Printer Friendly
The Free Library
6,672,335 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

49% IN L.A. BACK VALLEY CITYHOOD.


Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - As San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley

Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills.
 secessionists formally launched their political campaign Friday, a new poll found that citywide support for Valley secession secession, in art
secession, in art, any of several associations of progressive artists, especially those in Munich, Berlin, and Vienna, who withdrew from the established academic societies or exhibitions.
 has increased to 49 percent.

The survey, conducted by SurveyUSA and commissioned by KABC-TV (Channel 7), found that support among Los Angeles' registered voters has gone up 6 percentage points since a poll taken in February. Support among Valley voters has remained at 59 percent, close to the level reflected in polls by a variety of organizations over the past three years.

To pass on Nov. 5, secession needs support from a majority of voters in the Valley, as well as a majority of voters citywide including the Valley.

``Those are stunning figures on our behalf,'' said Richard Close, chairman of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment.

``Because Mayor (James) Hahn with his professional staff has been quoted everywhere - on all the TV, radio, newspaper articles - bashing bash  
v. bashed, bash·ing, bash·es

v.tr.
1. To strike with a heavy, crushing blow: The thug bashed the hood of the car with a sledgehammer.

2.
 Valley cityhood with all his scare tactics For the political strategy, see Tactical politics
Scare Tactics is a reality show on the Sci-Fi Channel which began airing April 2003. It last aired on January 1, 2006. It is produced by Hallock & Healey Entertainment. In Canada, it is broadcast on Razer.
. As Hahn continues to whine and complain and scare the public, our numbers get better all the time.''

But Hahn's campaign consultant, Kam Kuwata, said he believes cityhood supporters have had a head start in getting their information to the public, so the mayor's anti-secession campaign has some catching up to do.

``What it means is there's a tremendous amount of confusion and disinformation dis·in·for·ma·tion  
n.
1. Deliberately misleading information announced publicly or leaked by a government or especially by an intelligence agency in order to influence public opinion or the government in another nation:
 out there,'' Kuwata said. ``Our point all along has been that the proponents have had 6 1/2 years. It's our turn.

``Once people hear the facts about what all these things "These Things" is an EP by She Wants Revenge, released in 2005 by Perfect Kiss, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. Music Video
The music video stars Shirley Manson, lead singer of the band Garbage. Track Listing
1. "These Things [Radio Edit]" - 3:17
2.
 mean - that, in fact, things in the city are going well, that this has nothing to do with the public school system and, in fact, residents in the Valley and elsewhere will not be able to get more services for less taxes - they're going to be skeptical about the proposal,'' he said.

The survey found that 33 percent of voters in the Valley, and 43 percent citywide, were opposed to an independent Valley city. In the Valley, 7 percent said they were ``not sure'' about cityhood, and 8 percent citywide were not sure.

The polling firm questioned 407 registered voters throughout Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , including the Valley, on Thursday. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

The survey found that among ethnic groups in the city, Latinos have the highest support for secession, with a majority - 54 percent citywide - favoring it. The idea was opposed by 41 percent and 5 percent were unsure.

About one-third of African-American voters - 32 percent - favored a Valley city, with 66 percent opposed and 2 percent unsure.

Among white voters, 48 percent favored secession, 40 percent opposed it and 12 percent were unsure.

The age group expressing the greatest support for a Valley city was 18 to 34, with 53 percent approving it.

The poll was taken before the November political campaign begins, and only a day after the Local Agency Formation Commission decided Valley secession will be on the Nov. 5 ballot. LAFCO LAFCO Local Agency Formation Commission
LAFCO Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative
 will decide within the next two weeks whether cityhood plans for Hollywood and the Harbor area The Harbor Area is the area along the Port of Los Angeles. It contains neighborhoods of Los Angeles (including Wilmington & San Pedro). Los Angeles City neighborhoods in the Harbor Area
  • Harbor City
  • Harbor Pines
 also will go on the ballot.

A preview of what could be a nasty campaign came Friday morning, as secessionists held a news conference to formally introduce their campaign group, but were disrupted and jeered by anti-secession hecklers.

Several women with the Valley chapter of the Gray Panthers Founded in 1970, the Gray Panthers is a national organization dedicated to social justice for old and young people alike. However, the Gray Panthers is best known for work on behalf of older persons.  and some members of the anti-secession group One Los Angeles booed and shouted as various supporters of Valley cityhood came to the podium podium

In architecture, a pedestal on a large scale. It may be any of various elements that form the base of a structure, such as the platform forming the floor and substructure of a Classical temple, a low wall supporting columns, or the structurally or decoratively
 in front of Van Nuys City Hall.

The hecklers also positioned themselves next to and behind the secessionists, holding signs for the TV news cameras that read ``Valley VOTE Does Not Speak for the Valley.'' As the news conference broke up, several of the secessionists and hecklers got into shouting matches shouting match n (col) → discusión f a voz en grito

shouting match n (inf) → engueulade f, empoignade f 
.

As Close spoke about the ``downtown power brokers'' running the anti-secession campaign, one heckler heck·le  
tr.v. heck·led, heck·ling, heck·les
1. To try to embarrass and annoy (someone speaking or performing in public) by questions, gibes, or objections; badger.

