Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment
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14622 Ventura Blvd. #201B
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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.
After 20 years of strong interest in the San Fernando Valley for Independence we are down to our final and most important 45 days. The Petition drive ends August 27th A big push is planned in these final six weeks. The goal is 180,000 signatures. This is within our reach but our success is by no means a certainty. Now is the time for Valley residents and business people who want the issue of creating a Valley city to go to LAFCO for a study to get involved. Help gather signatures, make a contribution to help pay professionals to collect signatures or both. Completed Petitions should be sent back to the headquarters immediately. More petitions are available. Let’s show City hall the Valley is serious.
Stating that "not since 1915 when 400 Valleyites voted to Join Los Angeles has there been so much at stake for our Valley" Bert Boeckman and David Fleming called upon Valley leaders to support the Valley VOTE petition drive for a Study on Valley City hood. Recognizing the dire consequences if the Valley does not collect the required signatures by August 27th, they went on to say "it is more important for the future of the Valley than any cause any of us have ever been asked to support in the past". They asked Valley residents to contribute to the petition drive. What are the consequences? If the Valley misses this opportunity to collect the required signatures Los Angeles will go back to business as usual, the Valley risks being further ignored by downtown and Charter Reform will die without the threat of Valley Independence as leverage.
Acknowledging that if Los Angeles was comprised of a bunch of smaller cities it would be more efficient, Mayor Riordan met with Valley leaders to discuss Valley concerns and Charter Reform. Valley leaders correctly pointed out that without the move of the Valley to explore City hood there would be no Charter Reform movement in Los Angeles. Valley leaders asked Mayor Riordan to support a study of the facts, which will keep pressure on reform efforts. Leaders reminded the Mayor how strongly they have supported him but that under the current system Los Angeles is *ill run by the City Council, despite the Mayors outstanding efforts. The city council has routinely defeated the Mayor's proposals to improve city services for Los Angeles residents. Furthermore, he will be gone in a few years due to term limits and no one knows if the next Mayor will be as good to the Valley. Valley leaders said they want Valley decisions made by Valley people, want Valley tax dollars kept in the Valley, and a competitive business tax structure that allows Valley businesses to compete with those in surrounding cities among other things.
Saturday July 18th and Sunday July 19th starting at 9 am will be the annual Air show at Van Nuys Airport. With 100,000 people a day expected to attend the air show, residents of the Valley will be at the show in force collecting petition signatures. If you can help Collect signatures, please join us. Our main location site inside the air show will be at the "DOG TAGS HERE" booth near the entrance. Look for a large ORANGE banner. Sign in at this booth upon your arrival with Carlos Ferreyra and receive your petitions and supplies. Anyone who collects 25 signatures or more at the event will receive a FREE" red and white "Valley City hood Study" T-shirt.
Are you fed up with high sewer charges on your bill? Hal Bernson and Joel Wachs want you to attend a City Council meeting next Tuesday, July 21st right here in the Valley and support their call for an audit of the sewer fees.
The Time:10:00am. The Place Nicholas Church, 17037 Plummer St., (north west corner of Plummer and Balboa Blvd.) in Northridge.
Charging that residents are overpaying for sewer services by up to $70 million a year, they have asked for an audit of the waste water system to identify potential cost savings. A large portion of the sewer fees are being used to supplement the City's operating budget even though taxpayers were told sewer fees would be used to repair the sewer system. Benson said a recent cost analysis identified potential cost savings of $219 million. For years, Valley residents have complained about being overcharged. Join us and help gather signatures at this important meeting.
SUPPORT THE PETITION DRIVE
Please help and contribute to support this Valley-wide effort: