VALLEY SECESSION BILL NOW IN GOVERNOR'S LAP.Byline: Paul Hefner Daily News Sacramento Bureau Now that the bill restoring the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley's right to secede from Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. has won a stunning victory in the Assembly, the focus switches to Gov. Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that . Valley leaders expect him to sign the legislation, although Wilson has made no public commitment to that effect. With his advisers said to be split over the measure, Valley activists already were gearing up to lobby him to sign the bill, which would take effect Jan. 1. ``We have a newsletter going out right now urging Valley residents to contact the Governor's Office,'' said Jeff Brain, co-chairman of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment. The 49-14 victory on the Assembly floor early Saturday marked a triumph for Valley lawmakers and community activists who claimed that making secession subject to veto by the City Council 20 years ago stripped communities of their power to be heard at City Hall. With legislative action continuing into the last night of the session, opponents staged an unsuccessful last round of lobbying to try to kill the right-to-secede bill. Petitions to secede will be drawn up and circulated immediately after the law takes effect, activists said. ``The Valley can stand up,'' said former Assemblywoman Paula Boland, R-Granada Hills, who initiated similar legislation two years ago. ``It means they won't be disenfranchised any longer,'' she said. ``They can determine their own fate instead of being treated like stepkids.'' Proponents saw the passage of the bill as a political watershed for the Valley, granting the area the power to form a city or the muscle to make the current Los Angeles government more responsive. The measure, written this year by Assemblymen Tom McClintock Thomas Miller "Tom" McClintock (born July 10, 1956 in White Plains, New York) is a California State Senator. He ran for Governor of California in the 2003 California recall election of Gray Davis and finished third out of 135 candidates with 13.5% of the overall vote. , R-Granada Hills, and Robert Hertzberg Robert Myles Hertzberg was born on November 19, 1954 in Los Angeles, California, was an attorney and businessperson, and served in the California State Assembly from 1996-2002. , D-Van Nuys, would strike from state law the veto power city councils now hold over any bid to detach areas to form new, separate cities. Instead, secession proposals would go to a citywide vote. Approval would require an overall majority and a majority in the affected area. Such an election would come only after proponents successfully navigate their plans through a complex process overseen by the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission. Valley activists have said they hope to put a formal secession proposal before voters in 2000. But even if no detachment from Los Angeles takes place, proponents said, the measure would give communities more clout. ``It's a significant step for the people of Los Angeles and the people of the Valley. It has always been about democracy and about good government,'' said Brain of Valley VOTE. But opponents weren't going down without a fight. Lacking the votes to defeat the measure on an initial tally, they held open the rolls into the final hours of the session to try to defeat the bill. The vote came after a brief but heated floor debate, in which opponents attacked the bill as giving well-off residents a license to divorce themselves from the problems of poorer urban neighborhoods. ``What this does is encourage affluent parts of a community to solve its problems by saying, all we have to do is jettison jettison (jĕt`əsən, –zən) [O.Fr.,=throwing], in maritime law, casting all or part of a ship's cargo overboard to lighten the vessel or to meet some danger, such as fire. the poor people,'' said Assemblyman Roderick Wright, D-Los Angeles. ``People should not be able to just run off willy-nilly.'' But others countered that the process of detachment protects the interests of the remaining city. In addition, one lawmaker argued that the current city government does little to serve low-income residents. ``If you think the city of Los Angeles
McClintock noted that migration to suburbs is already a fact of life. Approval of the measure might actually slow the process, he said. ``People are already moving out of cities they consider to be dysfunIctional,'' McClintock said. ``This measure puts the power back in their hands to make things better, so they will stay.'' He and Hertzberg argued that residents should have the ultimate choice over their local governments. Boland's measure last year sparked a bitter battle with state Senate President Pro Tem president pro tem n. pl. presidents pro tem Informal A president pro tempore. Bill Lockyer William Westwood "Bill" Lockyer (born May 8, 1941) is the current State Treasurer of California. Prior to this, he served as California's Attorney General and head of the Department of Justice for the U.S. state of California. , D-Hayward, who opposed lifting the veto without imposing a citywide vote in its place. Her bill won approval in the Assembly but bogged down in the Senate, where it died in the waning hours of the legislative session. McClintock, elected last year after term limits forced Boland to give up her seat, took up the cause, introducing a measure identical to her proposal. Hertzberg later signed on as a joint author. Lawmakers revised the measure to include a citywide vote, a compromise that prompted the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. to switch sides
and endorse the measure, after opposing Boland's proposal last
year.
