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.

Volume 3, Issue 13 The Latest Update April 1, 1999

Los Angeles Times Poll Shows Strong Support Growing for Valley Cityhood

According to the poll, 60% of registered voters in the San Fernando Valley say they would vote in favor of freedom from Los Angeles and creating a new city in the San Fernando Valley…47% of Los Angeles voters citywide say they favor a new Valley City.

The Los Angeles Times poll results published March 31^st show that support for Valley Cityhood is steadily growing throughout Los Angeles despite threats and misleading information distributed by opponents. Poll results included the following;

• 47% of registered voters citywide already say they would support the San Fernando Valley becoming its own City. Fifty percent is needed.
• 52% of registered voters citywide believe that the Valley seceding from Los Angeles would have a positive effect or no effect on the rest of Los Angeles.
• Support for Valley Cityhood exists among all ethnic groups. 63% of San Fernando Valley Latinos felt that Valley Secession would have either no effect or a positive effect on the rest of Los Angeles.
• The top three reasons for supporting Valley Cityhood are; smaller more efficient city government, the Valley is big enough to be independent, local control.

Valley VOTE is pleased with the poll results. Valley VOTE firmly believes that as the study process moves forward the facts will show Valley Cityhood to be a positive and viable option. For instance, the strongest concern voiced by those who oppose Valley Cityhood is that the city of Los Angeles would loose tax revenue if the Valley breaks away. However, State Law requires LAFCO to make Valley Cityhood revenue neutral. Once people find out that the remaining City would not loose money as a result of Valley Cityhood, they will be more likely to support it.

Nevertheless, Valley VOTE remains committed to the LAFCO Study so residents throughout Los Angeles can have the facts and make an informed decision.

SFV Petition Approved

On March 15^th, the County Registrar’s office announced that the Valley Petition contained signatures from more than 25% of the registered voters in the San Fernando Valley, albeit by a narrow margin. This now entitles Valley residents to have the LAFCO Study process go forward.

According to the Initiative and Referendum Institute in Washington D.C., the SFV petition drive represents the highest percentage of signatures ever collected in a major metropolitan area. In December Valley residents turned in 202,514 signatures. This was 65,000 more Valley residents than voted in the last Citywide election.

The success of the Valley’s petition drive is a tribute to the commitment Valley residents have to improving their community and changing the treatment of the Valley. Upon learning that the petition was approved the Times quoted Dr. Eric Schockman, a political science professor at USC saying "The balance of power has shifted". Regardless, of whether the Valley ever secedes, now Valley residents and Valley organizations can no longer be taken for granted. Thank you to the volunteers and community leaders who sacrificed to make the petition drive a success.

Critical Council Race to occur in North East Valley on April 13^th

Candidates answer questionnaire to determine their attitude toward the Valley Cityhood Study process

Valley VOTE does not endorse candidates. But after finding out that over 40% of registered voters in the north east Valley area signed the petition, Valley VOTE decided voters should know how the candidates stand on the issue.

A questionnaire was sent to each candidate with questions related the Cityhood Study, a Cityhood vote and the level of services provided to the North East Valley. A subcommittee reviewed the responses and graded each candidate based on how open or supportive they are, or, are likely to be toward the Valley Cityhood Study and process. The results are as follows;

This is not meant to be an endorsement of any individual candidate, but to inform the public of how these candidate stand on this one particular issue.

Valley must raise funds for the LAFCO Study Process

LAFCO Study phase will require a team of consultants, attorneys and other experts assisting Valley VOTE as well as the possibility of paying part of the multi-million dollar study costs.

The process of exploring Valley Cityhood is a multi-phase process. First Valley residents had to change the law in Sacramento to take away the City Council veto. The Valley did it. Then Valley residents had to collect signatures from 25% of the registered voters, a feat never achieved before. The Valley did it at a record low cost. The Valley is immediately entering the third phase -- the LAFCO Study. This will be the most expensive phase thus far and the most critical.

