EDITORIAL HAHN'S PASSIONS IT'S EASIER TO FIGHT SECESSION THAN SOLVE THE CITY'S PROBLEMS.

MILD-mannered Jim Hahn has displayed surprising passion during his short time as Los Angeles mayor on two subjects: paying off his political debt to the police union and squelching San Fernando Valley secession.

It's perhaps telling that the mayor got so aroused on these issues before he knew what the facts are.

The mayor has yet to offer his vision for the city or to offer plans for providing adequate police or emergency services or paving the roads or fixing the sidewalks, to name a few items awaiting his attention.

Of course, a lot is known about these issues, unlike the impact of the shortened workweek for cops and what the deal is for breaking up Los Angeles.

On these issues, Hahn didn't need any information to issue his passionate proclamations prematurely.

First, he made the case for a compressed workweek for the Los Angeles Police Department, even though a City Council-sponsored study of the idea wasn't due to arrive for another six weeks. Now, with the shortened schedule about to take effect, the first part of the report calls into question the mayor's hype on how working fewer days will improve public safety and save money.

Then there's secession. And once again, Hahn is firing off half-cocked. He's putting together an anti-secession campaign even though the details of any secession plan are still far from being determined.

The special interests call his shots - and special interests will put up handsome sums, already estimated at $5 million, to defeat secession.

If only Hahn had brought this same passion to fixing what's broken in Los Angeles, maybe there wouldn't be a secession movement.

If instead of kowtowing to unions, influence peddlers, big shots and the rest of the insiders at City Hall, he would reach out to the people who actually elected him and offer them a seat at the table of power and a fair share of city service, a united L.A. would become a reality.

Secession is a response to City Hall's long-standing neglect of the Valley and most neighborhoods in the city. All across the city, people yearn for a government that's fair, inclusive, responsive and responsible.

Rather than planning to beat back Valley secessionists with brute political force, Hahn should listen to them. It's not the big-money campaign contributors or the downtown power-brokers who will decide secession, it's the people of L.A.

If Hahn focused his passion on making Los Angeles a great city dedicated to the greater good of all its people, he wouldn't need the kind of smoke screen he's using to hide the bankruptcy of City Hall leadership.

If he wants L.A. to unite, he ought to sit down with leaders of the communities and come up with solutions to their long-standing grievances. Then the Valley just might put up a statue of him to mark the rejuvenation of our neighborhoods.