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.
Petition Deadline Extended– In the 11th hour Governor Pete Wilson signed AB1951 by Assemblyman Robert Hertzberg granting the San Fernando Valley an additional 90 days to circulate the petition. The extension was in response to the Van Nuys Air Show incident. Thank you to Governor Pete Wilson, Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg and Councilwoman Laura Chick for their support of the Valley.
With nearly 150,000 signatures already collected in the first 90 days, Valley VOTE expects to conclude the petition drive around September 30th. We encourage everyone to keep up their efforts and enthusiasm so we can conclude the petition drive and get the issue to LAFCO before the Holidays. In order to initiate the LAFCO studies we need to collect 135,000 valid signatures. To insure 135,000 valid signatures the Valley is seeking to collect 180,000 to 200,000 total signatures. Additionally, the more signatures we collect the stronger the message that the Valley is serious about having LAFCO complete their Cityhood study, and about government reform in Los Angeles.
What the Valley Wants – Why have nearly 150,000 residents signed the petition for a Valley Cityhood Study in just 90 days? From talking to residents who have signed the petition we have learned that people are signing for the following reasons; 1) San Fernando Valley residents want decisions about the Valley made by people in the Valley 2) Valley residents want Valley tax dollars kept in the Valley 3) People want a more responsive local government 4) They believe Los Angeles has grown too large and 5) They want to see the Valley receive its fair share of Services.
Valley-wide Victory Celebration Planned – SAVE THE DATE of Friday, October 23rd for a Valley wide victory celebration to celebrate the successful completion of the Petition Drive… The event will be a celebration and a fundraiser to help pay the petition drive costs and the possible LAFCO costs. The tickets will be $135 per person to symbolize the 135,000 valid signatures collected. Join Valley leaders at this historic event. Purchase your tickets today by sending $135 to Friends of the Valley, 14622 Ventura Blvd. #201-B, Sherman Oaks, California 91403 or call (818) 501-5862 for more information.
Help the Valley Collect Signatures – To require 25% of registered voters sign a petition is a very high threshold. We could recall every elected official in the Valley for less signatures. Typically you can only collect 15-17% by standing in front of markets and at other high traffic sites. But many of these typical sites have repeat customers so after a few weeks your hitting the same people who have already signed. That is why we need your help to reach additional registered voters. There are a number of different ways you can help collect signatures. Distribute the petition through your local business or community group, collect signatures from customers of your business, or gather signatures from the neighbors on your block. Please help collect these last 40,000 – 50,000 signatures.
Upcoming Events - There are two events next week where volunteers are needed to collect signatures. 1) A Town Hall Meeting at the Valley College Auditorium, Valley Village, Monday, September 14th at 6:30 PM and 2) The Taste of Encino, at the Naval & Marine Reserve Center, 6337 Balboa Blvd, Encino, Saturday, Sept 12th, 11am to 10pm and Sunday, Sept 13th, 11am to 6pm. If your able to help call Pat 884-1266 or Jan 343-3989.
Coalition of Valley Businesses and Homeowner Groups formed in response to new Downtown Business Group – A coalition has been formed that includes Valley Businesses, Valley and West Los Angeles Homeowner Groups and the Public Employee Unions. These groups are concerned over a new downtown group called the Los Angeles Business Advisors (LABA). LABA consists of a select group of CEO’s from large downtown businesses. Their apparent goal is to fight efforts to disburse power to Los Angeles neighborhoods. Rather, they prefer to keep power centralized downtown. LABA has been criticized due to statements they have made that they will seek to kill charter reform if it includes certain reforms that empower neighborhoods. Additionally, it was pointed out that a large number of their members don’t even live in Los Angeles. They live in upscale smaller communities surrounding Los Angeles that enjoy the kind of local decision making and quality of life that Los Angeles residents are asking for. Their large financial war chest cannot be ignored. Many residents resent the concept of a select group of individuals who run businesses many of us do business with, ARCO, Los Angeles Times, Toyota, Home Savings and others, trying to dictate our lives and the kind of local government we would have. The issue of disbursing power to the people of Los Angeles seems to be where the battle line is being drawn between the two opposing sides on Charter Reform.
Need more petitions? – Call (818) 501-5862 if you need more petitions. Return all finished petitions as soon as possible.
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.If you receive the newsletter by mail, give us a fax number for faster delivery. Have someone who wants to be added to our Newsletter mailing list? Let us know and we will add them.
SUPPORT THE PETITION DRIVE
Please help and contribute to support this Valley-wide effort: