FIGHTING GANGS MAY GET TAXING L.A. COUNCIL EYES '08 VOTE ON LEVY.

Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to move ahead with plans to ask voters to approve a new property tax that would raise $50 million to fight an escalating torrent of gang violence.

The plan would cost a city property owner $72 per parcel a year, and the money would be used to expand anti-gang and prevention programs that offer everything from gang-intervention workers to the Los Angeles Better Educated Students for Tomorrow after-school project, popularly called LA's BEST.

But even as council members voted 13-0 to order that ballot language be drafted, they were divided over whether there would be enough public support for a May referendum and urged a delay until 2008. Councilman Bernard Parks was absent.

The measure would need support from two-thirds of voters to take effect.

``I still think voters would approve this now, but I'm glad at least that the council agrees that we need to do something,'' Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who had proposed the tax, said after the vote.

In the Valley last year, gangs were blamed for four dozen homicides, and authorities have said they are increasingly concerned about the growing involvement of adolescents in gangs.

But even as the council ordered that language for the tax measure be prepared, some members questioned whether funding has been the issue in failing to curb the rising violence.

In a recent report, civil-rights attorney Connie Rice, noting that gang membership has soared and violence has escalated, questioned the effectiveness of the city's current anti-gang programs.

Saying there has been a piecemeal approach in the area, Rice called for a comprehensive solution through a single agency headed by a gang czar with enough political clout to cut through red tape and coordinate prevention and intervention services.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also has been cautious about any calls for a tax to fund gang programs and is expected to release his own comprehensive gang report next month.

Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association cautioned city officials against a parcel tax.

``I would hope they look at what happened last year when 76.9 percent of voters rejected a parcel tax for education,'' Coupal said. ``It is the most regressive tax there is, with no consideration of equity.

``Another issue is whether they need the tax. We think the city has enough money to fund these programs and doesn't need to find new sources of revenue.''

But Hahn -- whose district includes the Harbor-Gateway area where there have been two homicides in the past month -- said more money is needed for gang prevention.

``We have 40,000 gang members in this city and only 61 gang workers,'' said Hahn, adding that she will pursue putting the measure on the ballot next year.

``We know gang crime costs us $2 billion a year. Last year, we had 240 murders blamed on gangs. That alone costs us $400 million a year,'' she said. ``I think this is a good investment and the people of Los Angeles will support us.''

Council members, however, said they wanted more time before putting the measure before voters and noted that the May 15 election is expected to have a low turnout.

``I tell you, I don't think the timing is right,'' Councilman Herb Wesson said. ``This is a good plan to work from, but we are going to have to build support. We need to make sure we get the turnout necessary for this. Let's not just develop a ballot measure. Let's develop one that has a chance at passing.''

Councilman Tony Cardenas, who chairs the council's ad hoc Committee on Gangs and Youth Violence, also urged a delay.

``I have lost a lot of sleep over whether we should put this on the May ballot,'' Cardenas said. ``There is no way I can conceive of that we will be ready to look voters in the eyes and say we know how to hold ourselves accountable, that we know what to do and what we are going to do to save lives.

``We need to get our own house in order before we ask the voters for this, and I don't see how we can do that in this short of a time frame.''

Cardenas was among council members who said they view the gang threat not only as city officials, but also as parents.

``Every day I hold my breath, in those hours my two boys are walking home from the bus stop, ... that they could be shot by some idiot driving up and asking where are you from. That's the toughest part of my day.''

Councilwoman Jan Perry listed several young victims of gang violence in her district and said she doesn't believe most people appreciate the gravity of the situation.

``You never know until you go to a homicide scene and see that body lying there and you see the people whose lives are torn apart,'' Perry said.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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