DISCONTENT PERSISTS IN WAKE OF MAYOR'S OPTIMISTIC ADDRESS : CAT-LICENSING PROPOSAL.

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan came to Woodland Hills on April 15 to deliver his annual State of the City address, where once again he declared his love for the residents of the San Fernando Valley.

Was the content of his speech sincere, or was it just more of the same political rhetoric we have come to expect from the leaders of the city to the south? Luckily, a clear answer came the very next day.

In almost complete contradiction to the mayor's speech, which spoke of giving empowerment to local residents in regard to planning and land-use issues, the four remaining city planning commissioners unanimously approved a zoning change in North Hills that was heavily opposed by more than 800 neighboring residents.

This high-density condominium project, proposed for the Nakada Nursery site at Nordhoff Street and Hayvenhurst Avenue, will destroy the integrity of this single-family residential community.

Please let me clarify that I and many other neighbors are not against developing this agricultural site. We merely want it to be developed in scale with the surrounding community.

After several phone calls to the Mayor's Office in an attempt to get his view on this miscarriage of the democratic process, no answers were forthcoming.

In essence, the mayor's speech was misinformation about the real mode of operation in the city government and the lack of empowerment that San Fernando Valley residents have regarding community issues affecting their daily lives.

This ``business as usual'' attitude displayed by the mayor, his appointees and the rest of the government of the city to the south has galvanized hundreds of North Hills residents to utter a new battle cry: ``Secession! Remember Nakada Nursery!''

What other Valley communities will follow this lead? Van Nuys? Chatsworth? Pacoima? Tarzana? Only time will tell.

- Sal Del Valle

North Hills

Mayor Richard Riordan says Los Angeles is strong and growing stronger. This is true, but it is at the expense of the San Fernando Valley.

The Valley since 1994 has been losing business because Riordan has diverted it to Los Angeles. On parts of Sepulveda Boulevard, Van Nuys Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard, there are more empty shops and offices.

More companies are needed in the Valley to promote jobs so one doesn't have to travel to Los Angeles. We need more bus routes and later hours. We need to get rid of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Crime is still up in the Valley. Muggings by gangbangers are still happening. On my own street, gangbangers are still shooting guns. Muggings aren't reported because of people being threatened.

Riordan can say he loves the Valley, but he does nothing to help the Valley. In a way, Riordan loves the Valley only for one thing: the money he gets from us to spend on improving Los Angeles.

If Riordan really loved the Valley, he would give us our share of the money so we can improve the Valley.

- Gerald C. Karels

Van Nuys

Like any city politician who has no good news to report on how well he is spending $4 billion of tax dollars, Mayor Richard Riordan just changed the subject. Now he talks almost exclusively about school board business. Instead of picking a city government location for his State of the City speech, he picked a high school.

I'm tired of L.A. city politicians who complain about the lack of accountability but aren't accountable themselves.

Despite picking the Valley in which to deliver his speech, it's still painfully obvious that Riordan is genuinely part of the ``over the hill'' gang.

- Carl Olson

Woodland Hills

I was disappointed to see that on one of the rare days where the mayor and the City Council are in agreement, they are agreeing to keep power for themselves instead of giving it back to the neighborhoods.

I am referring, of course, to the mayor's State of the City address, and the council's decision to endorse the concept of neighborhood councils, but to make them only advisory. This idea is less than half a loaf.

City Hall is broken, it is in need of reform, and the neighborhoods of this city know it. We must reconnect people to city government, and unless we genuinely empower a system of neighborhood councils, we will fail in that task.

As I stated in the plan for neighborhood councils that I submitted to both charter reform commissions, and that I delivered in a speech before the Tarzana Chamber of Commerce, an effective neighborhood council system must be defined by communities of interest. They must have a support structure, but most importantly, they must be elected, and they must have real decision-making authority.

The mayor and the council speak eloquently of real reform and the need for change. But unless you give neighborhood councils real authority to genuinely participate in the decision-making process, as I have proposed, then there will be no real change.

