EDITORIAL SWEETHEART DEALS SMELL QUESTIONABLE LAX CONTRACTING IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

REMEMBER Los Angeles World Airports, the outfit that's been pleading poverty lately?

Now the city Airport Commission, which oversees LAWA, wants to pay a politically connected public relations firm $1.5 million for community relations work for a massive expansion plan that's been abandoned.

Having spent $90 million on an expansion plan - 10 percent of that to Winner & Associates, the PR firm - it's no wonder airport officials have gone from princes to paupers.

LAWA, facing a $127 million deficit because of the fall-off in air traffic after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has gone on a binge of borrowing and wants to jack up parking rates at Los Angeles International Airport, the Van Nuys FlyAway and other facilities by as much as 100 percent.

Three years ago, the Airport Commission hired Winner & Associates to con the public on its unpopular plan to expand LAX at the expense of local communities and commuters.

Of course, since Sept. 11, there's no need to expand LAX. The commission's plan has become irrelevant, as has any need to sell it to the public.

But the Airport Commission wants to spend an additional $1.5 million to keep Winner & Associates on retainer, just in case there's a sudden need to bamboozle the public, otherwise known in city government as the losers & associates.

The City Council has balked - for now. The council has voted to postpone making a decision on the proposal until January, at which point we'll see if its members are any more honest than the airport commissioners.

Why would the Airport Commission want to waste this money?

Well, it's worth noting that Winner & Associates is owned up by Chuck Winner, fund-raiser for Mayor James Hahn, who appointed each of the commissioners to their prestigious positions.

Moreover, Winner & Associates has subcontracted much of its lush deal with the city to several of L.A.'s top political consultants, many of whom have worked for the top mucky-mucks in City Hall.

This is how City Hall, and not just at LAX, works.

Sweetheart deals are given to well-connected firms, unions and individuals, who in turn pump money into political campaigns. When the beneficiaries of those donations take office, they reward their contributors with more contracts, and the cycle continues.

What part do ordinary Angelenos play in this process?

They pay the bills.

One day it's through higher taxes, the next it's through higher parking rates at area airports. They also get to put up with the inferior services that come as a result.

City Controller Laura Chick has scratched the surface of this corrupt enterprise by documenting how much the city has spent on consultants to hawk LAX expansion. She should keep digging.

If she did, she could single-handedly expose City Hall - government of the special interests, by the special interests and for the special interests.