Valley Legislators, Community Leaders Denounce ABC Cuts : Budget: Layoffs planned by Gov. Wilson would end enforcement of state alcohol control laws, opponents of the proposal say.

San Fernando Valley-area legislators and community activists on Monday denounced Gov. Pete Wilson’s plan to lay off inspectors with the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control--claiming that the cutbacks could lead to increased crime and teen-age alcoholism.

“It’s hard to imagine what’s happened to the governor’s sense of judgment,” Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs told about 50 people gathered in front of the state office building in Van Nuys. “Today, he’s effectively saying that nothing is going to happen to people who sell alcohol to minors.”

Under Wilson’s plan, nearly three-quarters of the state’s ABC investigators would be laid off, saving the state $5 million, officials said. The number of investigators in ABC’s Van Nuys district--which covers the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys--would drop from 10 to two.

The proposed layoffs come as a harsh blow to groups that have fought for years to make sure that alcohol does not reduce the quality of life in residential neighborhoods, said Robin Little, who chairs the San Fernando Valley Alcohol Policy Coalition, the rally’s organizer.

The layoffs, which are expected to begin in November, would undermine efforts to enforce state liquor-selling laws in the 3,600 businesses in the Van Nuys district, said its administrator, Jim Smith.

It is only a matter of time, community and political leaders said, before holders of liquor licenses will disregard state regulations, such as the prohibition against selling alcohol to minors. Lax enforcement could open a floodgate to problems associated with alcohol, from drug abuse to assault to drunk driving, they said.

“We may save a couple of dollars in the short run,” Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) told the crowd. “But, in the long term, it’s going to cost us.”

Katz said that if Wilson does not scrap the proposed staff cutbacks, he will introduce emergency legislation to replenish the ABC investigators when the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Legislative staffers said it was too early to predict the fate of such a bill, but state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) and Assemblyman Terry Friedman (D-Los Angeles) indicated Monday that they would support the legislation proposed by Katz.

Wilson has not shown a willingness to soften his position on the ABC cuts.

“We need to make $5 billion in cuts and there are going to be cuts throughout government,” said Franz Wisner, the governor’s deputy press secretary. “And these are going to be painful cuts, and we’re not denying that.” He said the cuts would not be as severe if state labor unions agreed to a proposed 5% cut in pay.

Wisner said he could not comment on whether Wilson would support new proposals being discussed in the state Capitol that would prevent the ABC layoffs by increasing liquor license fees.

Even before the Wilson proposal, state Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) introduced a measure this year to boost the fees as a way to add 200 new ABC investigators. The bill failed to pass the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

Representatives speaking on behalf of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, Robbins, Friedman and Mothers Against Drunk Driving also bemoaned the cuts.