The Valley is asking Valley residents and businesses to contribute generously to this new phase to help ensure the process is able to move forward. Funds are needed immediately as the process now starts. Consider monthly contributions? Consider an annual contribution? Send payments to Valley VOTE or major tax deductible contributions can be paid to the CIVIC Foundation, a non-profit Foundation setup by Bert Boeckmann and David Fleming to help LAFCO pay for the Study. Call for details (818) 501-5862

Should Petitioners be required to pay the legal fees of the public agencies they petition?

As part of the LAFCO application Valley Petitioners are being asked to agree to pay the legal fees of LAFCO if LAFCO is sued.

Now that the Valley’s petition has been approved, the next step in the process is filing the formal application to LAFCO which initiates the study. The application is to be filed by the three chief petitioners who are Marie Harris of Pacoima, Carlos Ferreyra of Van Nuys and John Walker of Woodland Hills. The submittal of the application however was delayed when the petitioners learned that as part of the application they would have to agree to pay LAFCO’s legal fees in the event LAFCO is sued as a result of the Valley Cityhood process. Many experts believe that the process will lead to a number of lawsuits being filed by opponents. The petitioners have always recognized the potential liability if they are sued, but did not expect to have to pay LAFCO’s legal fees as well. These cost could add up to millions of dollars.

Valley VOTE believes that chief petitioners who legally represent those citizens who sign a petition should not have to put their personal assets at risk by be required to pay the legal fees of the governmental to which they are petitioning. To require petitioners to pay these legal costs creates a chilling affect on the peoples right to petition their government and means only the very wealthy can petition their government. Additionally, it will encourage opponents to sue, warranted or not, as a means of stopping the process, knowing they can bankrupt the applicants by forcing them to use up their funds on legal fees. Additionally, there is frustration by many people because this requirement was inserted into the application in July 1998, after the Valley’s petition drive was already underway.

To the credit of LAFCO, many of the LAFCO Commissioners agree with the chief petitioners that they should not have to risk their personal life savings just to petition government. As a result, LAFCO has instructed County Counsel to work with Valley VOTE’s attorney, Clark Alsop to find suitable revised language that limits the Chief Petitioner’s liability.

Upcoming Public Forums

Mayor Riordan to participate in Public Forum to discuss Charter Reform and Valley Cityhood at CSUN, Tuesday Night April 6^th at 6:30PM hosted by The SFV United Chambers of Commerce and CSUN’s Center for Southern California Studies

The panel discussion will April 6th, 6:30-8:30 PM at CSUN, in the Performing Arts Center, Student Union. Call (818) 986-7018 for information.

The forum will be moderated by Bill Rosendahl, Vice President Century Cable and the panel will include Mayor Riordan; Charter Commissioners Paula Boland, Rob Glushon and Sharon Schuster; Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain; Managing Editor of the Daily News Ron Kaye; and LA Times Reporter Molly Selvin

This will be the first public forum since the Valley’s Petition was approved. Many leaders in the Valley are very supportive of Mayor Riordan who has been good to the Valley. However, in the past few weeks Mayor Riordan has gone on the attack. While he is still popular in he Valley, many leaders know he will no longer be Mayor in two years. What then? Valley residents are encouraged to attend this important public forum to learn firsthand about the options of Charter Reform and Valley Cityhood.

The Valley Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League and Congregation Adat Ari El will host a forum on Secession and its potential effect on the Jewish Community.

Thursday, April 15, 1999 at 7:00 PM at Adat Ari El, 12020 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, California. Panelists will include City Councilman Mike Feuer,

Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain, President of the Valley Jewish Home for the Aging Earl Greinetz, Associate Dean at USC, Dr. Eric Schockman and Hon. Bruce J. Einhorn, chair of ADL’s Valley Advisory Board will moderate. For information about this forum call (818) 464-3220

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