Historic Meeting of City, State

In an effort to foster a better relationship between Los Angeles and Sacramento, Mayor James K. Hahn met with almost a dozen state legislators who represent the area Monday and asked for their help in improving local emergency preparedness.

The morning meeting at City Hall was attended by 11 of the 26 legislators who represent parts of Los Angeles, including Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), state Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) and incoming Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson (D-Culver City). Officials said it was the first time in recent years that a Los Angeles mayor and city officials had met formally with a caucus of legislators who represent Los Angeles in the state Capitol.

“This is a historic first,” Polanco said at a news conference after the meeting. “Let it not be the last.”

During the meeting, attended by Police Chief Bernard C. Parks, airport director Lydia Kennard, Fire Chief William Bamattre and other city department heads, city officials briefed the state leaders on the city’s emergency preparedness.

Los Angeles officials also presented the legislators with a “wish list” of improvements to the city’s safety systems totaling millions of dollars. The list includes more hazardous-materials teams, additional helicopters and a better communications system with other regional emergency departments.

Hahn said the measures are important to enhance the city’s safety systems, which he said are ready to handle a host of emergencies.

The request comes at a tough time for the state, which is facing a potential $12.4-billion budget deficit.

But Hertzberg said state leaders would work with the city to find ways to finance the emergency preparedness measures.

“It’s public safety--we have to do it,” Hertzberg said. “We just have to figure out creative ways to finance it. The bad news is we have this deficit. The good news is that, by all predictors, it’s a short-term deficit.”

In the meeting, state leaders asked the city to prioritize the list and identify projects that would benefit the region.

Los Angeles is becoming increasingly reliant on the state as its own fiscal health is being taxed. Since Sept. 11, the city’s Department of Water and Power has spent $5 million in increased water monitoring and security, the airport has spent $15 million to $20 million on additional safety measures, and the police and fire departments have run up more than $7 million in extra costs.

“We’re all looking for money these days,” Hahn said. “The state obviously has been hit pretty hard, and the city has as well. I think there’s opportunities where if we invest for the future, it will save money in the long run.”

State legislators thanked Hahn for initiating the joint meeting and bringing together Los Angeles’ state representatives, who do not meet together regularly in Sacramento.

“It’s hard when you have this many layers of government,” Hertzberg said. “It’s critical for us not to play the turf war and work together.”

Hahn’s aides said the mayor hopes to have similar functions with state legislators at least four times a year.

“We really appreciate the fact that we had the time and the ear of so many legislators here,” Hahn said. “We want this to be the first of many opportunities for the city of Los Angeles to work more closely with our political counterparts in Sacramento.”