RIORDAN BACKS FUNDS FOR CITYHOOD STUDY.Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer Seeking to replace emotion with facts, 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. told 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. leaders Thursday that he is willing to support the city paying part of the cost of studying secession. His decision marks a major departure in City Hall's posture toward the Valley secession movement and opens the possibility of a more cooperative attitude toward the Local Agency Formation Commission study. In an hourlong meeting at the Regency Club in West Los Angeles
``The mayor made clear he does not support Valley secession,'' said Deputy Mayor Noelia Rodriguez. ``But he also feels we should be talking about this from a set of facts. And he believes the study will show that breaking up will be too expensive to be practical. ``The mayor also recognizes there is clearly a lot of passion on both sides of this issue and the only way to really move forward is to develop real information.'' Participants in the meeting were enthusiastic about the mayor's offer, which would require approval of the City Council. A majority of council members have gone on record in opposition to having the city pay any portion of the LAFCO LAFCO Local Agency Formation Commission LAFCO Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative study. Bert Boeckmann, who is a Riordan appointee APPOINTEE. A person who is appointed or selected for a particular purpose; as the appointee under a power, is the person who is to receive the benefit of the trust or power. to the police commission and also contributed to the Valley VOTE cityhood study effort, said the mayor was taking the right approach. ``This is an extremely positive step,'' Boeckmann said. ``This is a position that is good for the mayor, good for the Valley and good for all the citizens of Los Angeles. ``I think the answer to what we have been trying to accomplish is completing a study to see what would be involved in the process.'' Boeckmann said Riordan had requested the meeting with him and Valley VOTE officials Richard Close and Jeff Brain and civic leaders David Fleming
David Fleming and Rob Glushon. Riordan was joined by his chief of staff, Kelly Martin, and Deputy Mayor Bill Violante. ``He wanted to talk a little bit about his thoughts on where we were going,'' Boeckmann said. Brain said he also was encouraged by Riordan's acceptance of them and that he offered other proposals to the mayor. ``We would like to see him require the city departments to cooperate fully with LAFCO and we would like to see some kind of committee formed that could address the various issues,'' Brain said. Among these would be dealing with the Department of Water and Power for a joint-powers agreement to be worked out between Los Angeles and any new Valley city. LAFCO has estimated it will need nine to 18 months to complete its study, which could cost more than $2 million. Valley VOTE has a fund-raising drive Noun 1. fund-raising drive - a campaign to raise money for some cause fund-raising campaign, fund-raising effort crusade, campaign, cause, drive, effort, movement - a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; "he supported under way to pay for its share of the study and two members of Congress - Brad Sherman Bradley J. "Brad" Sherman (born October 24 1954) is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing California's At-large congressional district. , D-Woodland Hills, and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita - are seeking federal funds Federal Funds Funds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements. Notes: These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve . Also, the county Board of Supervisors The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. The Board of Supervisors is the body governing counties in the U.S. is considering picking up a portion of the cost and the issue could be revived in the state Legislature, which approved funding last year only to have then-Gov. Pete Wilson veto it. Close said Valley VOTE plans to raise $750,000 for its portion of the study as well as reimbursing LAFCO for a share of its costs. ``This is an important step by the mayor,'' Close said. ``He wants what we want, which is a comprehensive LAFCO study to determine the costs. He did make the point that he thought it would show it is too expensive to break up, but agrees we need the facts. ``I think he also realized that the more the city stonewalls on this, it makes people more committed to breaking up.'' |
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