SNEED

Tipsville . . .

Watch for CTA President Bob Belcaster and CTA management, whoburned the midnight oil Thursday night, to propose a LOWER pass priceto the CTA Board today. Last proposal: $82. New proposal: $5 or $6cheaper. Tipsville II

Egads! Sneed hears rumbles that 150 Cook County Forest PreserveDistrict seasonal workers are gonna get the pink slip today to complywith Cook County Board President Richard Phelan's 5 percent budgetcut! Hmmm . . .

Gen. Colin Powell's name gets stronger and stronger forPresident-elect Bill Clinton's secretary of state. Shoe 'em . . .

Shades of Imelda Marcos? Former British Prime Minister MargaretThatcher was spotted buying 25 pairs of custom-made shoes at morethan $250 per at a posh London store. The Ronan Report . . .

Former state Rep. Al Ronan, who was one of the most influentiallegislators to hit Springfield, is now a lobbyist for - Da Bears! Hair Scare . . .

The New Look Depot: Now comes words that Hillary Clinton wantsher hair to mirror CBS-TV's Paula Zahn. Luis Lore . . .

U.S. Rep.-elect Luis Gutierrez was a bit surprised anddelighted when Rep. Dick Durbin - Illinois' newly elected House Demcaucus policy and steering member - put Gutierrez on the two Housecommittees he wanted: banking and veterans. The kicker: Gutierrezvoted AGAINST Durbin for his caucus spot. Tips & Twaddle . . . Word is the snag in Mayor Daley's making Ald. Pat O'Connor the nextsuperintendent of schools is a request for a four-year contract.Daley doesn't want to give anyone a four-year contract. Harrrrrumph! Some of Clinton's Chicago delegates are mighty sorethey haven't yet been invited to or are not going to be invited tothe inauguration. Honor 'em . . .

Therese Rehmer, who has been Phelan's secretary for the past 25years - since she was 18 years old - was feted at an anniversaryparty in Phelan's office at the County Building Wednesday. She gavehim cufflinks. He gave her a necklace. Sweet. Book Beat . . .

It's an old story, but Chicago author Bonnie Remsberg's bookabout the Columbo murders, titled Mom, Dad, Mike and Patti: The TrueStory of the Columbo Murders, will hit the stores Tuesday. RememberPatti Columbo, who was convicted of slaying her parents and littlebrother in their Elk Grove Village home in 1977? The men's room . . . Word is Kevin Costner and filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan (who wroteCostner's latest pic, "The Bodyguard") are talking about teaming fora pair of Westerns in which Costner would play legendary gunslingerWyatt Earp. Dana Carvey, last seen drawing yuks at the White House, will teamwith "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Jon Lovitz in "The Bad Boys," apic for Disney being described as a dramedy. Sneedlings . . .

A free-admission calendar date: The DePaul Community Chorusholiday concert Sunday featuring Handel's "Messiah" at the DePaulConcert Hall, 800 W. Belden. . . . Today's birthdays: BurtOdelson, 45; Don Ecklund, 60; Rita Moreno, 61; Brenda Lee, 48;Jermaine Jackson, 38; Terri Garr, 43; Donna Mills, 49; Carlo Ponti,79; Joseph Morganelli, 52; Catherine Dunhein, 80; Bill Nordheim, 50,Tom Hayden, 53. . . . Tomorrow's birthdays: Frank Sinatra, 77;Dionne Warwick, 51; Connie Francis, 54; Ed Koch, 68; Bob Barker, 69.. . . P.S. Free admission to the China Club's V.I.P. Room thisweekend - and the next - to anyone bringing toys to donate to B.J.Murray's "Toys for Tots" collection for the children at the HenryHorner Boys and Girls Club. . . . Auctioneer Leslie Hindman wasstunned when the phone lines were clogged with callers inquiring thevalue of the inside of their closets during her guest appearanceThursday morning on Phil Duncan's 103-AM radio show. . . . Dreesen Data . . .

And finally, comedian Tom Dreesen - the pride of Harvey - got ahuge laugh at a recent sports banquet by saying: `The Bears are doingso bad the pope ripped up a picture of Mike Ditka!"