TIPOFF L.A. STUDIES DIVORCE FROM COUNTY ; VILLARAIGOSA EYED FOR SACRAMENTO.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

No one has seen divorce attorneys yet, but there are growing rumbles of trouble in the marriage.

No, not K-Fed and Britney. That nuptial is definitely over.

We're talking about the marriage of the city and county of Los Angeles.

Prodded by City Councilwoman Jan Perry, a review has been quietly started to look at what it would take to have the city become its own county -- similar to San Francisco -- in an effort to get more federal and state funding.

Perry said she asked for a preliminary review by the Chief Legislative Analyst's Office because of the homelessness situation and the belief that Los Angeles County may dole out money to address the crisis based on politics rather than need.

It will take months before anything really surfaces, and it would be a complicated breakup. Remember how long it took to get the San Fernando Valley secession process vetted and on the ballot?

It also would involve billions of dollars in programs and the need to look at everything from the Sheriff's Department and its jails to the myriad health and welfare programs the county now runs.

Perry said there long has been a feeling that the city of Los Angeles is not getting its fair share, although it is the largest of the county's 88 cities.

Retired Navy Adm. David Brewer III is scheduled to be sworn in today as the new LAUSD superintendent, and it isn't taking him long to get his feet wet in city politics.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is doing all it can to draw attention to the changing of the guard from Superintendent Roy Romer, whose last year was marked by political battles with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Later this week, Brewer will be the featured guest at a major fundraiser scheduled for the California Club to help the district repay $70,000 from last year's Proposition Y school bond campaign.

He also is the featured guest at a Wednesday breakfast to raise money for Israel.

It is never too early to begin handicapping another political race.

Even though the re-election of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not been certified, insiders are already looking to the 2010 race for governor.

So says our Sacramento correspondent, Harrison Sheppard, who reports Antonio Villaraigosa is the insiders' favorite among Democrats.

But Villaraigosa heads what could be a crowded list of Democrats, including San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Speaker Fabian NuIllegal 'X-value' for character STYLs voided here ez. No word on who the GOP might be pushing.

In a blatant case of cross-promotion here, Sheppard's report is available for viewing at the new political blog at dailynews.com. The direct link is www.insidesocal.com/politics.

The blog was started last week and allows Daily News reporters and editors to file items -- some newsworthy, some offbeat and some personal opinions.

Like all new sites on the Internet, it will continue to evolve and depends greatly on reader involvement.

The Internet proved how pervasive it is last week with the appearance on YouTube.com of a video showing the controversial arrest of suspect William Cardenas.

The scene -- which showed an LAPD officer punching Cardenas in the face a half-dozen times -- was apparently captured on a cell-phone camera and posted online.

But while the whole world was able to see it instantaneously, it took a little longer at Los Angeles City Hall.

Aides to Villaraigosa and interested City Council members had to scramble for hours to find a computer that could download the video.

Apparently, the firewall authorized by city officials to prevent employees from improperly surfing the Web blocked access to the site.

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