EDITORIAL : A WELCOME DEBATE FOR L.A.; THE REST OF THE CITY SHOULD HEED MAYOR'S MESSAGE ON SECESSION.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. Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. came to the 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. on Friday, hoping to discourage 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. . For a long time now, Riordan has been saying that it's in the best interest of Los Angeles to keep the Valley as a part of the city because the Valley is the middle-class backbone of L.A. and no major city can prosper without that critical element. If Riordan is right, he shouldn't be talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to the Valley - he should be telling it to the rest of the city. That would be a discussion we would welcome. Instead of attempting to convince Valley secession leaders to halt the campaign, Riordan should be pushing the rest of the city to address the valid concerns that have fueled secession. To give the mayor his due, we note approvingly that he seems interested in doing that - although we think he should be spending at least as much time listening to Valley leaders as lecturing them. He does want the city government to become responsive, increase services to the Valley and reform the outdated out·dat·ed adj. Out-of-date; old-fashioned. outdated Adjective old-fashioned or obsolete Adj. 1. City Charter - the document spelling out the powers and structure of municipal government. Those are important issues, and they are long overdue OVERDUE. A bill, note, bond or other contract, for the payment of money at a particular day, when not paid upon the day, is overdue. 2. The indorsement of a note or bill overdue, is equivalent to drawing a new bill payable at sight. 2 Conn. 419; 18 Pick. for attention. They are being addressed now chiefly because of the strong movement toward secession. But if the Valley listens to Riordan and drops the secession campaign prematurely, chances are excellent that the rest of L.A. - especially City Hall - will quickly lose interest in the Valley's valid complaints. So the Valley really has no choice but to continue pushing the idea of secession. Later, when voters have the benefit of objective studies about the pluses and minuses of secession, and after extensive public debate on the subject, the voters can decide the matter at the ballot box. But until then, the reforms that Riordan talks about are dependent on the secession campaign continuing at full speed. And if anybody is going to convince secession sympathizers to stop, it will have to be the City Council and City Hall insiders - not the mayor. They will have to convince by their deeds, not words. It's a tall order. Until then, it's full speed ahead. |
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