Officers Begin Voting, Expected to OK Contract : Labor: Some city officials fear Mayor Riordan’s compromise offer is too costly. Aides scramble to firm up revenue estimates that are the basis of his budget.

Although questions lingered about the city’s ability to fund the deal, Los Angeles police officers began voting Tuesday on the city’s latest contract offer, and leaders of the police union said the package appeared to be headed for ratification.

Some city officials argue that the compromise worked out by Mayor Richard Riordan is too costly and will drastically scale back the mayor’s effort to beef up police patrols. Union leaders, meanwhile, contend that the offer is acceptable but not anything to get excited about.

“The contract will probably be approved, but the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department when they are voting on this contract are very solemn,” said union Director David Zeigler. “They aren’t tap-dancing about this contract.”

The voting will continue today and Thursday at various police facilities. The $50-million package--which calls for a 7% raise over the next 18 months, along with a patrol incentive and $1,500 cash bonus--will be considered by the City Council next week.

As the officers began to vote, Riordan’s aides were working to shore up revenue estimates that are the basis of his budget. Two council committees had recommended this week that the city not approve the deal without first knowing how it will be funded.

Members of the Department of Water and Power Commission, who are appointed by Riordan, sought to guarantee a $10-million transfer from the DWP to the city treasury. But with the support of only two of five DWP commissioners, the proposal died.

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Riordan aides denied that the request of the DWP was linked to the police raise, but officials at the city utility said they believed that was the reason for the proposed transfer.

DWP officials argued vehemently against the transfer, saying that the $197 million they have already agreed to transfer to the city is as much as they can spare.

Any additional transfer of funds could lead to layoffs of DWP employees and a reduction in projects such as the replacement of outdated water lines, said Jim Wickser, the DWP’s assistant general manager. “They were talking about a surplus that just isn’t there,” he said.