VALLEY CITY POLL TURNS UP THE HEAT.

Byline: David R. Baker and Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writers

A day after a landmark poll showed widespread public support for San Fernando Valley cityhood, city officials and Valley activists sharpened their positions on secession and reignited campaigns to win support.

Mayor Richard Riordan called on city officials to work harder to convince the Valley to remain part of Los Angeles, saying they must make sure voters realize they get their fair share of services for taxes paid.

``I'm going to fight as hard as I can to make sure the Valley is taken care of and work hard to dissuade the Valley from leaving,'' he said.

But Valley cityhood activists said the poll underscores dissatisfaction with city government, and they intend to move forward quickly on a planned petition drive that would, if successful, trigger a public study of cityhood.

Valley civic leader David Fleming, who with Bert Boeckmann commissioned the cityhood poll, said he will push to avert secession by seeking City Charter reform that would make the Valley a self-governing borough within Los Angeles.

Still others said they are confident that two charter reform commissions, one appointed and one elected, can change city government enough to assuage disaffected Valley residents.

These varying positions and news conferences came a day after a poll startled city officials and Valley cityhood supporters alike by showing that Valley voters favor by a 2-1 margin creating their own city.

The findings ignited noisy debate from the Valley to City Hall, where Councilman Nate Holden even called for the resignations of Fleming and Boeckmann from their city commission positions.

Mayoral gambit 

Riordan said it is up to city officials to show Valley residents that sticking with Los Angeles is in their best interests.

``We need to let the Valley know we care about them,'' he said. ``The Valley is the economic engine of the city. It's very important to the city as a whole that the Valley continue to be part of Los Angeles.''

Riordan and several Valley-based City Council members said some way has to be developed to make Valley residents feel more part of the city by decentralizing some of the decision-making and bringing about a change in attitude by City Hall.

Riordan added that since taking over as mayor, he has worked to ensure that the Valley receives more city services.

``I don't have the exact figures, but I believe the Valley is now getting the same level of service as it pays in taxes,'' he said.

Despite the mayor's efforts to calm secessionist enthusiasm, those pushing for a vote on cityhood expressed only doubt that anything can be done to appease Valley residents.

``What the mayor says isn't showing up in any of the studies I've seen,'' said Richard Close, co-chairman of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment. ``Nothing is going to change City Hall's attitude unless the issue of the Valley becoming a separate city goes to the voters.''

``The people of the Valley have spoken,'' Valley VOTE co-chairman Jeff Brain said at a news conference at the group's Sherman Oaks office.

``For years they have given the benefit of the doubt to the City Council and the bureaucracy to do the right thing and make our communities better, but no more,'' said Brain, standing beside Valley VOTE's board, made up of residents from across the Valley.

The group must collect 135,000 signatures to trigger a study of secession by the Local Agency Formation Commission. If the study finds that Valley cityhood is financially feasible and would not harm the economy of Los Angeles or the Valley, the issue would be put to a public vote.

For the Valley to become its own city, secession would need the approval of a majority of voters in both the Valley and Los Angeles as a whole.

Poll boosts hopes

Valley VOTE leaders chose the shorter deadline for their petition drive, they said, because the poll has convinced them that they would find the needed support. They also are concerned that the law might not allow more than 90 days.

An opinion from the state's legislative counsel said they have 180 days to complete the petition drive, but Valley VOTE leaders said they believe it could be challenged in court.

``We know there's going to be litigation on the process, and we want to minimize the litigation,'' Close said. ``Don't give the city the opportunity to sue. Take a conservative approach, and do it in 90 days.''

Four out of five voters polled in the new survey said they would sign such petitions.

Despite the strong support for secession found in the poll, Valley VOTE board members said the group will remain committed to pursuing a study of secession rather than pushing secession itself.

``We want statistics, data,'' said board member LeRoy Chase. ``Secession without sufficient information? I couldn't vote on it.''

Fleming said he still prefers rewriting the Los Angeles City Charter to secession - as long as the Valley has its own council and the power to control local taxes.

