EDITORIAL WORSE THAN SECESSION.

WHILE it may be hard to believe, for political insiders in Los Angeles, there's something that's even worse than secession.

What could that possibly be?

Well, you see, there's a plan afoot that would take a big part of the dream Valley secessionists have - to create a community where the neighborhoods actually have the political power - and apply that to all of Los Angeles.

The plan involves boroughs - but boroughs with real power. And that's downright scary to those who hold power, as the mayor demonstrated this week.

Apparently without so much as a second thought, Mayor James Hahn slammed the door on an opportunity to step forward as the leader who transformed Los Angeles from a city of dreams into a dream city.

The looming Nov. 5 vote on breaking up Los Angeles sparked a lot of last-minute interest in solving the city's political crisis by creating a borough system of government that would shift money and power from City Hall to the neighborhoods.

Billionaire and kingmaker Eli Broad, former Mayor Richard Riordan and others sat down in recent weeks with Valley secession leaders David Fleming and Richard Close to explore the possibility of rushing a genuine borough proposal before voters.

The meetings were initiated by former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, who has offered a detailed proposal to abolish the 15-member City Council and create nine boroughs, each with five members, and a council of borough presidents to decide citywide issues.

Those pushing for a new Valley city look to a similar structure for governing their city.

For a century, the idea of boroughs - neighborhood units of government with money and authority over local land use, services and other issues - has been the best solution to make Los Angeles a world-class city.

The problem, of course, is that power always has been held by the few, the rich and the influential. And they, of course, have an addiction to doing what's right for themselves without regard to the greater good of the community.

Leaders of the Valley secession movement have embraced Hertzberg's borough plan as the ideal form of government to give neighborhoods control of their local affairs while retaining the clout and the ability to solve regional problems through a metropolitan government.

Boroughs are also the best answer to what ails L.A. as a whole. The lack of respect for community needs, values and interests is most noticeable in the Valley because it is geographically separated from the rest of the city.

But the same feelings of alienation and the same complaints about City Hall's lack of responsiveness and poor service are found in nearly all neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.

What's good about boroughs for the Valley is what would be good for all of L.A.

Political districts of 80,000 rather than 250,000 would mean local leaders could get elected to office instead of just those who sell out to big-money interests. The vast, sprawling city of more than 3.5 million would become a series of small towns with more efficient governments joined together in a confederation.

The meetings between prominent civic leaders who are throwing their wealth into the campaign against secession and Valley civic leaders who have worked hard and long to put secession on the ballot produced no agreement or concessions from anyone.

But it did open a door.

That was the moment for a real leader to step forward and bring the people of Los Angeles together and keep the city together.

Could a genuine plan for boroughs be put together with broad support?

Was there a way to delay the secession vote so it could be put before voters?

Would the City Hall power structure surrender power to the neighborhoods?

Would the most ardent secessionists accept boroughs as an alternative?

Oh, so many questions.

The issue was brought to the mayor Monday. He could have moved the debate forward and looked to see if there were acceptable answers to the questions. But he refused straight out, apparently convinced that he can not only crush Valley secession in November but also can avoid reforming the remainder of L.A.'s government.

That shouldn't surprise anyone.

Hahn is the ultimate creature of L.A.'s insider political culture. He's the mayor of the status quo, which has been good to him and to all the others who thrive on the public treasury at the expense of the quality of life in the city's neighborhoods.

To those on the inside, secession is bad enough. But at least they'd still rule the roost in the remaining 60 percent of Los Angeles, if the Valley and Hollywood split.

But L.A. residents outside the Valley and Hollywood can forget about any chance for neighborhood empowerment. Remember: Boroughs are downright scary to those in power because they'd be no more important than the citizens in the neighborhoods.

And for Vals and Hollywood residents, the mayor has made your choice quite clear. Forget about one city with local control. You can have more of the status quo, or you can take a big chance on Nov. 5 and go for your own control.