Facts Make Cityhood an Easy Answer to Questions Guest Column by RICHARD KATZ San Fernando Valley cityhood will benefit all residents of Los Angeles, contrary to the fear mongering of the Mayor, his political consultants and the City Hall power brokers. The State Controller and a two-year study by the independent Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) confirmed that both the Valley and L.A. would be economically viable if the Valley becomes its own city. It’s time to present the facts and benefits to the voters and let them vote for local control and accountability on Nov. 5. The more facts you know about Valley cityhood, the more you will like it. A vote for an independent Valley city is a vote for: – Local control Local priorities such as public safety, traffic, gangs, graffiti, planning, better schools, creating a more inviting business environment and solving neighborhood problems will be met. – Keeping Valley taxes in the Valley As an independent city, the Valley will get to keep an extra $1.3 billion it already pays in just the first 20 years. LAFCO has determined that the Valley currently pays $128 million more in taxes than we get back in services each year. Over 20 years, if we stay with L.A., that will be $2.6 billion. The LAFCO resolution provides that if we become a city, the $128 million per year will be reduced by 5 percent per year over 20 years until it is zero. This gives L.A. City Hall 20 years to adjust its budget by 2 percent. (This year they had one year to adjust their budget by 5 percent due to revenue shortfalls and did so without raising taxes or reducing services.) If the Valley becomes a city, Valley residents will have an additional $1.3 billion to work with. It is money we currently pay, but don’t get to keep. – Smaller more efficient and accountable government Research shows that smaller cities are more efficient. San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, all large Southwestern cities closer in size to the Valley on average, operate for 80 percent of what L.A. costs to operate. Smaller cities like Burbank, Glendale, West Hollywood, etc. operate for about half of what L.A. costs to operate. – Smaller council districts Valley council districts will be small and compact with only 95,000 residents in each. This will allow your councilperson to focus on your local problems. Los Angeles city councilpersons represent 250,000 people. – Lower taxes LAFCO has confirmed that taxes in the new Valley city will be reduced by $30 million per year through the discontinuation of the L.A. documentary transfer tax. Even after this tax cut, LAFCO has confirmed that the Valley city will have a healthy 5-percent annual reserve. – Better neighborhood police protection The Valley currently receives only half the police protection on a per capita basis of the rest of Los Angeles. We have 1.1 officers per 1,000 residents; they have 2.2 officers per 1,000. Furthermore, there are only five police stations in the Valley half of L.A., but 13 police stations in the other half. More than 10 years ago, Valley residents approved a bond to fund construction of a sixth Valley police station, yet construction still has not even begun. Meanwhile, violent crime this year in the Valley is up 80 percent. – A Valley city will lead to better schools Opponents are wrong when they say a new city will not have anything to do with improving education. LAUSD is created under the L.A. City Charter, yet the council members and Mayor disavow any ability to address the quality of education in Los Angeles. As our own Valley city, our mayor and council will be outspoken on reforms and improvements for Valley schools. – More dollars for housing and economic development The city of Los Angeles spends only 1 percent of its budget for the poor and needy. That is why the problem is getting worse, not better. Other cities spend much more Glendale 20 percent, Burbank 13 percent. A Valley city will make more money available so that Valley residents have decent housing, better jobs, and job training programs to help those in need. – Reduced cost of doing business The city of Los Angeles is considered to have one of the least friendly business climates in the country – the oppressive gross receipts tax, the red tape and the high cost of doing business in Los Angeles are chasing good business and jobs away. Perhaps that is why they’ve driven nearly every Fortune 500 company out of the city. A Valley city will create a more competitive business environment. Administration after administration talk about fixing this, but nothing ever happens. VICA and other Valley business groups have complained for years. – More federal and state grants for Valley communities and organizations As a Valley city, we can go to the federal and state government for our own grants that stay in the Valley. Currently, only a small portion of grants that come to Los Angeles come to the Valley. In many instances, none come to the Valley because of guidelines that require areas within a city to be contiguous. San Diego and Phoenix, both the size of the Valley, get more money in grants per capita than L.A. does. A Valley city will mean more total dollars in grants will come to the region. – All city employees will keep their jobs, their compensation and their benefits State law provides that all city employees must continue to be employed by the new city or the old city if the new city is approved. No one will lose their jobs. City workers are being misled. State law also provides that all existing contracts must be continued in the new city until they expire and new contracts are negotiated, just as they are currently in Los Angeles. – A better quality of life All of the above will result in a substantial improvement in the lives of Valley residents. Residents of a smaller Los Angeles will reap all of these same benefits. Valley independence and cityhood will improve the quality of life for all Valley residents and businesses. Don’t let the scare tactics of City Hall turn us back. It’s time to take control of our own destiny. Richard Katz is chairman of the Valley Independence Committee.
