Valley VOTE is a diverse, Valley-wide coalition of San Fernando Valley residents, educators, business leaders, community activists and organizations who support a LAFCO study (Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission) on the issue of creating an independent Valley City.

MEDIA ALERT - 12-9-99

Valley VOTE comments on Sunshine Canyon Vote

Valley VOTE as a coalition of many diverse community and business organizations is prohibited from taking positions on issues outside the purview of its defined mission which is to have a study completed on the issue of Valley Cityhood. Many groups involved in the Valley VOTE coalition worked along side North Valley communities to make their views on the dump heard. The council majority again ignored the public’s will.

Valley leaders are often asked why Valley residents want independence from Los Angeles and what would be different if the Valley was its own City. Yesterday’s vote to stick the Valley with the largest dump in America demonstrates more than any recent single action why the Valley would be better off as an independent City, able to decide its own issues. The Valley represents half the geographic size of Los Angeles and 35% of its population.

Five out of the seven Valley council members voted to oppose the dump and yet that was not enough to override the majority who live outside the Valley who voted in favor of sticking the dump in the Valley. The two Valley Council members – John Ferraro and Cindy Miscikowski who voted in favor of the dump are in districts that cross over the Santa Monica Mountains and don’t live on the Valley side. They and the others who voted yes to reopen the dump just 10 years after closing it as urban hazard don’t have to live with the consequences of their vote.

If the Valley were it’s own City the council members would have to live with the consequences of their decision and would have to be accountable to the residents of the Valley if they voted contrary to the wishes of the Valley people. The Valley people have no ability to hold the council majority from outside the Valley accountable for yesterdays vote. At the very least alternatives would have been considered as well as solid waste reduction programs. In a Valley City yesterdays vote would have been very different.

Some have suggested that the City Council action yesterday was tantamount to declaring war on the people of the Valley. Their vote may very well be the tax on tea that precipitated the Boston Tea Party. The arguments for or against the dump will be debated by others. But Valley VOTE sees a stinky process that was followed. The cards were stacked against the Valley people from the start.

It is one more grievance the Valley will add it to the long list of historical abuse, neglect and discrimination waged by the City Council majority against the people of the Valley. But this was a big grievance for the Valley and along with Hollywood, San Pedro and other areas considering secession it may seal the fate of Los Angeles to be reorganized to smaller more responsive and accountable cities.

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