EDITORIAL CLEANING UP L.A. EXPOSURE OF CITY'S PAY-TO-PLAY POLITICAL SYSTEM LONG OVERDUE.

THE ugly pay-to-play political system at Los Angeles City Hall has started to unravel, offering hope that sooner rather than later the public will get a government that serves the community rather than itself and the special interests that support it.

Using the powerful weapon of the grand jury, District Attorney Steve Cooley has opened a broad investigation into allegations that city commissioners have pressured contractors and consultants to contribute to city political campaigns or face the loss of lucrative deals.

Deputy Mayor Troy Edwards, bureaucrats, contractors and other powerful people are being forced to answer tough questions under oath.

It's by no means certain that criminality will be found, since city ethics laws are weak and state anti-corruption laws are a joke. But L.A. will be a better city if the truth comes out.

Already, some key City Hall figures are taking the lead in trying to clean up some of the worst practices.

City Controller Laura Chick and Councilwomen Wendy Greuel and Cindy Miscikowski have started to campaign for a ban on commissioners raising campaign funds - a practice that's nothing but a shakedown of people who want city contracts.

This isn't about ``access'' to politicians; it's about buying them.

But at this point, the rest of City Hall seems to show little inclination to get aboard the reform bandwagon, especially the city's two most powerful politicians, Mayor James Hahn and City Councilman Alex Padilla.

We're all for honest politics, they insist. Yet, Padilla is using his power to stall reform efforts even as he insists, ``We aren't foot-dragging.''

Hahn has been more forthright. He consistently refuses to back a ban on commissioners raising campaign funds for obvious reasons: He raised millions of dollars from people who do business with the city.

Yet it's not too late for Hahn and Padilla to change their minds and move to quickly stop this practice and others that corrupt the political process.

As Cooley's investigation goes forward, the battle lines will become more clearly drawn between those who are working on behalf of the public interest and those who seek to preserve the insider culture.

When it comes to reforming City Hall, there can be no gray area: You're either part of the problem or part of the solution.