CITY PONDERS $800 MILLION IN BONDS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

After voter rejection of bond and tax measures in November, the Los Angeles City Council took the first steps Wednesday to place two bond issues for as much as $800 million on the April ballot.

The larger of the two would provide between $500 million and $750 million for police and fire facilities. The other would be a $36 million version of the $46 million bond issue for Exposition Park that failed in November.

The council put off consideration of a third bond measure, estimated at up to $200 million, for construction of sidewalk curb ramps to comply with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act. Voters rejected a ballot measure in November for a special tax to repair sidewalks and do curb cuts.

The council voted 13-0 for the Exposition Park proposal, which would require matching grants from the museums there for improvements, including for the aquarium.

However, Councilman Nate Holden balked at the police and fire bond issue, for which a final dollar amount has not been established.

``Right now, we have a blank report,'' Holden said. ``I am not going to vote in the dark. Information has to be made available.''

A special City Council committee is working to resolve differences between a $500 million proposal submitted by a blue-ribbon panel of experts and a $750 million plan submitted by a task force of city officials.

The two groups agreed generally on the needed improvements and new facilities, with the difference in costs arising because of the city task force's recommendation that 17 fire stations be built instead of the 11 recommended by the blue-ribbon panel.

Mayor Richard Riordan has said he wants the measure limited to $500 million.

Both groups agreed that the most critical projects to be completed are the replacement of four police stations in the West Valley, Rampart, Hollenbeck and Harbor areas of the city.

City Council members Laura Chick and Joel Wachs, who supported the council's action, said they were concerned that the measure be limited to what was necessary and not make any false promises to voters.

``I'm concerned how we prioritize projects and make sure we will be able to deliver,'' Chick said.

A 1989 police facilities bond issue was approved by city voters for the West Valley station and others, but the Los Angeles Police Department, citing a financial crunch, did not build some of the projects, including the West Valley one.

``I want to know what we're going to do differently to make sure we do what we say we'll do,'' Wachs said. ``Everyone wants assurances because we were embarrassed at what wasn't done the last time.''

Chief Legislative Analyst Ron Deaton said there have been changes to include specific project managers to oversee the work as well as two oversight committees, one from the public and the second from city departments.