2. To comb (flax or hemp) with a hatchel.
 in back shouted, ``You want to be the new downtown.''

The man, Manuel Vasquez Manuel A. Vasquez is an associate professor at the University of Florida. He specializes in religion in Latin America and among U.S. Latinos. Biography
Manuel A. Vasquez is a leading expert on how Latino immigration is changing the United States.
 of Encino, later said he thinks secessionists are trying to break up the city for their own political ambitions.

``Those men in dark suits there want to be the new downtowners,'' he said. ``I have never had trouble with police service and with city services The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject.
Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page.
 in general.

``They want to be the new big-timers, the shot-callers, the kingmakers.''

But Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain said the movement was about giving power to the people.

``Clearly we're the underdogs in this fight,'' Brain said. ``Like David versus Goliath, like the Minutemen minutemen, in the American Revolution, colonial militiamen or armed citizens who agreed to turn out for service at a minute's notice. The term minutemen  versus the better-trained, better-armed British army The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with unification of the governments and armed forces of England and Scotland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. , I believe we will prevail.''

Secessionists have created a campaign committee, the San Fernando Valley Independence Committee, that will focus on efforts in the Valley. They expect to announce a separate group that will focus on citywide efforts, particularly in reaching out to disaffected dis·af·fect·ed  
adj.
Resentful and rebellious, especially against authority.



disaf·fect
 groups throughout the city.

Their message will be that Valley secession also will benefit the remaining part of Los Angeles, which would have smaller City Council districts if the Valley becomes a separate city.

Close accused Hahn's forces of organizing the disruption, saying ``These are Mayor Hahn's representatives here today'' and later calling them ``the Hahn goon squad.''

``We know Hahn's people are out there organizing opposition and telling them to disrupt news conferences. Hahn is trying to prevent the message from coming out.''

But Kuwata said the mayor's forces did not send the hecklers out. While he has been in contact with One Los Angeles, he said, he knew nothing about the press conference.

``I'm supportive of their efforts to oppose secession,'' Kuwata said. ``But did anybody in the Mayor's Office organize the One L.A. actions at this press conference? The answer is no.''

Lillian Kohn, chairwoman of the Valley Gray Panthers and one of the loudest hecklers, said she got a call from One Los Angeles about the press conference.

Kohn, who wore a T-shirt that read ``Gray Panthers for One L.A.,'' said she is worried about increased utility rates and the loss of rent control if the Valley secedes.

Robert O'Neill, a One Los Angeles member who stood next to the podium with a sign, said he opposes secession because he thinks Los Angeles is better as one city and because secession will result in higher utility rates.

``It's going to be a disaster for Valley residents,'' said O'Neill, who was one of those who booed as secessionists were introduced at the podium.

Irene Tovar, a co-chairwoman of One Los Angeles, said the group's leadership did not organize the protest or know anything about it.

``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed)

"Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party.
 who they are,'' Tovar said. ``I don't know if they really represent One L.A. Some people do certain things on their own.''

Brain said the events indicate opponents' tactics.

``We felt it was unfortunate that when the Valley has worked so long to allow a vote, and we were holding this press conference to talk about the next step, that they chose to behave in such a disruptive manner,'' Brain said. ``And we would say if in the future they hold their press conference, we will not engage in similar behavior.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, box, chart

Photo:

Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close, left, speaks at a press conference for Valley secession amid a sea of opposition Friday at Van Nuys City Hall.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box:

THE SHAPE OF THE VALLEY CITY

Chart:

SURVEY SAYS

SOURCE: SurveyUSA
COPYRIGHT 2002 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2002, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Article Type:Statistical Data Included
Date:May 25, 2002
Words:1241
Previous Article:CITY MANAGER GIVEN $20,800 BOOST IN PAY.(News)
Next Article:D.A.'S OFFICE FAULTS BOARD'S SECRET VOTE.(News)



Related Articles
EDITORIAL : LAFCO'S DIRTY TRICK OUTRAGE METER: 8.0.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
SECESSION NOT ONLY FOR AFFLUENT; NORTHEAST VALLEY FUELED PETITION DRIVE.(NEWS)(Statistical Data Included)
HARBOR FOLLOWS VALLEY CITYHOOD PATH; PETITIONERS MEET GOAL IN SECOND BID FOR STUDY.(News)(Statistical Data Included)
VALLEY CITY POLL TURNS UP THE HEAT.(NEWS)(Statistical Data Included)
ON THE BALLOT: PRO ON MONDAY, SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF THE PROPOSED NEW SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CITY RELEASED THE ARGUMENTS THEY SUBMITTED FOR THE...
BACKUP BREAKUP PLAN EYED VALLEY-ONLY VOTE GOAL OF NEW EFFORT.(News)
OPINIONS UNCHANGED IN LATEST POLL VALLEYITES STILL FAVOR SPLIT, CITYWIDE VOTE STILL OPPOSES IT.(News)(Statistical Data Included)
PUBLIC FORUM THE P.O. POSITION.(Editorial)(Letter to the Editor)(Editorial)
World media has Valley in camera lens. (A Special Report: The Secession Question).
SECESSION REMORSE GRIEVANCES LIVE BEYOND REJECTION OF CITYHOOD.(News)

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles