Hahn OKs Raise for Aide Who Hosted Fund-Raiser

Los Angeles City Atty. James K. Hahn has approved a pay increase for a deputy who hosted a fund-raiser last month for Hahn’s reelection bid.

Deputy City Atty. Ted Smith was among 181 lawyers who were promoted or had their salaries raised. He received a double merit-pay increase worth $5,000 to make his total annual salary nearly $83,000.

Smith, who also serves as a Culver City planning commissioner, coordinated a dinner at a steakhouse for about a dozen Culver City elected officials and activists June 6, netting his boss $5,500 in campaign contributions.

“Jim Hahn has the vision and the compassion for people,” said Smith, who met earlier with Hahn’s opponent, Ted Stein, to discuss the race. “The city is being divided up by ethnicity and race and geography. If this city is going to move forward, it needs people who will look at Los Angeles as a whole.”

Hahn has declined direct contributions from his employees, but welcomes help such as Smith’s. Rebecca Avila, city Ethics Commission executive director, said incumbents are prohibited from soliciting donations from their employees but may accept contributions.

Stein and Hahn were both out of town Wednesday and could not be reached for comment. In a statement released by his office, Hahn praised Smith as “hard-working” and said: “I don’t think anybody in my office should be punished for supporting me.”