CHICK SAYS HAHN IS WEAK LEADER AUDITOR HINTS SHE'LL WITHHOLD SUPPORT FOR MAYOR BECAUSE OF HIS INACTION.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

City Controller Laura Chick stepped up her attacks Thursday on Mayor James Hahn, saying he was failing to provide the leadership the city needs and raising the possibility she might withdraw her support of his re- election.

In her strongest criticism yet of Hahn, Chick complained he has failed to follow provisions of the City Charter in conducting annual evaluations of general managers, and has ignored recommendations included in her audits of several high-profile departments.

``I am very, very critical of this mayor not exerting his control over general managers. We don't have the strong, visionary leadership this city needs,'' she said in a City Hall meeting with reporters.

``I have not dropped my endorsement of the mayor, but I am looking closely at him and am looking for some answers.

``Frankly, I want to know where he stands on some of the issues facing the city and what he will do about it. It is a crowded field and there are a lot of people out there with good ideas.''

Three major candidates have launched challenges to Hahn in the election next March: City Councilman Bernard Parks, former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg and state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys. Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa is also said to be nearing a decision on whether to seek a rematch against Hahn.

Chick said she was particularly concerned about the lack of response she has seen from Hahn and his staff to her requests for reviews of general managers or implementing recommendations of her audits of Los Angeles World Airports and the Department of Water and Power.

``When we pointed out problems, all he had to do was pick up the phone and call the president of the commissions or the general managers and say, Stop the shenanigans,'' Chick said. ``Instead, it looks like nothing was done.''

Hahn was in Boston for the Democratic National Convention and unavailable for comment, but two of his aides defended his record.

``The mayor has met with department heads regularly and he has included the neighborhood councils in evaluating how good a job they are doing,'' spokeswoman Shannon Murphy said.

Deputy Mayor Doane Liu said Chick was off-base with her criticism.

``It's like being at a ballgame where all the person next to you does is yell at the ballplayers without knowing what's going on,'' Liu said.

``The mayor does have annual reviews of the general managers and he's started an innovative program called L.A. Stat, where he meets with department heads every week to review their department's performance.''

It was Chick's audit of LAWA earlier this year that prompted federal and county grand juries to open investigations of a ``pay-to-play'' system, in which businesses felt compelled to make political contributions to win city contracts.

Later, it was expanded to include contracting at the Department of Water and Power and Harbor Department and has spun off into other controversies, including whether the DWP was overbilled for public-relations services.

Chick sent a three-page letter to Hahn outlining her concerns and offering specific questions for reviewing the general managers of several city agencies.

Many of her questions focused on efficiencies, but also on leasing and contracting procedures, developing a complaint-tracking system and improving oversight at the agencies.

Chick, whose office has released 70 audits since she was elected in 2001, said she has an ambitious schedule for the coming year.

Among her goals is reviewing the progress of recommendations at the three proprietary agencies and undertaking audits of the Public Works, Recreation and Parks and Community Redevelopment agencies.

Chick also said her office has been receiving sporadic complaints from whistle-blowers that will be investigated as well.

``A lot of these are very credible,'' Chick said. ``It's not just people complaining about who's working. They are providing specific information that we are looking at.''

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com