Citizens Deserve Secession Choice

Re: “Secession Obsession,” Feb. 11.

You hide behind a thick layer of sarcasm in your editorial attack on Assemblywoman Paula Boland and her proposed legislation. Her bill meets a very real need: The right of citizens to reform their government in a fashion that is accountable and responsive to their needs.

In terms of physical size, Los Angeles is [one of] the largest cities in the world. Even if blessed with enlightened and gifted leadership, this would be a difficult city to govern effectively. The fact is that our “City of Angels” is cursed with every big city ailment that can beset a community. There are too few police officers on the street. The district attorney arbitrarily chooses not to prosecute certain crimes. A subway that was never wanted will cost us more than the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The once proudly competent Los Angeles City School System is now a pathetic failure called the LAUSD. Sadly, the list continues.

Residents of Los Angeles never wanted this. Their votes were never cast with the expectation that this could possibly become their future, but it happened anyway.

Government is at its best when it is closest to its citizens. Only when close at hand can it survive the inevitable tendency toward inefficiency, incompetence and a lack of accountability.

The Times seems to regard citizens making free choices about their community as a “roll of the dice.” This betrays a badly mislaid faith in the proven failure of big city government. Let the people of the Valley (and any other part of town) decide for themselves.

Boland’s bill would simply make it possible for the captive citizens of Los Angeles to choose their own destiny. Of course, it will take a lot of effort, but good government is well worth the price.

ROBERT A. BOWEN

Woodland Hills