RIORDAN RIPS VALLEY SECESSION; MAYOR'S PLAN TO BOOST INNER-CITY DEVELOPMENT TURNS UP HEAT.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Stepping up his attack on the San Fernando Valley secession movement, Mayor Richard Riordan said on Wednesday that activists should consider Los Angeles' accomplishments and their moral duty to the rest of the city.

Riordan's remarks came after he announced a new program that targets investments to 15 city neighborhoods, two of which are in the Valley.

``Secession ultimately will be bad for the Valley and bad for the city,'' Riordan said during a news conference before about 300 people at the Magic Johnson Theaters in South Central Los Angeles.

``You can't abandon the city. You can't abandon the poor. It is not morally right. And I think once you sit down and figure out what it will cost, Valley taxes will go up.''

Valley activists exploring the possibility of breaking the Valley off from Los Angeles reached a major milestone this week when county officials determined that enough signatures had been gathered - 25 percent of all registered voters in the Valley - to force a study of secession.

But Riordan urged activists to abandon the cityhood study and focus instead on Los Angeles' accomplishments: the announcement this week that Democrats will hold the 2000 national convention in Los Angeles, and revived prospects of a professional football team.

``I would much rather see them use their energy to make the city better,'' Riordan said.

Jeff Brain, president of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment, said if Riordan is so convinced about higher taxes, he should support a cityhood study.

``If he's right, the study will show that,'' Brain said. ``He shouldn't be afraid of it.''

As for the issue of the poor, Brain said a study showed that more than 54 percent of those who signed the cityhood petition came from the poorer areas of the Valley.

``These are the people who don't see the dollars coming from City Hall,'' Brain said.

Riordan said the reason for his new program, Genesis L.A., which target 15 abandoned or underutilized sites around the city for development, is to improve the quality of life in the inner-city.

Two of the projects are destined for the San Fernando Valley, one in the North Hollywood entertainment district and a second at a site to be identified later.

Officials with the Valley Industry and Commerce Association said they had not reviewed the proposal, but would study it to determine if such an approach could be broadened.

The program calls for major firms to commit up to $10 million in loans to have the right of the development on the site named after the company. So far, Bank of America, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo Bank, and the Department of Water and Power have agreed to participate in the program.

Eventually, the city hopes to have $250 million in investments and spawn 5,000 jobs.

Riordan said the program, developed over a two-year period, is designed to sharpen the city's focus on inner-city development.

``Our inner city is filled with hundreds of acres of potential new manufacturing plants, business parks and shopping centers,'' Riordan said. ``By concentrating our energy and resources, we can make a differences in the lives of thousands of Angelenos.

``When we improve the quality of life for one Los Angeles neighborhood, we improve the quality of life for all Los Angeles neighborhoods.''

Magic Johnson, who will be part of an advisory group overseeing the program, praised the mayor for what was being promised.

``This is what's needed here,'' Johnson said. ``And the best thing about it is it isn't Rebuild L.A. This is real money and real projects that will result in real jobs.''

Rebuild L.A. was formed after the Los Angeles riots as a way to boost investments in the inner-city. However, it was never able to generate any significant funds to invest and was forced to disband.

CAPTION(S):

photo

PHOTO Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, left, extends a hand to Magic Johnson as Mayor Riordan and bank executive Liam McGee look on.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Special to the Daily News