Bill to Ease Secession by Valley Blasted

Controversial legislation that would make it easier for the San Fernando Valley to secede is “unclear” on key issues and robs the rest of Los Angeles of any decision-making power over a plan that could dramatically affect the whole city, the author of an analysis critical to the legislation said Friday.

The study, by the office of Los Angeles’ chief legislative analyst, Ronald Deaton, urges the City Council to oppose the bill by Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland (R-Granada Hills) unless it is substantially amended.

A City Council subcommittee is scheduled to consider Deaton’s recommendation Tuesday.

Deaton said the bill’s biggest flaw is that it requires the area that wants to secede to simultaneously incorporate as a city, but fails to set up a procedure to execute both complicated efforts at the same time. The legislation poses a unique problem, he said: “After you separate and you are not yet a city, what are you?”

He criticized the bill for taking away the council’s power to veto a secession plan even though the city could lose nearly a third of its territory and about 30% of its population under the plan.

In his analysis, Deaton said the bill should allow either the entire city or the City Council to vote on the issue, not just the Valley.

“We would have no say,” said Deaton, whose office is responsible for analyzing the impact of state and federal legislation on the city and who is considered to be an independent-minded analyst, free of political ties to city politicians.

But supporters of the bill said Deaton’s criticism is intended to discourage a secession vote and keep the Valley a neglected part of Los Angeles. They also say procedural matters raised by Deaton can be addressed later by the Local Agency Formation Commission, a regional panel that decides secession issues.

“The reason they oppose it is because the Valley is a cash cow for the rest of Los Angeles,” said Scott Wilk, Boland’s chief of staff. “There is plenty of opportunity to address those questions [raised by Deaton] as the bill winds its way through the process.”

The analysis is the latest salvo in a secession debate that has begun to heat up as the measure heads toward an Assembly vote as soon as this month.

A survey of the City Council indicates that at least nine of the 15 members oppose the bill, unless it is amended to address questions about how a secession will affect taxes and the division of city facilities, such as sewers and streets. Mayor Richard Riordan has taken no position on the bill but opposes a secession.