TIPOFF VALLEY VOTE, ONE L.A.: SECESSION HATFIELDS VS. MCCOYS?

Byline: RICK ORLOV

While both sides are talking politely now, it is easy to see where the battle lines could be quickly drawn between Valley VOTE and One Los Angeles over who are the best sons and daughters of the San Fernando Valley.

Valley VOTE, of course, is the group that formed a couple of years ago, gathered more than 135,000 signatures and forced a study into creating a separate city apart from Los Angeles.

One Los Angeles officially took to the streets last week to try to block the breakup.

``We welcome them and don't see them as a threat,'' Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close said. ``Actually, I can see it as beneficial in providing more of a debate on the issues.''

Jeff Daar, an attorney and president of the San Fernando Valley Democratic Club who is among the One Los Angeles founders, said he sees his group as adding to the discussion.

``We intend to provide education to the public on these issues and why we think Los Angeles should stay together.''

All that being said, Close then escalated the tone.

``Everyone knows who these people are - they like the status quo and live off the current structure,'' Close said. ``These are not community people. It is a group that the politicians and bureaucrats will be able to hide behind.''

Daar denies that, saying all of the founders are from the San Fernando Valley, and they will try to keep out downtown interests.

``This is a debate about what the Valley should do,'' Daar said. ``We'll work with anyone with a common goal, but the Valley has a different perspective that we want to represent.''

Daar said he and others opposed to secession decided to form their group to provide a voice to counter Valley VOTE.

``There was no one from the Valley offering a different point of view,'' Daar said. ``And this is not a partisan issue. It's not Democrat. It's not Republican. It's not conservative or liberal. But it is about the future of the city.''

Daar added the group was still in its infancy, developing plans for strategy and fund raising if an election is held in November 2002.

Samantha Stevens, who is helping coordinate the group's activities, said the first effort is to bring in more people.

``We're getting a good response so far from people,'' Stevens said. ``People are offering a lot of different arguments. Some think it's dumb, and others just don't want more politicians.''

City Hall is much safer these days. Just ask any elected city official who has been able to get around going through the metal detectors at the Main Street entrance of the building.

Several city workers, forced to wait to go through the devices, have been complaining that City Council members are waved around the detectors without having to empty their pockets or purses for the team of security officers on duty.

And, so far, it is not the metal detectors that have been successful, but people emptying their pockets - with the most sinister devices found being pocket knives.

The knives are set aside and given back to the visitors when they leave the building.

Since taking office in July, Councilman Dennis Zine has been careful to hide his views about LAPD Chief Bernard C. Parks - even though it was Parks who tried to fire him and the two were at odds often during the councilman's years at the Police Protective League.

But Zine - insisting it was a joke - shocked a number of supporters at a fund-raiser last week on the Police Academy grounds where he referred to the chief as ``Osama bin Parks.''

``I do respect the chief. I was just trying to make a joke about how he gets at odds with the troops over little things, like this lapel flag thing,'' Zine said.

Parks has been rebuffing efforts by officers to wear a union-supplied lapel pin of the American flag with ``911'' written across it.

The fund-raiser by Zine, to pay off his campaign debt, was not the only one by officials seeking to get into the pockets of supporters.

Assemblyman Tony Cardenas and DreamWorks executive Wendy Greuel - who are among the candidates in the Dec. 11 City Council election in the Valley's 2nd District - both held events last week, and the fund raising has been nonstop for Tuesday's council runoff between Beth Garfield and Tom LaBonge in the 4th District.

Councilman Hal Bernson also held a $500-a-person event at Universal City to supplement his officeholder account. Bernson, who is forced to retire in two years, had a balance of $29,300 in the account as of last June.

Under the city ethics laws, officials are allowed to raise $75,000 a year for officeholder accounts.

Not to say that Mayor James Hahn is, well, thrifty, but one would think he could figure out something to do with his official ceremonial pen set.

The gold model of City Hall on a green onyx base has been trotted out for the mayor when he signs bills of significance, such as last week when he approved a measure making up lost pay for reservists called to active duty.

A nameplate on the pen set bears the name of Mayor Richard Riordan, who received it as a gift. A piece of yellow paper was taped over it to hide Riordan's name from anyone standing behind Hahn during the ceremony.

Riordan actually had bequeathed the set to City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, but somehow it was left in the mayor's office and confiscated by a Hahn aide.