NO DECISION ON MTA PATROL VOTE TO CONTRACT WITH SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FALLS SHORT.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

The MTA on Thursday delayed the awarding of a nearly $50 million contract for patrol of its buses and trains after a showdown between Mayor James Hahn and county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky over whether the LAPD or sheriff's deputies should do the work.

The Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles Police Department have shared patrol duties ever since the MTA disbanded its police force six years ago, but Sheriff Lee Baca proposed taking over the entire operation - at a savings of $7.2 million a year to the transit agency.

Yaroslavsky said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority shouldn't turn down the chance to save money, even though MTA staff members have said the city would face a hardship if it lost LAPD's $28 million contract.

``This agency can't just walk away from a $7 million contract difference,'' said Yaroslavsky, who like Hahn is an MTA board member. ``That's a lot of money.''

But Hahn, whose staff had previously expressed skepticism over the sheriff's lower cost estimates, said Baca was trying to solve his department's budget problems by taking over the contract.

``They have a budget problem, positions that are not funded, jails that are closed,'' the mayor said. ``Just so everyone knows: The county solves their budget problem; the city gets a $28 million hole in their budget.''

Yaroslavsky criticized Hahn's remarks.

``I'm a little disappointed in the comments the mayor made. It's uncalled for. It's not true,'' Yaroslavksy said.

``What's not true?'' Hahn shot back.

Yaroslavsky denied the sheriff is trying to balance his department's budget with the MTA contract.

The MTA is trying to reduce its security costs and is considering reinstatement of the transit police force that it disbanded six years ago. The sheriff's proposal would cost the agency $47.2 million annually, compared with $54.4 million if the LAPD is involved.

Baca and LAPD Chief William J. Bratton pledged to work cooperatively, regardless of the outcome.

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said LAPD's chronic understaffing could be helped if sworn officers were freed up from the transit contract.

``We do know in the San Fernando Valley we don't have the police to do the job,'' Antonovich said. ``We need to have a balanced budget at the MTA. We need to be a regional agency, not a parochial agency.''

Board member John Fasana's motion to award the entire contract to the Sheriff's Department needed seven votes to pass, but it failed, 6-4, with Supervisor Gloria Molina abstaining.

After the vote, Hahn tried unsuccessfully to submit an alternate proposal to keep both the Sheriff's Department and the LAPD in place for three more years while a transit force is phased in. But Yaroslavsky's motion to postpone the issue until next month's board meeting prevailed.

HOW THEY VOTED

--Here is how the MTA board voted on a motion to award a $47.2 million contract to the Sheriff's Department to patrol its trains and buses.

For: Michael Antonovich, Yvonne Braithwaite Burke, John Fasana, Pam O'Connor, Frank Roberts, Zev Yaroslavsky,

Against: Hal Bernson, James Hahn, Paul Hudson, Allison Yoh.

Abstained: Gloria Molina.

Absent: Don Knabe and Beatrice Proo

CAPTION(S):

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HOW THEY VOTED (see text)