Alarcon to Turn 5% Raise Over to Police : City Hall: Councilman becomes latest elected official to forgo the increase--about $5,000--as a political embarrassment.

Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon promised Wednesday to donate his upcoming 5% salary increase to police units in his northeast San Fernando Valley district, joining the parade of elected officials who are rejecting the money as a political embarrassment.

The money, which amounts to about $5,000 annually, will be split between four police divisions to buy furniture, printers and exercise equipment for police.

“I think it’s a statement that the officers appreciate very much,” said Deputy Police Chief Martin Pomeroy, who heads the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley units.

In November, the City Council voted to recommend that council members and other elected officials refuse the raise, which takes effect Jan. 1, but left it up to the individuals to decide how the money should be spent.

Many elected officials have vowed to simply forgo the raise, while others have yet to decide how to allocate it.

The increase is provided to all elected city officials under an ethics package approved by voters in 1990 that ties their pay to the salaries of Municipal Court judges.

To pass up the increase, officials must submit a waiver to the city controller’s office by Jan. 4. The waiver will ensure that the money stays in the office budget of each official and does not go to their personal salaries.

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Seven of 18 elected officials have submitted waivers refusing the increase.

Councilmen Nate Holden and Marvin Braude said Wednesday that they plan to accept the salary increase but contribute the money to worthwhile efforts in their districts.

Although the higher salaries will bring higher tax bills, accepting the raise also increases the council members’ retirement benefits, which are partly based on salary levels. The donations can also be claimed as a charitable contribution on federal tax returns.

Holden, who said he plans to donate the raise to gang diversion programs, discounted the personal benefits he may receive from the contribution, saying they are minimal. “It’s not very much,” he said.

Based on the city’s formula, Holden’s retirement benefits will increase about $590 annually if he accepts the raise.

Braude, who said he plans to donate the money to the three police divisions in his district, said he was unaware of the benefits he may get from making a donation. “I never thought about the consequences,” he said.

Braude’s retirement benefits will increase by about $2,720 annually if he accepts the raise, according to the city’s formula.

Alarcon said he would not benefit from the donation because he plans on waiving the 5% salary increase and then contributing the money to police out of his office budget. Such a move would increase neither his retirement benefits nor his income tax bill.

“I’m not taking any benefit on this,” he said.

The other elected officials who have submitted documents to waive the increase are City Controller Rick Tuttle and council members Richard Alatorre, Laura Chick, Jackie Goldberg, Rudy Svorinich and Rita Walters.

Mayor Richard Riordan has already submitted a waiver for all but a $1-a-year salary.

City Atty. James K. Hahn and council members Zev Yaroslavsky, Mike Hernandez and Joel Wachs said they plan to waive the increase before the Jan. 4 deadline.

Council members Ruth Galanter, John Ferraro and Mark Ridley-Thomas said they do not plan to take the salary increase but are still reviewing their alternatives for donating the money to the city, the police or charitable groups.

Councilman Hal Bernson could not be reached for comment but has said he plans to donate the money to police in his district.