Official Says He Erred on Income Tally : Inquiry: Councilman failed to report money from a prominent planning firm on his disclosure statement. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has begun an investigation.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO —  The state Fair Political Practices Commission is examining whether councilman and regional transportation commissioner Gary L. Hausdorfer violated California’s conflict-of-interest law by not disclosing income from a prominent planning firm, according to an agency spokeswoman.

“We’re looking into the alleged violation of the Political Reform Act,” said Sandra Michioku, of the FPPC. “Until there is a determination, we will have no further comment.”

Hausdorfer’s wife, Debora, went to work for the Costa Mesa-based Keith Cos. in October, 1988, and is now the planning and engineering firm’s director of public affairs.

State law requires public officials to disclose the sources of their income--including community property income generated by a spouse--and to abstain from governmental decisions that affect those income sources.

The Times reported on Dec. 22 that Hausdorfer had failed to report the income from the Keith firm on his state-required economic disclosure statements encompassing 1988 and 1989. Hausdorfer also has voted on matters affecting Keith, most recently a $304,197 city contract last September that awarded $8,100 to the firm as a subcontractor.

Hausdorfer said Monday that after conferring with the San Juan Capistrano city attorney, he has determined that he erred by not disclosing the income from the Keith firm.

“I think there was an oversight on my part,” said Hausdorfer, adding that he has filed amended economic-disclosure statements with the city clerk’s office and will soon send copies to the FPPC.

“I’ve corrected them,” said Hausdorfer, who also serves on the Orange County Transit District board and the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency.

Hausdorfer’s amended economic-disclosure statements list his wife’s salary for October through December, 1988, at between $1,000 and $10,000. For 1989, Hausdorfer valued her salary at “over $10,000.”

Hausdorfer has said that he tries to avoid participating in any decisions affecting the Keith Cos., a firm with major development projects throughout Orange County, including San Juan Capistrano. As for his failure to disclose the income from Keith on his annual income statements, Hausdorfer said in an interview last month that he may have misunderstood the law.

Hausdorfer also said he was unaware of the Keith firm’s involvement as a subcontractor when he voted on the contract last September.

Times staff writer Len Hall contributed to this report.