HOW THEY VOTED Yes Dick Ackerman, R-Fullerton Fred Aguiar, R-Ontario Barbara Alby Barbara Alby was a member of the California State Assembly from 1993 until 1998. She was elected in a 1993 special election after incumbent B.T. Collins died. Alby served until she was termed out in 1998. That year, she ran for congress but lost to businessman Doug Ose. , R-Sacramento Roy Ashburn Roy Ashburn (born March 21, 1954 in Long Beach, California) is the California State Senator representing the 18th District, which includes Kern, Tulare, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties. , R-Bakersfield Steve Baldwin, R-La Mesa Jim Battin Jim Battin is the California State Senator for district 37 which includes Banning, Beaumont, Bermuda Dunes, Cabazon, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Cherry Valley, Corona, Desert Hot Springs, East Hemet, El Cerrito, Hemet, Home Gardens, Homeland, Idyllwild, Indian Wells, California, La , R-Palm Desert Scott Baugh Scott Randall Baugh (born July 4 1962) is a Republican U.S. politician, who served in the California State Assembly from 1995-2000, representing the 67th District in coastal Orange County, which included Huntington Beach, Cypress, Fountain Valley, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal , R-Huntington Beach Tom J. Bordonaro, R-San Luis Obispo Debra Bowen Debra Bowen (born October 27, 1955) is a California politician from the Democratic Party. She has been California Secretary of State since January 8 2007. Prior to becoming Secretary of State, she was a member of the California State Legislature from 1992 to 2006. , D-Torrance Larry Bowler, R-Sacramento Marilyn C. Brewer, R-Irvine Cruz M. Bustamante, D-Fresno Bill Campbell, R-Orange Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. , D-Panorama City Dennis A. Cardoza, D-Turlock Jim Cunneen, R-Campbell Brooks Firestone A. Brooks Firestone is currently the Santa Barbara County, California Third District Supervisor. The son of Leonard Firestone and Polly Curtis, he graduated from Princeton University in 1958. , R-Santa Barbara Peter Frusetta, R-Hollister Jan Goldsmith, R-Poway Brett Granlund, R-Yucaipa Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys Howard Kaloogian, R-Carlsbad Fred Keeley, D-Santa Cruz Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles Sheila Kuehl, D-Encino Steven T. Kuykendall Steven T. Kuykendall (Born January 27, 1947) is a California politician. Best known as a former Republican U.S. Representative from California's 36th district from 1999 to 2001 in the 106th Congress. He defeated Democrat Janice Hahn in the 1998 election with 49% of the vote. , R-Long Beach Lynne C. Leach, R-Walnut Creek Bill Leonard, R-Rancho Cucamonga Bob Margett, R-Arcadia Diane Martinez, D-Alhambra Tom McClintock, R-Granada Hills Gary Miller, R-Industry JimI Morrissey, R-Santa Ana Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside Grace F. Napolitano, D-Norwalk Thomas ``Rico'' Oller, R-Cameron Park Rod Pacheco, R-Riverside Don Parata, D-Oakland Charles S. Poochigian, R-Fresno Robert Prenter, R-Hanford Curt Pringle, R-Garden Grove Bernie Richter, R-Chico George Runner, R-Lancaster Jack Scott, D-Pasadena Nao Takasugi, R-Camarillo Bruce Thompson, R-Temecula Antonio Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles Scott Wildman, D-Glendale Tom Woods Jr., R-Redding NO Dion Aroner, D-Oakland Liz Figueroa, D-Fremont Richard Floyd, D-Gardena Mike Honda, D-San Jose George House, R-Modesto Kevin Murray, D-Culver City Deborah V. Ortiz, D-Sacramento Lou Papan, D-Millbrae Michael Sweeney, D-Hayward Bruce Thompson, R-Temecula Edward Vincent, D-Inglewood Carl Washington Jr., D-Compton Howard Wayne, D-San Diego Roderick Wright, D-Los Angeles Not voting Elaine White Alquist, D-Santa Clara Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino Valerie Brown, D-Santa Rosa Susan A. Davis, D-San Diego Denise Moreno Ducheny Denise Moreno Ducheny is a California State Senator and she represents district 40 that includes southern San Diego County, part of Riverside County and all of Imperial County. Ducheny is a Democratic. She lives with her husband Al Ducheny in San Diego, California. , D-National City Martha M. Escutia, D-Huntington Park Martin Gallegos, D-Irwindale Sally Havice, R-Artesia Ted Lempert, D-Palo Alto Michael J. Machado, D-Stockton Kerry Mazzoni, D-San Rafael Carole Migden, D-San Francisco Keith Olberg, R-Victorville Kevin Shelley, D-San Francisco Virginia Strom-Martin, D-Santa Rosa Tom Torlakson, D-Martinez 1 vacant seat CAPTION(S): Box Box: HOW THEY VOTED (see text) |
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