``The borough idea accomplishes about 95 percent of what people want, and yet it keeps Los Angeles together,'' he said. ``You'd have closeness to local government, and you wouldn't have to go through the divorce of the century.''

Holden, however, accused Boeckmann and Fleming of ``a conflict of interest in advocating for charter reform and participating in the breakup of the city of Los Angeles.'' He said they should resign from the Police and Fire commissions.

Both rejected that charge Tuesday, saying that in funding the study they had merely collected much-needed information.

``We ran a poll to find out what people think,'' Fleming said. ``My message to Nate is, don't shoot the messenger.''

THE SURVEY

The following are the majority of questions and results that deal directly with the San Fernando Valley cityhood issue in the phone survey of 1,205 likely Valley voters.

Age

19.2% Age 18-34

29.5% Age 35-49

19.3% Age 50-64

14.8% Age 65+

17.3% Age Unspecified 

Political Party Registration

52.0% Democrat

33.5% Republican

11.0% Independent

3.5% Other

Sex

47.1% Male

52.9% Female

DO YOU BELIEVE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS DOING A VERY GOOD, GOOD, POOR, OR VERY POOR JOB?

Mayor Richard Riordan

15.6% Very Good

63.2% Good

11.0% Poor

2.1% Very Poor

8.0% Unsure/Don't Know

The Los Angeles City Council, as a whole

2.0% Very Good

44.7% Good

29.3% Poor

10.3% Very Poor

13.7% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilman Joel Wachs 

14.3% Very Good

43.5% Good

12.6% Poor

1.3% Very Poor

28.3% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilwoman Laura Chick 

16.5% Very Good

44.6% Good

12.0% Poor

2.9% Very Poor

24.0% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilman John Ferraro 

9.3% Very Good

37.2% Good

11.6% Poor

7.0% Very Poor

34.9% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilman Mike Feuer

12.1% Very Good

39.0% Good

6.4% Poor

3.5% Very Poor

39.0% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilman Richard Alarcon

25.7% Very Good

40.7% Good

7.1% Poor

4.4% Very Poor

22.1% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski 

3.2% Very Good

28.6% Good

4.8% Poor

4.0% Very Poor

59.5% Unsure/Don't Know

City Councilman Hal Bernson 

8.5% Very Good

49.2% Good

9.8% Poor

2.5% Very Poor

30.0% Unsure/Don't Know

The Board of Education of the Los Angeles Unified School District 

1.2% Very Good

22.6% Good

39.0% Poor

22.7% Very Poor

14.4% Unsure/Don't Know

Have you heard or read anything about the San Fernando Valley becoming a city, separate and independent from the city of Los Angeles?

94.1% Yes/Heard-Read

5.9% No/Unsure/Don't Know

A private, nonprofit group proposes a study, without using any taxpayer funds, to determine whether it is practical for the San Fernando Valley to become a city, separate and independent from the city of Los Angeles. Would you favor or oppose this study?

76.4% Favor

15.9% Oppose

6.7% Unsure/Don't Know

If this study shows it is practical for the San Fernando Valley to become a city, separate and independent form the city of Los Angeles, would you favor or oppose putting the issue of Valley cityhood on the ballot for the voters to decide?

81.2% Favor

12.1% Oppose

6.7% Unsure/Don't Know

Suppose there were an election to decide whether the San Fernando Valley should become a city, separate and independent from the city of Los Angeles. If you had to decide today, would you be more likely to vote:

58.0% Yes on cityhood for the San Fernando Valley.

29.0% No on cityhood for the San Fernando Valley.

13.0% Unsure/Don't Know

The border of the new city would be Mulholland Drive, meaning that residents north of Mulholland, like yourself, should be in the new city.

Knowing this information, are you more likely or less likely to support cityhood for the San Fernando Valley?

57.1% More Likely

18.3% Less Likely

14.7% Makes No Difference

9.9% Unsure/Don't Know

State law allows the election for Valley cityhood only if the San Fernando Valley, as a city, can support itself and only if Valley cityhood will not impact finacially on the rest of Los Angeles.

