Council OKs Police Facilities Bond for Ballot

In a surprise move, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to place a $171-million bond measure on the June ballot that would increase property taxes to build new police stations and expand others throughout the city.

Councilman Richard Alarcon had originally proposed a $100-million bond measure to build two new stations in the San Fernando Valley and Mid-Wilshire areas. But after a contentious, two-hour debate, the measure was increased by $71 million to include 10 other expansion projects.

In the end, critics and supporters of Alarcon’s original proposal agreed that the move to increase the amount of the bond measure was based on political considerations as much as it was on the needs of police.

“This is not what I wanted,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, the most vocal critic of the original bond measure, adding that she wanted further study on the issue.

If approved by voters, the bond measure would increase property taxes for an average household by about $10 per year for the next 25 to 30 years. It requires approval by two-thirds of those voting to pass.

Alarcon originally proposed a measure that would generate $35 million for Valley and Mid-Wilshire stations as well as an additional $30 million for upgrading facilities citywide. The two stations were originally to be built under a $176-million bond measure approved by voters in 1989. But they were never built because police and city officials vastly underestimated construction costs.

But Alarcon’s measure faced strong opposition from several council members, particularly Chick, who said the measure was premature because the city had yet to complete a comprehensive study of police needs citywide. Chick has suggested that the council wait at least until the March, 1996, presidential primary election to place a bond measure on the ballot.

Prior to the vote Tuesday, police and city administrators also urged the council to delay the bond measure until the citywide study of police needs is completed. The LAPD is awaiting a study on the need to expand William H. Parker Center, the department’s main downtown headquarters.

Assistant Chief Frank Piersol said the 1989 bond measure failed to pay for all the police projects partly because police and city officials failed to first complete a comprehensive study.

But Councilman Mike Hernandez rejected calls for a delay and said he would support the bond measure only if it included an extra $35 million to replace the crowded and aging Rampart police station near downtown.

Realizing that Alarcon had enough votes to put the measure on the ballot, Chick rattled off a list of other expansion projects that police have requested but were not funded under the previous bond measure.

“If we are going to do it, let’s do it right,” she said.

Alarcon agreed to add the projects to the measure, increasing it to $171 million. It was approved on a 10-1 vote. Councilwoman Rita Walters was the only dissenter.

But some homeowner group leaders say they are skeptical that the measure will get the necessary votes, especially in light of the broken promises made to voters after the 1989 bond measure was approved.

“The problem I see is that in the past, we paid so much and have gotten so little,” said Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. Although Close endorsed the 1989 bond measure, he said he will not support the council’s new proposal.

Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn., agreed that voters are very circumspect of the city’s promises and are not going to be easily swayed to support a new tax increase.

“It’s going to be a tough sell,” he said.

Since the measure was first proposed two weeks ago, it has created a sticky political situation for city officials such as Chick who believed that the bond measure was rushed but are leery of being viewed as not supportive of police.

Prior to the vote, both Alarcon and Chick were seen crisscrossing the council chambers in an effort to lobby votes for their respective positions.

Several council members switched positions at the last minute. Council President John Ferraro originally co-signed Alarcon’s measure but, prior to the vote, told his colleagues that he would vote against it because he believed that it needed further study. In the end, he voted for the measure.

Mayor Richard Riordan has previously supported the measure in concept but has asked for further details on how the money would be spent before he could endorse it.

On Tuesday, Noelia Rodriguez, Riordan’s press aide, said the mayor supports the measure approved by the council because it provides police improvement projects that are needed citywide.

“We are really happy that the council took the position today,” she said.

During the debate Tuesday, tempers flared. At one point, Alarcon and Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas shouted to each other across the room in a dispute over whether the city had completed any studies on the cost of the Valley and Mid-Wilshire stations.

“Be truthful,” an angry Ridley-Thomas yelled.

“I am being truthful,” Alarcon responded. “If you don’t support it, then don’t support it.”

The final vote was a surprising victory for Alarcon, who has argued that delaying the bond measure for a year will hurt crime-fighting efforts in some of the most crime-plagued areas of the city.

“The broken promises of 1989 have not been forgotten, and the City Council today recognized that the need for the divisions is much greater than ever,” he said after the meeting.

If approved by voters, the proposed bond measure would pay:

* $35 million for a new Mid-Valley station to serve the communities of North Hills, Panorama City, Mission Hills, Arleta and Panorama City.

* $35 million for a new Mid-Wilshire station to serve Koreatown and adjacent communities.

* $35 million to replace the Rampart station.

* $35 million to replace the Hollenbeck station.

* $7 million to build a new parking structure for the Valley police headquarters in Van Nuys.

* $3 million to add a new detective squad room for the West Valley station.

* $3 million to add a new detective squad room for the Harbor station.

* $3 million to build a new parking structure for the Northeast station.

* $3 million to build a new parking structure for the West Los Angeles station.

* $4 million to build new child-care facilities for four police stations.

* $6 million to expand police training facilities as recommended by the Christopher Commission following the Rodney G. King beating.

* $2 million for improvements to various police substations.