Mayor Offers a ‘Fair Share’ to the Valley

Giving San Fernando Valley residents what he called their “fair share,” Mayor Richard Riordan proposed a $2.8-billion budget Monday that will pave more streets, trim more trees, add park workers and police officers, and expand hours at many libraries in the Valley.

The budget includes $300,000 to upgrade the West Valley Constituent Service Center, $200,000 for operation and improvement of the new Madrid Theater in Canoga Park and funding for a new Principle Planner in the Valley to handle the growth of development in that area.

The mayor said he hopes Valley residents will be less inclined to support creation of a separate Valley city if they see services from City Hall improving.

“The quality-of-life issues are important,” Riordan said. “I think it’s just if people feel the city is well-run, maybe they’ll say if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.”

The spending plan did not include money for a second Valley police bureau or financial help for a pending study of Valley secession.

The budget also includes a $13 brush-clearance fee that has drawn a storm of protest.

In addition, the DASH shuttle bus line in Sherman Oaks would be canceled. The budget described the line as “chronically poor-performing.”

The spending blueprint comes against a growing debate about whether the Valley gets its fair share of city services. The stakes were raised last month when petitions by Valley secessionists triggered a study of Valley cityhood.

“This budget is going to send a message of how seriously they take the Valley secession sentiment, and how seriously they take the complaints,” said Jeff Brain, president of the secession group Valley VOTE. “We are hoping for a more equitable distribution. But some people say it’s too late to stave off secession sentiment.”

The secessionists have charged that the Valley has been shortchanged for years.

“Clearly, historically, the Valley has paid in considerably more than it has received back in services,” said Brain. Brain said the Valley represents about 35% of the city population and 40% of the property tax revenue.

Overall, Riordan said the new budget improves the quality of life for the entire city, and the Valley will enjoy the benefits of expanded city programs.

“What it says is the Valley is getting their fair share of new resources,” Riordan said.

Many proposals, including the addition of 157 police officers, 126 firefighters and 40 animal-control officers, are citywide measures that will have some, difficult to quantify, effect on the Valley.

Others are easier to break down by geography.

Under the proposed budget:

* Seven Valley parks and recreation centers would receive increased staffing so that longer hours and more classes and programs could be offered.

* Thirty libraries would operate with expanded hours, including 11 in the Valley. In the first phase of that expansion, the number of hours will be increased from 40 to 52 hours weekly at the Panorama City, Platt (West Valley), Sherman Oaks, Sylmar and Chatsworth branches.

* The amount of streets to be resurfaced next year would be increased by 75 miles in the current year to 225 miles, of which 80 miles of Valley streets will be repaved.

* The number of trees trimmed in the Valley would be increased from 45,500 to about 52,500--or roughly 50% of the trees to be trimmed citywide in the present year.

* The two Valley animal shelters would receive funds for improvements.

When work on the budget is completed, it will be used by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) as the basis for its study to determine the financial ramifications of Valley cityhood.

LAFCO Executive Director Larry Calemine said the new city budget will be used to establish baseline levels of revenue and expenditures.

Brain voiced concern that no funding was included for the LAFCO study.

“With 25% of the voters in the San Fernando Valley having signed petitions seeking a study, we are extremely disappointed the mayor’s budget does not acknowledge in any way the city’s responsibility in funding that study,” Brain said.

The City Council will now hold hearings on Riordan’s budget before adopting a spending plan in June. Riordan predicted the brush-clearance fee would be among the issues that might draw heat in council.

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