Knowing this, if the election were today, would you vote:

63.4% Yes in cityhood for the San Fernando Valley.

23.8% No on city hood for the San Fermando Valley.

12.8% Unsure/Don't Know

Do you believe the San Fernado Valley currently does, or does not, get its fair share of city services?

26.9% Does

63.3% Does Not

9.8% Unsure/Don't Know

If the San Fernando Valley became a city, how would the new city compare with the existing city of Los Angeles?

Compared to Los Angeles, would the new city:

24.8% Get More Federal Aid Per Resident

33.7% Get Less Federal Aid Per Resident

6.4% The Same

35.0% Unsure/Don't Know

Compared to Los Angeles, would the new city operate:

72.6% More Efficiently

12.5% Less Efficiently

2.3% The Same

12.5% Unsure/Don't Know

Compared to Los Angeles, would the new city be:

18.9% More Bureaucratic 

54.6% Less Bureaucratic

9.6% The Same

16.9% Unsure/Don't Know

Compared to Los Angeles, would the new city's quality of life be:

64.5% Better

9.3% Worse

10.2% The Same

16.0% Unsure/Don't Know

Compared to Los Angeles, would the new city's taxes be:

38.0% Higher

29.6% Lower

9.4% The Same

23.0% Unsure/Don't Know

Regarding statements made by supporters of cityhood for the San Fernando Valley: Regardless of your views on Valley cityhood, how important is each statement on a one-to-five scale. One means not important at all. Five means very important. (Unsure = 1)

Valley cityhood would be supported by nearly every Valley homeowners' group and chamber of commerce.

15.9% One/Not very important

8.9% Two

17.7% Three

23.0% Four

34.5% Five/Very important

The Valley has 35 percent of the population of Los Angeles but currently pays 45 percent of its sales tax revenue.

8.9% One/Not very important

5.3% Two

12.2% Three

21.5% Four

52.1% Five/Very important

The Valley has only one-third of the population of Los Angeles but currently pays nearly half its sales tax revenue.

8.6% One/Not very important

3.0% Two

14.9% Three

16.9% Four

56.6% Five/Very important

The Valley has 1.2 police officers per 1,000 residents, compared to two officers for the rest of Los Angeles.

6.9% One/Not very important

5.3% Two

10.6%Three

22.4% Four

54.8% Five/Very important

The Valley Ahas about one police officer per 1,000 residents, compared to two officers for the rest of Los Angeles.

6.0% One/Not very important

6.0% Two

13.9% Three

21.5% Four

52.6% Five/Very important

The Valley would be the sixth largest city in the United States.

30.4% One/Not very important

12.5% Two

19.1% Three

13.2% Four

24.8% Five/Very important

The Valley, with nearly 1 1/2 million people, would be the sixth largest city in the United States.

23.2% One/Not very important

12.9% Two

25.5% Three

12.3% Four

26.2% Five/Very important

Valley cityhood would bring government closer to the people, Los Angeles has over 200,000 residents per councilmember, the worst ratio of any major city in the United States.

7.8% One/Not very important

5.1% Two

15.0% Three

22.8% Four

49.3% Five/Very important

The Valley paid more than $1 billion in local taxes for transportation but will receive less than 1 percent of the MTA budget this year.

5.6% One/Not very important

4.6% Two

9.9% Three

20.5% Four

59.4% Five/Very important

The Valley paid more than $1 billion in local taxes for transportation but will receive less than 1 percent of the MTA budget this year, unlike the rest of the city, the Valley has no MTA Red Line, Blue Line or Green Line.

8.3% One/Not very important

2.6% Two

12.9% Three

18.5% Four

57.6% Five/Very important

Last year, the city spent $28 million on redoing streets, but only $4 million was spent in the Valley.

6.4% One/Not very important

4.0% Two

12.2% Three

18.2% Four

59.2% Five/Very important

Valley cityhood would help limit taxes for the Valley, because the 87 independent cities in Los Angeles County have lower business and utility taxes than in the city of Los Angeles.

