AIRPORT FEUD BOILS : CONTROLLER URGES CITY TO KEEP LAX MONEY.Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer Calling it a matter of home rule, Controller Rick Tuttle Rick Tuttle (born 1940) was Los Angeles City Controller from 1985 to 2001. He stressed the importance of creating a strong democratic influence at UCLA, which was in his words "the best large public university in a major city. on Monday urged the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. to stand up to the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control and keep $31.5 million from the Department of Airports. Tuttle, in a letter to the council, said he believes the city's position is legally solid and will get wide support in its efforts to keep the money for past investments made at Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX . The council is scheduled to consider the matter today. The FAA earlier this month demanded the city return the money to the Airports Department or face the loss of federal money. In its decision, it cited a city action in 1975 barring the transfer of funds for any services other than those provided directly by the city. ``The core of that legal argument is that a policy adopted by the City Council in 1975 . . . is binding on all future councils,'' Tuttle said. ``The City Attorney is confident that this questionable legal opinion will not stand. We are also confident that the National League of Cities The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest organization in the United States devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. will help defend Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. against this new, broad assertion of federal power.'' Airports General Manger John Driscoll also questioned whether the letter from the FAA was an official order. ``The letter from the FAA is a request to return the funds,'' Driscoll said. ``(It) does not cite any rules, policies, procedures or laws with respect to what they are following in this matter.'' If it is an order, Driscoll said the city would be entitled to various appeal processes and a hearing before an administrative law judge administrative law judge n. a professional hearing officer who works for the government to preside over hearings and appeals involving governmental agencies. They are generally experienced in the particular subject matter of the agency involved or of several agencies. . However, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association warned the city was playing a dangerous game with the federal agency. ``It seems the controller is ignoring federal law,'' said John Ek. ``The FAA certainly seems to be viewing this as an order. The controller wants to risk a lot of taxpayer money by playing a game of chicken with the FAA.'' |
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