COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVE TO BLOCK FUNDING : CITY MAY HOLD MTA MONEY.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy and David Bloom Daily News Staff Writers

Handing the MTA a potentially crippling ultimatum, seven City Council members who represent the San Fernando Valley lawmakers moved Friday to freeze $200 million in city funding to the transit agency until it steps up construction of the east-west rail line.

City Controller Rick Tuttle said he is putting a hold on the transfer of the money until the council votes on the motion Tuesday.

In a rare show of unity, the motion was jointly submitted by the seven Valley council members and has the support of an eighth member, Nate Holden, enough to form a majority on the 15-seat council. It comes just days after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released a plan pushing back work on the line until as late as 2011.

``The MTA has already shown disrespect for Valley transit riders by the action they took this week,'' said Councilman Mike Feuer. ``It's incumbent on the MTA to return to the table with a revised plan that demonstrates a commitment to Valley transit.''

Linda Bohlinger, the MTA's interim chief executive officer, said any city action to shut off the money would delay projects under way - including Red Line subway construction to North Hollywood. She said she would meet next week with city leaders.

``Every $100 million (cut) is a year delay on a project,'' Bohlinger said. ``This would have a rolling effect.

``I'm confident we can get the agreement back on track,'' she said. ``The focus should be on finishing the environmental review this year. If we do that, we can begin final design work and get the project going.''

A revised rail recovery plan approved Wednesday by the MTA board pushes back construction of the east-west rail line from 2003 to as late as 2011, even though Valley taxpayers already have paid an estimated $1.3 billion for the countywide rail project.

Anger over what some are calling the MTA's ``serious reversal'' to meet east-west deadlines is swelling.

Leaders of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association said Friday that they plan to meet next week to consider the possibility of the Valley seceding from the MTA, among other measures.

One measure calls for setting up a separate Valley transportation authority that would receive its own sales tax revenues for bus and rail projects and plan, build and run its own projects.

``We're not swinging the mallet yet, but we're carrying the mallet,'' said Nate Brogin, a VICA board member. ``If they don't get the message down there now, I don't know what it will take.''

U.S. Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, in a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, said the rail recovery plan gives the Valley ``no choice other than taking transportation matters in their own hands by seceding from the MTA.

``If that's what the MTA wants,'' McKeon wrote, ``then they are certainly doing a fine job.''

McKeon, a Santa Clarita Republican who formerly served on the House transportation committee, said his ``sole reason'' for backing new transportation projects recommended by the MTA to Congress was because of agency assurances that the east-west line wouldn't slip in priority.

Riordan could not be reached Friday for comment. But his aides said the mayor is trying to figure out ways to get the east-west line built more quickly. Riordan backed the recovery plan only because of looming deadlines for funding and federal pressure, his aides said.

``The mayor is going to pursue the east-west line with or without this plan and he's continuing to work on the line,'' said aide Steve Sugerman. ``The mayor felt that (passing the recovery plan) was the responsible action to take. The plan will be revisited in the future.''

The motion submitted Friday by the seven council members directs city administrators to negotiate changes in the MTA construction schedule to move up the east-west Valley line by spreading out among all the other rail projects in the county any delays from funding shortfalls .

In addition to Feuer, the motion was signed by council members Laura Chick, John Ferraro, Richard Alarcon, Joel Wachs, Marvin Braude and Hal Bernson.

Holden said he plans to join the seven Valley council members in approving the motion, which also asks city staff to develop an action plan detailing further steps ``to ensure that the MTA fulfill its prior commitments'' to the Valley.

The money that council members are moving to block is the city's share of two transit tax measures approved by county voters since 1980. The council voted in August to transfer $200 million to the MTA for subway construction in Los Angeles, but on condition that the MTA adhere to its schedule for the Valley line.

An initial forecast for construction to begin in 2003 was the latest estimate before the recovery plan was finalized.

Bohlinger has said the city is legally required to provide the funds as long as the transit agency meets a schedule for design and environmental studies, which it has, and that the agreement with the city does not set a deadline for construction to start.

But Feuer contends the city is within its right to withhold funding.

``The action that the MTA took to approve their recovery plan completely eviscerated the essence of the council agreement to contribute $200 million to the MTA,'' Feuer said. ``The premise of that agreement was a concerted effort to move the Valley line forward expeditiously.

``They undermined that agreement,'' Feuer said.

Finishing the deal with the city is considered by federal officials an important signal of local support for the MTA, Bohlinger said. She acknowledged the anger expressed in the community, but said the agency is at a critical time when funding is limited.

``Money is still money, pain is still pain,'' Bohlinger said. ``We need to recognize the new fiscal realities.''

Chick said she was not concerned about the potential for chaos the council action poses for the MTA.

``What it hopefully will cause is reconsideration on their part to find a more equitable and sensible way of doing a rail recovery program,'' she said.

Chick also is intrigued by a possible separate transit agency in the Valley.

``As one of the ways to go, I think it would be very interesting to look at creating a separate agency for the Valley,'' Chick said. ``Maybe that's the only way we're ever going to get a substantial return on our tax dollars.''

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Question: Do you think the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is doing a good job bringing transportation services to the Valley?

Johanna Glass of Tarzana:``So far, I'm still driving. I think we need more buses until they get their act together on a rail line. It really is a problem.''

Bernie Seidman of Northridge: ``It stinks. We came to the Valley in 1953 and have been promised good transportation ever since. They keep going back to survey, survey, survey. Meanwhile, Long Beach gets a line, Pasadena gets a line. Zev Yaroslavsky (county supervisor) said we probably couldn't expect a rapid transit line in our lifetime. At this rate, it won't be in our children's lifetimes. But what are you going to do about it?''

Max Turell of Granada Hills: ``From what we hear, they're doing an adequate job. But I don't hardly ever use it. We're not used to using public transportation.''

Laura Callegari of Pacoima: ``One of the things they don't have is enough buses. We have a big population of people riding buses. But there are some areas in the Valley where buses don't run very often. Many bus stops don't have shelters and people get tired of waiting in the weather.''

CAPTION(S):

box

Box: What people are saying (see text)