring.

The two most prominent politicians associated with the probes were City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, whose committee has held hearings dealing with Bradley-related probes of the city treasurer’s office, and City Atty. Hahn.

Thirty-nine percent had a favorable impression of Yaroslavsky, compared to 17% who had a negative impression. Hahn was better known than his city colleagues, but a third of the respondents still said they had not formed an opinion of him. Of those who had, 44% felt favorably and 17% had an unfavorable impression.

That favorable rate, however, was statistically the same as Bradley’s.

* Council Holds Back: The City Council was reluctant to press its own probe. Page3.

* Related Stories: Metro Page 1