A contract increase generated huge public interest last week when the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission voted to add $55,000 to its contract with The Gephardt Group.

The Washington, D.C.-based firm headed by former House of Representatives Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, was hired by the port nearly five months ago to represent its interests in amending the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act. The action bumped the contract, which is due to expire Jan. 26, to $205,500.

 The vote to increase the contract was seen as a vote for the port's clean truck program - specifically its requirement for concessionaires to transition to employee-drivers.

 - The Cunningham Report