Union Sees Conflict in Port’s Donation

A city employee union complained Monday that the Port of Los Angeles has donated $30,000 to the San Pedro City Ballet during the last three years, calling it a conflict of interest because Mayor James K. Hahn’s wife is on the dance company’s board of directors.

The criticism, which appeared on a new Internet blog set up by the Engineers and Architects Assn., signaled the start of a campaign by one of the few unions not supporting Hahn’s reelection.

The engineers’ union, which represents 9,000 Los Angeles city employees, has endorsed Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa for mayor, but plans to use its website to expose city controversies whether they involve Hahn or not, said Robert G. Aquino, the union’s executive director.

The Port of Los Angeles, whose governing board is appointed by Hahn, has contributed about $30,000 to the ballet group, making the city one of the troupe’s biggest supporters, said Alison Tanaka, an administrative worker for the dance company.

Monica Hahn, who is separated from the mayor, is a member of the board of directors, and the mayor’s 12-year-old son, Jackson, performed in the company’s “Nutcracker” production a few years ago, said Patrick Bradley, a founder of the company.

The dance troupe’s board president, John Goode, denied there was a conflict of interest, noting that neither Monica Hahn nor Jackson were paid for their involvement with the nonprofit company. He also said that Monica Hahn has not attended board meetings in recent months.

Still, Aquino said, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission should look into the port funding.

“Port money is supposed to be used for the operation of the port,” said Aquino, who represents some Harbor Department workers.

“This shows that the mayor is pretty loose with port money and thinks it can be used for his own personal family’s interest. That’s not right at all.”

Deputy Mayor Doane Liu said no one in the mayor’s office requested the funding.

“I don’t know how it can be a conflict of interest if the mayor didn’t know about it,” he said.

He said that the port approves more than $1 million a year in grants for community groups, including the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club.