Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment
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14622 Ventura Blvd. #201B
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On March 8th, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) formally retained their consultants to begin the much anticipated study of whether it is feasible for the San Fernando Valley to become its own City. With the results of the Study, San Fernando Valley voters will be able to make an informed decision about Cityhood for the Valley.
The historic start of the Cityhood study comes as a result of overcoming several significant obstacles since Valley VOTE was established in 1996. First, in 1997 the Valley removed the City Council’s veto power over the public’s right to vote on Cityhood. Second, in 1998 the Valley had to circulate a petition and collect signatures from over 25% of the Valley’s registered voters. The Valley collected over 202,000 signatures, in what became the highest percentage of signatures ever collected in a major metropolitan area in America. Third, in 1999 Valley VOTE successfully lobbied to get $2.3 million for LAFCO to pay for the Study.
Now, this year, the Valley must raise $500,000 to pay for the Valley’s own team of consultants. We have to design the sixth largest city in the Country. LA City wants us to fail and is preventing the LAFCO consultants from assisting us. Unless we have experts to help us, they believe we will come up with a plan that is unacceptable. We need residents and businesses that support Cityhood or the Study to contribute. We need your help.
In addition to supporting and overseeing the LAFCO study of Valley Cityhood, Valley VOTE is involved in several other initiatives that are intended to empower the people and communities of the Valley and give them a greater voice. These other initiatives include the following;
Valley Schools – Valley VOTE has created a committee of educators, administrators, parents and students with solid credentials in education to facilitate the creation of one or more Valley School Districts to provide the quality education our children and grandchildren deserve.
Valley-wide Voter Registration Drive – Valley VOTE is working to register new voters throughout the Valley to assure the Valley’s voice on important issues and candidates is heard. Our goal is to register 120,000 new voters.
Valley-wide Grassroots Network – Valley VOTE is working to create a Valley-wide network of block captains that will serve to better educate, communicate, and mobilize voters on issues important to the San Fernando Valley.
In order to raise the funds necessary to pay for the Valley’s team of Cityhood consultants and to fund the other important initiatives, Valley VOTE has begun to solicit memberships. Through membership, Valley residents and business people can have a stake in the Valley ‘s future. There are three levels of annual membership – Sustaining $20, Gold $50 and Platinum $100. In addition, there are three levels of Sponsorships - Investors Circle $500, Partners Circle $1,000 and Founders Circle $5,000. Contributors receive benefits that recognize and acknowledge the level of their membership or sponsorship. The goal is to have 10,000 members and sponsors by the end of the year. A Valley VOTE application can be printed here (PDF). Join and become a part of the Valley’s future!