CITYHOOD EFFORT HISTORIC VALLEY WOULD REPLACE PHOENIX AS SIXTH-BIGGEST U.S. CITY.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

The Local Agency Formation Commission decision in May to put San Fernando Valley secession on the Nov. 5 ballot climaxes a years-long struggle that could reshape the political - and actual - map of Los Angeles.

LAFCO's action was historic. No other attempt by so many people to split from one major city and form their own has ever gone this far in U.S. history.

Secessionists here have tried several times since the Valley joined Los Angeles in 1915, but the issue has never before made it to the ballot. In California, there have been two secessions, but both were on a much smaller scale, and the more recent of the two occurred more than 80 years ago.

If the ballot measure is approved by a majority of voters in the Valley and citywide, Los Angeles would lose more than one-third of its population and become the nation's third-largest city, behind New York and Chicago. The Valley, with 1.35 million people, would displace Phoenix as the sixth- largest city.

On May 22, the day LAFCO decided to place Valley cityhood on the ballot, Richard Close, chairman of the cityhood group Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment, proclaimed: ``It's a great day for the San Fernando Valley.''

Former Assemblywoman Paula Boland cried as she recalled how she started this movement toward secession by fighting in 1996 to repeal a law that gave the City Council veto power over secession. Her bill failed by a single vote but passed a year later.

``It's marvelous,'' Boland said on that day as she wiped her eyes. ``This is truly a giant step for democracy.''

Petitions signed by more than one-fourth of Valley voters led to the LAFCO study and the decision to set the terms of ``divorce'' from Los Angeles.

Mayor James Hahn sought to delay the decision, arguing it would harm Los Angeles financially and force the Valley to raise taxes and cut services.

``The hastily prepared proposal passed by LAFCO is a one-way ticket to financial disaster for the entire city of Los Angeles,'' Hahn said at the time. ``Their numbers simply do not add up.''

Under the breakup plan, the new Valley city could have to pay Los Angeles ``alimony'' of $127 million in the first year - roughly what it pays now in excess of the price of services it gets. That amount would decrease by 5 percent annually until it reaches zero in 20 years.

Los Angeles would provide police and fire service to the Valley city for the first year. After that, the Valley could contract with Los Angeles city government or county government or create its own departments.

Most assets such as police and fire stations, libraries and parks now located in the Valley would be transferred to the new city at no cost. Los Angeles would keep ownership of four fire stations in the Valley city - two on Mulholland Drive that serve areas outside the Valley city and two regional units for hazardous materials and urban search and rescue.

Los Angeles also would keep 18 parks, most of them owned by the Department of Water and Power.

Parker Center police headquarters, City Hall, Los Angeles International Airport, the Convention Center and the Central Library would remain with Los Angeles.

Van Nuys Airport would be transferred to the Valley city, pending the approval of the federal government.

LAFCO estimated the new city, in its first year, would have revenues of $1.14 billion, expenditures of $1.05 billion and a reserve fund of 5 percent. The new city would be entitled to 31.06 percent of the Los Angeles city general fund.

There would be 14 city council districts, each with about 97,000 residents. On the same Nov. 5 ballot, Valley voters will choose from among five suggested names for the city: Camelot, Mission Valley, Rancho San Fernando, San Fernando Valley and Valley City.

The Valley city's incorporation would become official on July 1, 2003. The new city council must adopt all ordinances of the city of Los Angeles for a period of 120 days or until it enacts new ordinances superseding them.

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Photo:

Possibly the foremost civic battle in the country is the fight of the San Fernando Valley, which has its own anthem and ``Valley girls'' dialect, to split from the city of Los Angeles and become independent.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

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SECESSION HISTORY REPEATS

Gregg Miller/Staff Artist