Draft Valley Secession Petition Is Released

An independent San Fernando Valley city, separate from Los Angeles, would enhance the “quality of life” and create a “less costly, more efficient” government, according to a petition that an activist group plans to circulate next month.

The petition, a draft of which was released Wednesday, is the first step in a process that if successful would carve up Los Angeles to create the sixth largest city in the country.

The petition claims the Valley should break away because the city of Los Angeles “has become too large, costly, ineffective, distant and unresponsive to the people of the San Fernando Valley.”

But Mayor Richard Riordan--the most vocal opponent of the secession campaign--continued to urge residents to reject secession talk and instead support an effort to overhaul the city’s 73-year-old charter. Riordan’s staff members also said the mayor has worked hard to give the Valley better representation and services than previous administrations.

“This year’s budget, which was released earlier this week, clearly provides Valley residents with their fair share of services,” Riordan spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez said. “The concerns of Valley residents have been heard and acted upon whenever possible.”

Leaders of Valley VOTE, the group that plans to begin circulating the petition on May 30, have been struggling for months with the precise language.

The group has repeatedly said its goal is to simply study the feasibility of secession. But under state law, the only way to trigger such a study involves filing a petition with the Local Agency Formation Commission--an independent regional panel--requesting a “detachment” and incorporation of the Valley.

The petition to be circulated next month states that those who sign want LAFCO to proceed with a “special reorganization that consists of the detachment of the territory described herein from the city of Los Angeles and the incorporation of that entire detached territory as a city.”

Valley VOTE leaders say they remain confident that voters will be able to distinguish between the goal of the group and the specific language on the petition.

“Anyone who reads the newspaper knows the purpose of the petition,” Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close said. “The language of the petition is determined by state law. We have little flexibility.”

*

The issue may be moot, political consultants say. They predict that most voters who sign the petition will never read the specific language.

“As unfortunate as it sounds, most people will sign based on what the petition circulators say, not what is on the petition,” said Larry Levine, a Valley political consultant who has led several initiative campaigns over the past decade.

Valley VOTE has 90 days to collect 135,000 signatures, beginning May 30. Leaders of the group said they have 3,000 volunteers.

If the petition drive is successful, LAFCO must launch a study on the feasibility of a secession. If the study determines the Valley can sustain itself without creating a financial hardship for Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors must put the secession matter on a citywide ballot.

So far, Valley VOTE leaders have declined to disclose who is funding the petition drive or how much money has been raised. They say they may not disclose any of that information before the petition drive begins.

Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain said the group is not legally required to disclose that information. Also, he said the group fears if the information were made public, critics of the movement, such as Riordan and the City Council, may seek retribution against contributors.

“We are going to do what is in the best interest of the Valley,” he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Secession petition

A draft of the petition that will start the process that could create a separate San Fernando Valley city was released Wednesday. Supporters of the effort must collect 135,000 signatures on the petition in a 90-day period. Mayor Richard Riordan opposes the effort. Part of the petition is shown below.