Poll Results Give Secession Petition Campaign a Boost

Energized by a poll that shows strong public support for breaking up the city, leaders of a San Fernando Valley group said Tuesday they are confident they can collect signatures quickly enough to trigger the next step toward Valley secession.

The group Valley VOTE earlier had asked for legislation extending a 90-day deadline on collecting 135,000 signatures on petitions seeking a study of secession.

But Tuesday, Valley Vote leaders said they believe they have the resources, volunteers and public support to meet the deadline. “We are very confident of getting our signatures in 90 days,” said Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain.

Brain said the petition drive will be timed to coincide with the June primary, so that petition circulators can solicit signatures near polling places.

The survey of 1,205 Valley voters--conducted by veteran pollster Arnold Steinberg and released Monday--was commissioned by Studio City attorney David Fleming and auto dealership owner Herbert Boeckmann, both of whom are prominent appointees of Mayor Richard Riordan, a vocal opponent of secession. Fleming is a member of the city Fire Commission and Boeckmann is a longtime member of the Police Commission.