Alarcon Seeks to Switch MTA Funds to New Police Stations

Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon on Tuesday proposed using $100 million that the city has set aside for subways to build at least three police stations in the San Fernando Valley and the Mid-City area.

But Mayor Richard Riordan and several council members questioned Alarcon’s effort to tap into city money destined for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s controversial subway system.

“The city needs to carefully balance the need for public facilities and the need to invest in our transportation infrastructure. These are questions the mayor and the City Council will have to wrestle with,” said Deane Levenworth, the mayor’s press deputy.

The police facilities Alarcon identified were promised to voters nine years ago but never built.

Councilman Richard Alatorre, who along with Riordan is a member of the MTA board, called Alarcon’s proposal shortsighted.

Alarcon’s proposal, introduced in a motion before the council Tuesday, calls on the city to build police facilities originally scheduled to be constructed with money generated by a $176-million bond measure approved by voters in 1989.

The stations were dropped from the project list because police and city officials underestimated construction costs.

The money earmarked for the MTA could be used to build two Valley stations and one in the Mid-City area and pay for renovations at facilities in the Hollenbeck and Harbor divisions, Alarcon said.

“The city has to keep its promises,” Alarcon, a state Senate candidate, said at a news conference Tuesday.

The money Alarcon wants to divert is part of the $200 million the city agreed to pay to the MTA to assist with the construction of subway extensions to North Hollywood, the Mid-City and the Eastside. However, the MTA has suspended the Mid-City and Eastside expansions because of funding problems.

Julian Burke, chief executive officer of the MTA, said he plans to meet with Alarcon on Friday to discuss his proposal, but said his priority is improving regional transportation.