Secession Bid May Face New Hurdle

Along the already bumpy road toward San Fernando Valley secession, it appears the city of Los Angeles may have dug another pothole.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, which is overseeing the study of Valley and Harbor cityhood, objected Wednesday to last-minute conditions set by the city on its financial contribution.

Richard Close, chairman of the secession group Valley VOTE and an alternate on the commission, said city officials who oppose Valley cityhood, including Mayor Richard Riordan, are trying to set the stage for a lawsuit to block the process.

“This is a blatant attempt to put strings on the city funds in a way that will lead to a lawsuit by the city to stop the study,” Close said.

County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, another commission member, also called on the city to withdraw its conditions.

“If you are looking for issues to slow the process down, you can fabricate all kinds of issues,” Yaroslavsky said. “Nobody else put conditions on their money, and the city shouldn’t put restrictions on its money.”

Instead of signing an agreement to accept the city’s $265,000, the commission agreed to give the Los Angeles City Council until Feb. 8 to withdraw the objectionable conditions, which would limit the spending of city money to data collection and analysis, and prohibit using the funds to develop any new Valley and Harbor city proposals or assist the secessionists with preparation of their proposals.

Yaroslavsky, who represents a large area of the Valley, said the ban on assistance could get LAFCO in legal trouble if a staff member answers a question by Valley VOTE.

“It’s an infringement on the free flow of information,” Yaroslavsky said.

Close said he fears that the conditions would give the city an excuse to sue LAFCO if any money is used on any portion of the study that analyzes the data or looks at how a new Valley city would be structured.

What happens if the city doesn’t back down? Some commissioners, including Close, said they might be prepared to vote to reject the city funding.

Yaroslavsky said he hopes the council will remove the strings.

“Otherwise, to me it would smack of throwing a fly into the ointment,” Yaroslavsky said.

ONE AMERICA: Canvassing is good. Issues are too. But what a little rhythm and music won’t do.

That is the conclusion of D.C. Taylor, a Republican candidate in the 42nd District Assembly race, who unveiled a personal campaign theme song at his kickoff event Saturday.

Called “One America,” the catchy jingle--written, composed and performed by Taylor’s friend Michael D. Renneker--is reminiscent of the music of ‘80s rocker John Mellencamp, Taylor said.

The approach is novel, at least by recent standards.

Larry Hanna, who is heading Taylor’s campaign, wasn’t exactly enthused about the song idea.

“My campaign manager understands the issue, but he would rather have me run on my four-cornerstone concept,” Taylor said.

The four cornerstone issues are effective education, job creation programs, reduced and reformed government, and reduced taxes, said Taylor, a 41-year-old airline manager for Continental who describes himself as a pro-business candidate.

Hanna agreed he was reluctant, but recalled that former Van Nuys Democrat Alan Robbins, who resigned from the state Senate and pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in 1991, garnered some TV coverage in a state senatorial race because his wife wrote a campaign song for him.

Taylor’s song is about racial harmony, unity and coming together, a theme Taylor says has been bubbling up inside him for as long as he can remember. He says the words and tune “give me the goose bumps”--even if he isn’t planning to introduce any actual legislation to further the assimilation of various racial groups in society.

The chorus:

“Let there be one America, one America/where we can celebrate our colors/as we stand as sisters and brothers/let’s make America, one America/let us be a lightning rod/one nation under God, one America, one God.”

Will there be any additional verses elaborating on his four-cornerstone campaign platform?

“There are no further verses planned,” Taylor said. “It wouldn’t work. That’s boring.”

The lyrics are online at: www.dctaylor4abetterfuture.com. The music should be available soon, Taylor said.

RESIDENCY REDUX: City Councilman Alex Padilla of Pacoima wants candidates for his office to be required to live in the district more than 30 days. But he couldn’t find many allies this week.

Councilman Mike Hernandez sarcastically suggested that future council members should be required to have attended junior high school in the districts in which they run.

Padilla, who faced three candidates last year who moved into his northeast Valley district, was undeterred by the criticism from Hernandez and others.

The 26-year-old freshman councilman managed to keep his proposal on life support by asking the city clerk to look at what other states have done on residency requirements.

“In the name of democracy and fair representation, it’s essential that our elected representatives be from the communities they serve,” Padilla said after the council session.

E-LASSOED: Recent Internet auctions have offered paintings by serial killers John Wayne Gacy, letters signed by “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez and locks of hair from the head of serial cannibal Arthur J. Shawcross.

Because the sales are conducted on the Internet, officials say it is often hard to determine who is marketing such articles, and who is profiting.

But the practice will soon get close scrutiny in California.

At the request of Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was slain in 1993, state Sen. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) announced Thursday he intends to introduce legislation that would extend the reach of California’s “Son of Sam” law into the electronic age.

The law was passed in 1983 to prevent felons from profiting from their own notoriety by doing such things as publishing memoirs, granting interviews or selling film rights. Instead, the law states the money should go to the victims’ families.

Schiff wants to provide for the seizure of profits from the sale of memorabilia not only by a felon, as now allowed, but also by the felon’s representative or a third party.

“I’m appalled. It makes me want to scream. It makes me want to throw things,” Klaas said. “My daughter’s killer has stuff on eBay and they are profiting from that.”

Will Schiff’s proposed legislation earn him Klaas’ endorsement?

Schiff, who is running for Congress against Republican James Rogan, said that was not discussed.

Caught off guard, Klaas said, sure.

“Hey, man, I wanted something to happen,” Klaas said. “He’s the guy who responded. Yeah--I’m going to endorse him.”