Valley VOTE Criticizes Council’s Offer of Help

Activists petitioning for a study and possible vote on San Fernando Valley secession Wednesday criticized an offer of help from the Los Angeles City Council, calling it hollow and nearly useless.

The council voted unanimously Tuesday to support Valley VOTE, the group leading the campaign, if they file court action to win a 30-day extension for their petition drive. City attorneys also were instructed to contact the agency that would conduct the secession study to ask for a time extension for Valley VOTE.

“In effect, it doesn’t do anything,” said Jeff Brain, president of Valley VOTE. “It’s unworkable.”

Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents the West Valley, sponsored the council measure to try to make amends for an incident at Van Nuys Airport on July 18-19, when airport officials illegally barred Valley VOTE petition gatherers from the Van Nuys Aviation Expo ’98.

But the city will only intervene if Valley VOTE initiates court action seeking a 30-day extension. Also, Valley VOTE leaders must promise not to sue over the incident at the airport, which is a city facility.

Seeking a 30-day extension from a court might cost Valley VOTE between $50,000 and $70,000 in legal fees, an expense the group can ill afford, said Richard Close, the organization’s chairman. At this point, leaders of Valley VOTE have not decided whether to take court action.

Valley VOTE needs to collect 135,000 signatures from Valley voters by Aug. 27 in order to prompt a secession study by the Local Agency Formation Commission. If LAFCO determines an independent Valley city is feasible and will not harm the city of Los Angeles financially, the agency has the authority to place the measure on the ballot for a citywide vote.

Close said Valley VOTE already has collected 100,000 signatures, but hopes to net in excess of 180,000 to offset invalid ones.

“It’s going to be real tight,” Close said.

LAFCO Executive Director Larry J. Calemine said it is unclear whether his agency has the legal authority to grant Valley VOTE the 30-day extension being requested by the City Council.

Still, under the state law dictating the secession process, Valley VOTE would be entitled to an additional 15 days to gather signatures if their petition drive falls short, Calemine said.