Two Views on Secession

* I have been a resident of the San Fernando Valley since 1970 and I love both the Valley and the city of Los Angeles. It disheartens me to see a small handful activists attempting to set the foundation for a possible secession drive.

I am against secession of the Valley since it will only lead to the further balkanization of Los Angeles County, reduction in the delivery of municipal services and creation of undue conflict among communities. Abraham Lincoln said that a house divided cannot stand. This applies to Los Angeles as well.

The heart of the matter is that the economic pie is no longer big enough to sustain the delivery of services that everyone needs. Instead of fighting over how to divide an ever-shrinking pie, let us combine our forces and build coalitions to seek ways to increase the economic pie for everyone.

STEWART CHESLER

North Hollywood

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* Regarding the “Wistful Movement in the Valley” (May 14).

The Times asks if people “have forgotten the quickest, most comprehensive, most generous disaster response to date.” Yes, we remember the 48-hour, billion-dollar bailout of the Mexican government for its self-created financial disaster. We also remember the endless articles published by The Times in the past two years of homeowners fighting and pleading with FEMA for months (sometimes years) for assistance.

If The Times is still “hard-pressed to understand” the appeal of Valley secession, consider this: Maybe Valley residents are tired of pouring their tax dollars into one of the greatest educational failures in the country . . . the LAUSD. Maybe Valley residents are tired of being promised by city officials and MTA officials that Metro construction would not cause damage or run over budget . . . it did both. Maybe Valley residents are sickened by the thought of their remaining tax dollars used to defend LAPD brutality in civil case after civil case.

The city of Los Angeles is obviously doomed; don’t drag the Valley down with you.

MICHAEL ALLEN

North Hollywood