CRITICS URGE OPEN PROCESS FOR LAX COMMISSION.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

One day after the resignation of his point man on the Airport Commission, Mayor James Hahn found his proposed $9.1 billion modernization plan for Los Angeles International Airport under siege Wednesday from a wide range of critics.

With controversial Encino developer Ted Stein off the commission, two prominent candidates to succeed him said they weren't interested and City Controller Laura Chick called for an open process for picking a head for the airport to get the best person for the job rather than another City Hall insider.

At the same time, City Council members Cindy Miscikowski and Tony Cardenas stepped their questioning of the Hahn plan, and the leading critic, El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon, said he fears that too much growth in air traffic will be allowed.

``With Ted Stein's resignation, the mayor has an opportunity to get a fresh start,'' Gordon said. ``Our concern remains how many passengers will be allowed and the impact on El Segundo.''

The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce executive board also weighed in and is expected to call today for creating a separate oversight committee to review the plan.

With the cloud of county and federal investigations hanging over airport contracting practices, Hahn began making calls to find a successor to Stein, who denied he was involved in a ``pay-to-play'' scheme at the department.

Attorney George Kieffer, head of the Chamber of Commerce, and developer Rick Caruso, president of the Police Commission, took themselves out of the running for the airport post. Hahn remained confident his plan would be approved once environmental hearings start later this month.

``The mayor still thinks improving security at LAX is the top priority and there need to be improvements to modernize and upgrade the airport,'' Deputy Mayor Julie Wong said. ``We will continue to work to build consensus around an airport plan.''

Miscikowski, who represents the LAX area, has developed her own plan but will not provide details until she talks with others involved in the issue.

``I think the one thing we've seen is that the mayor's plan has served to bring together various opponents - from residents to the airport operators. What I'd like to do is bring together those different groups to come to a consensus.''

Cardenas, who chairs the council's Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources Committee overseeing the airport, said his concerns focus on construction of the Manchester Square ground-transportation center that would serve as an off-site passenger- and luggage-screening facility.

``I am not sure that's the best approach to take,'' Cardenas said. ``We want to examine every aspect of the plan. With someone new coming in at the Airport Commission, we have a chance to do that.''

He would like to make immediate smaller improvements to the international terminal and other facilities.

The chamber's modified support came with concerns over the cost, security and passenger convenience at the airport along with whether the cap of 78 million annual passengers is a fixed limit or a prediction.

``We think the mayor's alternative is the best way to move forward, but want to look at some specific concerns within that,'' Kieffer said.

Chick suggested that Hahn seek applications from the public for the Airport Commission post.

``Too often, city commissioners come from a tight-knit and insular pool of candidates, recycled from commission to commission and from mayor to mayor, residing in the same select neighborhoods,'' Chick said in a letter to Hahn.

``It is time to change this outdated practice. It can no longer be an extension of the good-ol'-boy network.''

Chick urged the mayor to open the process to people who nominate themselves and choose from one of those to serve on the panel.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com