MILLIONS A DROP IN BUCKET IN L.A. ANTI-TERRORISM COSTS, ACCOUNTABILITY WORRY SOME CRITICS.

Byline: BETH BARRETT Staff Writer

Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal anti-terrorism funding has poured into the Los Angeles region since Sept. 11, 2001, with virtually no oversight on how it's being spent because an interagency squabble has stalled audits.

Using $197 million from the federal Urban Area Security Initiative, $97 million in Department of Homeland Security grants and other federal allocations, city and county agencies have purchased everything from communications and surveillance equipment to vehicles and medical supplies.

While no one has claimed any money is being misspent, critics fear the spending on counterterrorism threatens to become a bottomless pit without oversight of the public funds.

``They'll tell taxpayers you have to spend this money if you want to be safe, and they assume they're doing the right thing,'' said Kris Vosburgh, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association executive director.

``They can shield themselves from criticism: `Oh my God, it's to fight terrorism.' ... Issues that are frightening or tug at our heartstrings are held up as a shield.''

The state Office of Homeland Security gained control of auditing last year from the Office of Emergency Services, and the Legislature has since authorized more administrators and monitors. State officials say they expect audits to begin soon.

And they also said the state Office of Homeland Security has been accountable for the spending so far despite the lack of formal audits.

``We work closely with administrators on the spending of the funds,'' Chris Bertelli, assistant deputy director of the office. ``Just because there's not an official audit doesn't mean we're not fully engaged with them.''

Maurice Suh, deputy mayor for homeland security and public safety in Los Angeles, also said the money has been spent carefully and only after open discussion.

``We've spent only a fraction of the money for the responsibilities we've been given,'' Suh said. ``We're at the level of ... needs of areas already identified. These are not just in some classified report, but have been (disclosed) publicly. We've only addressed what we've been told are real threats.''

Despite the millions allocated to the region, officials say much more is needed. They note that New York has received twice as much in grant money as Los Angeles.

``The current awards aren't anywhere near enough,'' said Suh, who oversees those federal homeland security grants for far-flung Los Angeles.

After a fierce fight on Capitol Hill, Congress recently changed funding formulas that shifted money to target-rich areas like L.A. and New York from states like Wyoming and North Dakota, which had received shares of federal dollars disproportionate to their level of risk.

But local officials estimate it will take hundreds of millions more dollars -- about $600 million just to upgrade radios and other communication equipment -- to protect sprawling L.A.'s seaports and airports, plus tourist attractions, downtown high-rises buildings and regional sources of power and water.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Los Angeles World Airports has doled out $257 million to beef up airfield perimeter security, terminal security and surveillance at its four airports. LAWA oversees Los Angeles International, Ontario, Van Nuys and Palmdale airports.

But critical in-line baggage-screening systems at LAX and Ontario are only in the initial stages. The federal Transportation Security Administration has promised $256 million, but only about $26 million has been spent to date.

A contract to remodel the Tom Bradley International Terminal, including the baggage-screening system, is to be awarded later this month.

Jim Butts, deputy executive director of airport law enforcement, said LAWA intends to invest in equipment that could automatically locate and photograph suspicious packages.

``The reality is you have to look at your security profile ... and try to predict your vulnerabilities,'' he said.

Meanwhile, $10.2 million has been allocated to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, major operator of bus and commuter-rail service in Los Angeles County, for security training, consultants, equipment and high-tech vehicles. Two MTA vehicles being outfitted now are straight out of a Hollywood movie -- with armor and the ability to run rescues on subway rails.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has a $60 million security contract with the MTA to protect rail and bus lines. About 800 Sheriff's Department employees, MTA security officers and private guards patrol the system. Bus and subway train drivers are among those trained to be alert to terrorism.

``Since 9-11 we've trained over 9,000 employees (and) installed over 500 cameras on the rail system, with more to come,'' said Dan Finkelstein, chief of MTA's transit police. ``We have 11 K-9 units with deputies that are trained in bomb and gun detection.''

The additional $97 million in federal money allocated to Los Angeles through the state Homeland Security Grant Program has paid for gas masks with filtration systems, portable radios, first-responder vehicles, generators, radiation detectors and other equipment.

Bertelli said the state has yet to audit those grants.

Los Angeles Harbor has received $26.6 million in federal port-security grants -- just a fraction of what's needed for cargo-scanning and improving security of shore and water perimeters, said George Cummings, director of homeland security at the port. Working with their Port of Long Beach counterparts, officials have identified at least $150 million more in needed security projects.

``The fact that airports get enormous resources and seaports don't is a function of how reactive our society is,'' said Jon Haveman, a contributing editor and researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California. ``If there was an attack at a port, there would be enormous resources from the federal government.''

Despite concerns about the scope of the security measures and the accountability for the funds, others note the sheer economic boost from the flow of federal money into the region.

``This is money coming in. ... It's literally new money from the federal government, and it's spread pretty widely, and there will be more spent,'' said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the private, nonprofit Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

``This is providing some stimulus, (even as) businesses have an extra cost in meeting a lot of these requirements.''

beth.barrett(at)dailynews.com

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SOURCE: U.S. Department of Homeland Security