In Search of ‘Last Word’ on Breakup

Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn took a new approach in his fight against secession on Saturday, pushing the message that Los Angeles is a great city, rather than focusing on the financial and political risks of breaking up the city, as he has in the past.

“I love Los Angeles,” the mayor said at a forum on secession organized by the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research. “It’s a great city that’s more than just a place on a map. It continues to be a magnet for people from all over the world.”

Hahn addressed about 200 people -- community activists, union representatives, political officials and academics -- who had gathered for a conference that the university dubbed “The Last Word” on secession.

He was followed by the chairmen of the two pro-secession political campaigns, Gene La Pietra of the Hollywood Independence Committee and Richard Katz of the San Fernando Valley Independence Committee.

Hahn’s appearance capped a morning of discussions on secession, including a panel of academics and politicians who examined the roots of the movement and its political legacy. Voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to break up L.A.

Hahn, La Pietra and Katz appeared in succession, because the mayor refused to sit on a panel with the two secessionists, or to debate with them.

Hahn used his speech to compare Los Angeles to other cities, saying that trash collection in L.A. costs just $6 per month, whereas other cities charge as much as $23 per month.

Los Angeles libraries are open six, and in some cases seven, days a week, Hahn said, while Glendale and Burbank keep theirs open part time.

He chided those secessionists who complain that potholes are not routinely repaired, saying that motorists who drive past unfixed potholes should call the city and tell street maintenance officials where the holes are. “We respond to requests to fill potholes in 24 hours,” he said.

La Pietra, the driving force behind the movement for Hollywood secession, spoke after the mayor. La Pietra compared the mayor to King George III of England, and said that the American Revolution was really a secession movement.

He claimed that, like the mayor, the king predicted that the colonies would not do well on their own. And he said that England was now run more efficiently, since it became smaller after the American colonies broke away.

La Pietra was followed by Katz, who urged voters to set aside their fears about secession.

By splitting off the Valley and Hollywood, secession would result in three smaller, better-run cities, Katz said. The new cities would be more democratic, because the council districts would be smaller, making it easier for constituents to discuss issues with elected officials and to influence public policy.

“We’re asking all of you to take the opportunity to take control of your destiny,” Katz said. “It just requires some trust and faith in yourself and your friends and neighbors.”