Disclosure of Secession Lobbying Activity Urged
The City Council has voted to seek state legislation that would require disclosure of lobbying activity on city secession issues considered by the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission.
The commission told the city it does not have power to require groups to disclose where they get their money for lobbying and how it is spent. The commission said state lobbying rules only apply to state agencies with statewide jurisdiction.
The resolution adopted by the council on Tuesday supports legislation either to designate each county’s Local Agency Formation Commission as a state agency, or extend the lobbying disclosure rules to the local panels.
The council action came just a few days after the state Fair Political Practices Commission agreed to consider a city request to require disclosure of who is bankrolling petition drives for secession.
Both issues were raised because of concerns about Valley VOTE, which turned in enough signatures to trigger a study of San Fernando Valley cityhood, but has not disclosed all of its financial backers.
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