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.

Update August 2, 1998

City Council to Consider Giving San Fernando Valley 30 Day Extension for the Petition Drive – On Tuesday, August 4^th, at 10:00am the Los Angeles City Council will vote on a motion by Valley Councilwoman Laura Chick that would require the City to take the steps necessary to obtain a 30 day extension for the Valley VOTE Petition Drive. Valley leaders are very grateful to Councilwoman Chick for stepping forward with this creative proposal to make amends for the City’s actions at the Van Nuys Air Show. A report by the Department of Airports on Thursday, confirmed that Airport Police illegally denied Valley volunteers access to the Airport to collect petition signatures. To do so was a clear violation of constitutional and civil rights. The US Attorney General’s office and District Attorney’s office have been asked to make an independent investigation into what occurred and why. The ACLU has denounced the Airports actions. The 30 day extension would be one way for the City to make up for preventing Volunteers from collecting 15,000 to 20,000 signatures at the air show.

To obtain an extension will require several steps and must not be counted on. Step One: The City Council must Vote on the Ms Chick’s motion. Step Two: The City Attorney must go to court and get a judge to order the extension. Step Three: No party apeals the Judges order. The City Council vote will take place on Tuesday, August 4^th, 10am at LA City Hall downtown (200 North Main Street). We encourage supporters to attend this Council meeting. A free bus ride is available and will be leaving the Valley VOTE office at 9:00am Tuesday morning to take supporters to City Hall and will bring supporters back immediately afterward. If you want to ride the bus to City Hall call the office (818) 501-5862 and reserve your seat.

Valley VOTE will hold a mixer this Thursday night to recognize the many volunteers and to outline the final four week push – This Thursday, August 6, 1998, 7:00 PM at the Valley VOTE Headquarters, Valley VOTE leaders along with the Volunteers will take a one evening break from the 90 petition drive in order to recognize the outstanding work being done by the many residents of the Valley who have helped out. It will be an opportunity to acknowledge everyone’s hard efforts and to catch our breath before the final four week push begins. Find out who has collected the most signatures. Have an opportunity to meet other volunteers. Hear "I survived the Van Nuys Air show stories". There will be food, beverages and prizes. It will be a fun, pleasant evening and we hope volunteers and financial supporters will join us as the Valley VOTE leadership in turn recognizes their efforts and support.

Thank You Daily News – If you haven’t noticed yet, the Daily News everyday until the end of the petition drive is running an article in the Editorial section of the paper informing Valley Residents how to obtain a petition to sign and listing Valley Businesses where petitions are available to sign or pickup. These businesses include Kentucky Fried Chickens, Jiffy Lubes, American Pacific State Bank Branches, the Raddison Hotel, Northridge Pharmacy, Franklin Hardware, and many others including our latest business Lone Star Security in Canoga Park. Lone Star Security (Bruce Bayer 818-341-0811) when they came to pick up petitions noticed the headquarters had no security so immediately donated and installed a complete alarm system and is providing free monitoring with armed response. Support those who support the Valley. Thank you Daily News and the many other businesses who are helping including Lone Star Security.

Keep the Pressure on – With only 4 weeks left Valley residents must step up our efforts to gather signatures. Please carry around your petitions with you and ask the next 10 people you see to sign. Call 818-501-5862 if you need more petitions. If you can’t circulate petitions then please contribute to help pay the cost of professional signature collectors. This is a defining moment for the future of the Valley. With the results of the Study we can make an informed decision. If the Valley fails, then it risks being further ignored by city hall and the motivation behind Charter Reform will die.

Valley VOTE Executive Board – The Executive Board meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday each month at 8:30am, Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd, North Hills. Public is welcome.

Newsletters – If you want to receive newsletters by FAX please contact us. If your fax is in your home and you want only daytime faxes. We can arrange that.

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