Hahn Tells Council to Drop Conditions

City Atty. James Hahn reversed himself Tuesday and urged the Los Angeles City Council to reduce the conditions placed on $265,000 it has approved to conduct cityhood studies for the San Fernando Valley and the Harbor area.

Hahn, who is running for mayor, said the council could legally impose conditions, but he recommended dropping language explicitly banning use of the money to develop plans for new cities.

Hahn backed a motion by Councilman Hal Bernson, set for a council vote today, that would commit to providing the money to conduct a comprehensive fiscal analysis “as required by state law.”

Hahn’s office last month sent a letter to the Local Agency Formation Commission, which is conducting the studies, indicating the money could only be used to collect and analyze data, and that the money could not be used to develop specific proposals for breaking up the city.

Richard Close, chairman of the secession group Valley VOTE, praised Hahn’s new letter.

“He is taking the leadership position and saying irrespective of the legal debate, the proper thing to do is to adopt the Bernson motion,” Close said. “It would be a major mistake not to adopt that motion, because it would send a signal that the City Council intends to interfere with the preparation of the report.”