Budget Crunch Seen Hurting Prospects of Ethics Proposal

Los Angeles City Council members--who are cutting millions of dollars in services from Mayor Tom Bradley’s $3.6-billion budget and adding new taxes as they confront a looming fiscal crisis--acknowledged Thursday that their actions might make it more difficult to convince voters to give them a pay raise next month.

“This budget situation doesn’t help,” said Councilman Michael Woo, a leading supporter of an ethics reform package that will go before the voters June 5.

The $5-million ethics reform package includes salary increases and provides campaign matching funds for council members and other elected officials. Money for the ethics measure has not yet been budgeted, meaning that the council would have to dip into reserves or make additional spending cuts to fund the ethics package if it is approved.

Tax hikes and threatened cutbacks in a host of services from tree trimming to police add “another complication” to getting voter approval for the ethics reform proposal, Woo said.

He nonetheless argued that the ethics proposal has merit because, among other things, it places bans on officials’ outside income.

Other council members who voted to place the measure on the ballot appeared more pessimistic about its chances in light of the budget troubles. “It’ll have (a negative) effect,” said Councilman Hal Bernson. “But I don’t know if anything could help” the ethics package, he added.

The leading opponent of the ethics package, Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, claimed that with the money spent on the ethics package in the first year alone, nearly 100 officers could be put on the street.

The debate over the budget turned increasingly grim as various department heads went before the council arguing that they should be spared from a proposed $40-million package of salary, equipment and supply cuts that go deeper than the belt-tightening already proposed by Bradley.

Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, who would lose nearly $13 million for salaries under the proposals by the mayor and council, told the council he would not be able to hire the 400 new officers envisioned by the mayor and council. He said he also would have difficulty maintaining current levels of officers on the street. If the council fails to restore at least $7 million in police overtime, Gates said there would have to be a “net reduction” in service and officer response times could increase.

Several council members responded skeptically, noting that Gates’ budget is $1 billion and suggesting that there are other places to reduce expenses. Gates repeatedly insisted that such trims were impossible.

City Atty. James Hahn said the proposed reductions in his spending request come as the number of criminal cases filed by his office has increased by 13%. He said the reduction would mean his office would have to cut back on a variety of legal services, including advice given City Council members.

To lessen cuts in services, Hahn called on the council to adopt higher rubbish collection fees to cover the full $40-million to $60-million yearly cost of a major new curbside recycling program. The program is one of several key factors contributing to the budget squeeze.

But there was no scrimping in the council chambers Thursday, as taxpayers funded a two-table lunch that Council President John Ferraro said was becoming too elaborate.

While reviewing ways to slice the budget, council members munched on skewered meats, tacos, salads, soups, deep-dish cheesecake and an array of pastries.

“There’s a ton of food over there,” observed Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores.

Chief Legislative Analyst William McCarley said the lunch cost several hundred dollars and was part of an effort to upgrade the fare at the annual budget session.

Later, Ferraro allowed that the luncheon ritual might have to be scaled back to the previous fare of sandwiches and soda because it “ has “gotten out of hand. It has become a buffet banquet”

The budget deliberations continue today.