The Valley will choose to remain under L.A. jurisdiction or become its own city Nov. 5
By Nicholas Julian
Staff Writer
For years, residents of San Gabriel Valley have battled to secede from the historic city of Los Angeles. On Nov. 5, years of dispute and conflict will finally come to an end when voters take to the polls to decide whether the Valley will become a city of its own.
The newly proposed city will dissect the region of San Gabriel Valley. The proposition would form a newly districted city, composed of 14 council districts, each with approximately 97,000 residents, according to the Civic Forum, a neutral clearinghouse on valley secession. This number is in comparison with the current 250,000 resident districts that now compose the existing city of Los Angeles.
Opponents say the proposition would abolish rent control, leave city controllers powerless and most important impose a huge tax endeavor on Valley residents. Proponents say that the secession would increase property value, improve schools and clean up San Gabriel Valley.
The latest polls by SurveyUSA and KABC-TV show that the approval rate of current city of Los Angeles residents are 27 percent for the secession, while in the San Fernando Valley the approval rate is only 42 percent. In order to secede, the bill must get a majority vote from both the residents in the proposed new city, as well as a majority of voters citywide, including the Valley. Voters will also vote on the name of the new city, along with a new mayor and city council.
Although many Valley residents are excited to see their community become an independently governed city, others are disturbed at the though of denouncing the allegiance to the city of Los Angeles.
“There are many pros and cons to the secession,” Nothridge resident Elena Perez said. “The face is, people want to become a part of their (city’s) community and that just isn’t possible in L.A., the scale is just too huge and it continues to grow larger.”
Both sides have come to blows over the difficulties of going through with the secession, which leaves some political leaders up in the air and where they stand. But Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn has spoken out on the choice to secede after raising $5.5 million to see that the secession does not happen.
“We made this commitment to the housing trust fund on the basis of being a united city, including the Valley and Hollywood, and the revenues that come from those areas,” Hahn told the Los Angeles Times. “If we don’t have those revenues, everything on the table at city hall could be in jeopardy.”
Other opponents of the secession include LA Weekly Magazine.
“Valley secession is about smaller, more local, more responsive government,” a magazine staff endorsement said. “In fact, Valley secession is really a toxic mix of nostalgia, of a retreat from social affinity and responsibility, and of white racism. It’s a very dangerous idea, and we’re adamantly against it.”
Other opposing forces include the Los Angeles Democratic Party and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, both of which support Gov. Gary Davis and his anti-secession stance.
In support of secession, the most widely known group in the Los Angeles area is the group known as Secession 101. This group is responsible for running a series of informational documentaries on local cable circuits, such as channel 36 in Los Angeles. They are airing the documentaries through Tuesday at 11 a.m., 2:30 and 4 p.m., and finishing off each day with a one-hour wrap up each night at 10 p.m.
Other proponents include the Daily News, state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-19th Dist.) and Republican candidate for the 41st House District Michael Wissot.
“Unfortunately the greatness of a city is not measured by its size, its population, its buildings or its budget,” McClintock wrote on his website. ” the greatness of a city is measured by the happiness and satisfaction of its citizens.”
Proponents say that the tax money that will be allocated to the new valley city will be used to fund the public schools in the area by pulling from their own fund rather than having to take a share of the huge Los Angeles Unified School District. Other tax money will be spent on cleaning up the polluted streets of East San Gabriel Valley.
Opponents fear that the new city will take a large sum of tax money from the city of Los Angeles. Opponents have many concerns, but when it boils down to the center, money is the bottom line.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 51 percent of those who live in Los Angeles County do not own their current place of residence.
With the secession of the Valley comes a new set of laws, laws that more than likely will do away with rent control. Residents say they worry about landlords, who will rejoice in the skyrocketing prices, while the rest of the population will be left to suffer the afterburning.
“Higher rent demands are expected to come out of the secession, and that isn’t a good deal for us renters,” said Deema Chahine, an apartment renter and resident of Los Angeles City. “It all looks good in theory, but what I am worried about would be the relative cost of living in the Valley if you don’t own a home.”
Such concerns are prevalent among city planners, and the verdict on rent control or rent caps will be addressed next month.
Other issues that concern opponents are the establishment of new police and fire departments, which is essential for the existence of a city.
October 31, 2002