WHERE DO TAXPAYERS PROTEST BAILOUT?/ CITY COUNCIL'S BROKEN PROMISES JUSTIFY LACK OF FAITH IN GOVERNMENT.

Byline: Joel Fox

THE Los Angeles City Council fell one vote short of partially correcting an error: rescinding half of the promised $4 million cash payment to the Democratic National Convention. Two million already has been spent.

In a statement against revoking the money, Mayor Richard Riordan argued, ``Any action to rescind the contribution would represent a gross breach of commitment by the city.''

Councilman Mike Feuer, who originally voted against the public subsidy, this time cast a crucial vote to let the contribution stand. In referring to the council's decision to make the contribution, Feuer said, ``We have to keep our promises.''

Wait a minute.

The $4 million contribution, itself, represents a broken promise. The initial commitment by city officials, made before any money was offered to the Democrats, was that no direct cash contributions from the public treasury would be used to subsidize the convention.

Maybe city officials don't consider promises or commitments made merely to taxpayers important. The evidence is piling up.

This won't be the first time a promise to taxpayers isn't kept. Just one example is the police station that was supposed to be built - but wasn't - using a bond that passed for that purpose.

Sure, other cities offer cash incentives for political conventions. Philadelphia actually gave more money to the Republicans this year than Los Angeles offered the Democrats. But, just because Philadelphia jumped off a cliff doesn't mean Los Angeles must follow.

Furthermore, the Democrats' signed promise of no cash funds for the convention sticks out like a red flag in front of angry Los Angeles taxpayers.

The argument that the extra money will help Los Angeles present a shining face to the world is hollow. Los Angeles shone quite nicely, thank you, during the 1984 Olympic Games without having to kick in public money.

Los Angeles taxpayers - those who are not well-connected Democrats - will not be invited to the fancy parties that reportedly some of this public money will help finance. In the meantime, the city taxpayers will be on the hook for even more money to pay for beefed-up LAPD security at the convention.

Protesters have sworn they will be out in force, and already there is concern at City Hall and police headquarters that not enough money has been put aside to supply adequate security for citizens and property.

Supporters of spending the full $4 million of taxpayers' money on the convention were able to pass the measure by securing the necessary final vote from Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg. She agreed to vote for the money if certain conditions were met. One of those conditions was that Pershing Square be set aside as a protester haven.

Goldberg was given high praise for her political acumen when the deal was struck. But even the veteran Goldberg now finds herself scuttled by City Hall wheeling and dealing. The council subsequently voted to nix the Pershing Square site as a protest venue.

At the council meeting reversing the decision on Pershing Square, it was argued that protesters don't play by the rules and will not stay in a designated protest area.

Taxpayers usually play by the rules, even when the rules are changed on them as in the case of the $4 million giveaway.

Perhaps now's the time for taxpayers to become protesters.

Leaders of the Los Angeles Democratic Convention held a press conference recently to announce they would not take money from tobacco companies because they said they wanted to send a message. No one held a press conference about the willingness to take public money for the convention, but a message was sent by that action, too.

However, it was not a message the convention organizers and the government officials wanted sent: Broken promises reaffirm the lack of faith in government.

The taxpayers of Los Angeles can send a message of their own. Join the protesters and rally against the misappropriation of our tax dollars. Or remember this incident well the next time the city puts a revenue increase measure on the ballot.