Under the plans put forth by the mayor and City Council, city government will be more of the same, with power centralized downtown, away from the people and away from the neighborhoods.

Charter reform provides a rare opportunity for real and meaningful change in the way city government does business. Keeping things the same, as the mayor and council have suggested, will unfortunately allow this chance to pass us by.

- James K. Hahn

city attorney

Los Angeles

Not all Valley voters want to secede from the city of Los Angeles.

I am not in favor of secession because I love Los Angeles despite all its imperfections. I enjoy its diversity, culture, arts, cuisine, tourist attractions, movie madness and proximity to the Pacific Rim.

There's a lot that's right with the city of Los Angeles.

Crime statistics are decreasing rapidly due to police restructuring and novel techniques in dealing with the criminal element and public at large.

Noted art museums, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the new Getty Art Museum and countless others, continue to attract crowds. The movie industry is booming and continuing to promote Los Angeles' reputation as the movie capital of the world.

It is obvious that with such a large population, Los Angeles requires fixing by adopting a new City Charter and restructuring its government.

Secession is a form of escape and a dodge. It is not the solution, as it will benefit mainly the affluent but not the mainstream population, which will be faced with higher utility rates and higher costs for city services.

If Northern Ireland can settle its differences with England after 30 years of hostilities, surely Los Angeles can put its affairs in order.

- Meiling Dai

Sunland

Doesn't Mayor Richard Riordan comprehend the gravity of the pet overpopulation crisis in our city (``Licensing fee for cats starts fight,'' Daily News, April 21)?

Why then would he eliminate the Department of Animal Regulation's most important budgetary item, which allocated funds for an educational program on the necessity of spaying and neutering? In 1997, 5,000 more dogs were killed in our animal shelters than in 1996.

Dog licensing has not lessened their death rate, and neither will the licensing of cats.

- Bill Dyer

Venice

It will take a King Solomon to please everyone in the controversy over cat licensing. Meanwhile, as always, the poor, voiceless cats are the victims.

The mayor may want to consider a cat household license. Many homes have up to six cats, so it would be wise to allow six per household provided they are indoor cats.

I suggest making microchips affordable for licensed cats. This not only identifies legal ownership, but it gives owners the same legal rights as licensed dog owners, making the cats their personal property. If your cat ends up in a shelter, you have a better chance of finding it.

For the past 21 years I have taken calls on animal cruelty and animal-related problems. Ninety percent of these are cat-related. Most of these would not be happening if cats were kept indoors. Not all people like cats and will harm or kill them just to be mean.

Licensing would help. It is long overdue.

I must say it took guts for Riordan to stick his neck out on such a proposal.

- Barbara Fabricant 

Winnetka

Neither the mayor, City Council, Animal Regulation Commission nor Animal Services Department has any idea of what the success rate will be in collecting cat licenses.

I believe that only half the money they project that they will collect will in actuality be collected. This is based on a survey of cat licensing programs done by me across the United States. As far as I can determine, only one city in the United States - Portland, Ore. - has made a profit. The other cities admit that their collection, costs and enforcement eat any profits.

Cat licensing does not address the problem of feral cats. Certainly the feeders and caretakers of these cats who care for them at their own expense should not be penalized.

There is no money in the budget that specifically addresses pet overpopulation.

- Lois Newman

Los Angeles

Charter reform

It was no surprise that the appointed Charter Reform Commission voted support for expanding the Los Angeles City Council to 21 members.

The 15-member council has successfully alienated its San Fernando Valley constituents to the point that a majority of them favor seccession. Just imagine what five more liberal tax-and-spend artists could accomplish on our behalf.

This latest Band-Aid suggestion is tantamount to asking a group of foxes to vote on leaving the chicken coop door open.

If all five districts were allotted to the Valley, we would still have the downtown majority with its hands occupying our back pockets.

-- Hal Singer

Granada Hills

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Mayor Richard Riordan meets well-wishers after his State of the City address at Taft High School in Woodland Hills.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News