Local News in Brief : Cityhood Letter Campaign

Leaders of the Malibu incorporation drive have launched a lobbying effort to persuade the Local Agency Formation Commission to approve cityhood for the coastal community.

Officials from the Malibu Committee for Incorporation have initiated a letter-writing campaign to commission members and begun meeting privately with them this week.

Although Ruth Benell, executive director of LAFCO, said in a recent report that a city of Malibu could raise enough money to support itself, leaders of the cityhood effort said they consider incorporation far from a certainty. The commission will hold a public hearing on the report on May 25.

“We’re very pleased with the recommendation, but there are no guarantees and we’re not taking any chances,” said Walt Keller, co-chairman of the incorporation committee. “We want to show that we have widespread community support.”