Assembly OKs Election Plan in Case Valley Secedes

The state Assembly approved a bill Friday that would provide for at least 14 city council members and an elected mayor for the San Fernando Valley if it secedes from Los Angeles.

Coming just two weeks after its approval by the state Senate, the legislation by Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) now goes to the governor, who has not said whether he will sign it.

State law currently would require a new Valley city to begin with five city council members, who would choose a mayor from among themselves. Each would represent about 265,000 people.

Members of the Los Angeles City Council represent about 235,000 people each. There are four council members whose districts are completely in the Valley, and three who represent part of the Valley and part of the city south of Mulholland Drive.

“The last thing that Valley residents want is to have less local representation than they have now,” said Paul Hefner, a spokesman for Hertzberg.

The bill would require a new Valley city to have council districts with no more than 100,000 people each. Based on the current population, that would mean at least 14 council members. The legislation also calls for a separately elected mayor, to be chosen by citywide ballot.

“This ensures greater representation of the people of the San Fernando Valley if it becomes its own city,” said Jeff Brain, president of the secession group Valley VOTE.

The group asked Hertzberg, who would prefer to see charter reform work than to see the city break apart, to introduce the legislation.

The bill passed on an initial vote of 44-10.

Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) said he thinks having 14 council members is better than having five. But he voted against the bill because, he said, he believes the issue should be decided by voters rather than the Legislature.