8.4% One/Not very important

4.0% Two

20.5% Three

22.5% Four

44.6% Five/Very important

If the Valley becomes a city, the Valley will keep its fair share of government assets, such as police and fire stations, police and fire trucks, and so forth.

4.3% One/Not very important

2.8% Two

7.9% Three

15.2% Four

69.8% Five/Very important

Valley cityhood is needed, because the city of Los Angeles, with its large population of 3 1/2 million people, has more people than 25 states.

14.2% One/Not very important

11.6% Two

16.5% Three

19.5% Four

38.3% Five/Very important

Valley cityhood is needed, because the city of Los Angeles is too large - larger than San Francisco, Pittsburg, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Cleveland, and all of Manhattan, combined.

20.9% One/Not very important

7.6% Two

14.9% Three

15.2% Four

41.4% Five/Very important

State law allows an election for Valley cityhood only if the Valley, as a new city, can support itself and only if Valley cityhood will not impact financially on the rest of Los Angeles. If there were an election today on San FernandoValley cityhood, would you vote:

68.8% Yes on Valley cityhood.

23.0% No on Valley cityhood.

8.3% Unsure/Don't Know

Thinking a little more about the issue of Valley cityhood, with whom do you agree:

64.3% Valley community leaders who say yes on Valley cityhood because the Valley does not get its fair share of police and fire services, and the best way to get government closer to the people is Valley cityhood.

22.5% Mayor Riordan and city councilmembers who say no on Valley cityhood because the Valley does get its fair share of police and fire services, and the best way to get government closer to the people is reform of the L.A. City Charter.

13.2% Unsure/Don't Know

An alternative to Valley cityhood is making the San Fernando Valley a self-governing borough within Los Angeles. The Valley would keep all taxes collected and would have jurisdictionA over its police, fire, parks, libraries, and planning. Would you favor or oppose making the Valley a self-governing borough within Los Angeles?

60.1% Yes

25.4% No

14.5% Unsure/Don't Know

An alternative to Valley cityhood is making the San Fernando Valley a self-governing area within Los Angeles. The Valley would keep all taxes collected and would have jurisdiction over its police, fire, parks, libraries, and planning. Would you favor or oppose making the Valley a self-governing area within Los Angeles?

59.6% Yes

29.5% No

10.9%Unsure/Don't Know

Suppose reform of the Los Angeles City Charter includes making the Valley a self-governing borough or area. Would you then be more likely or less likely to vote for reform of the L.A. City Charter?

55.5% More Likely

26.2% Less Likely

3.5% Makes No Difference

14.8% Unsure/Don't Know

If enough people sign petitions, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) will study whether the San Fernando Valley should be its own city. Would you sign a petition asking the Local Agency Formation Commission to study the issue so an election can be held for the people to decide?

80.2% Yes

13.7% No

6.1% Unsure/Don't Know

How long have you lived in the San Fernando Valley?

4.0% 1996-1998/Recent Arrival

5.2% 1993-1995/ 3-5 Years

7.1% 1988-1992/ 6-9 Years

10.8% 1983-1987/ 10-14 Years

10.5% 1978-1982/ 15-19 Years

62.0% Before 1978/20+/Native

0.4% Refuse/Don't Know

Is your work basically in the Valley, or in other parts of Los Angeles, or is it in another city, such as Burbank, Glendale or Santa Monica?

54.1% In the Valley

27.8% Other parts of Los Angeles

15.6% Other City

2.6% Unsure/Don't Know/Refuse

What do you consider your race or ethic background?

71.2% White/Caucasian/Anglo

2.4% African-American/Black

13.8% Latino-Hispanic-Chicano

3.2% Asian/Oriental

5.5% Other

3.9% Refuse

CAPTION(S):

Box, Chart

Box: THE SURVEY (See Text)

Chart: POLL SHOWS STRONG FEELINGS ON CITYHOOD, SCHOOLS

SOURCE: Arnold Steinberg and Associates, Inc.

Bradford Mar/Daily News