The Secession Question: A Special Report Voters’ Guide to Valley Secession Measure F: Proposal for a special reorganization of the city of Los Angeles, allowing the San Fernando Valley to form its own city. If approved, the new city would incorporate July 1, 2003. In order for the measure to pass it must receive a majority of votes in the Valley and a majority of votes citywide, including the Valley. Passage would create a new municipality of 211 square miles with roughly 1.35 million residents. Los Angeles would become the third largest city in the U.S. behind New York City and Chicago. A new Valley city would rank sixth, just ahead of Phoenix and just behind Philadelphia. Pros: Proponents say a smaller, localized form of government would produce a better quality of life for residents of the Valley and attract more businesses to the area. The new Valley city would be required to pay what would remain of Los Angeles roughly $128 million in so-called “alimony” the first year. That amount would decrease by 5 percent each year for 20 years. Financial studies by the Local Agency Formation Commission, which put the measure on the ballot, suggest that the new city, at incorporation, would have a budget of $1.174 billion, expenditures of $1.05 billion, and a 5-percent reserve fund. Cons: Opponents say the city would not be able to support itself financially and would have to contract with the city of Los Angeles for services from day one, making a breakup meaningless. They also assert that splitting up the city would hurt the poor because the smaller population would result in decreased access to state and federal grants. Although there are no proposed tax increases in the measure, opponents suggest that taxes would have to be raised or services cut to cover unaccounted-for startup costs. Measure G: Selection of a new name for a proposed Valley city. Voters have five options: 1. Camelot 2. Mission Valley 3. Rancho San Fernando 4. San Fernando Valley 5. Valley City Voters will also choose a mayor (whose election is moot if secession does not pass). Voters in 14 proposed council districts will choose city council members. The top vote-getter in each district is the winner, regardless of the victory margin; there are no runoffs. Each of the new council districts would have roughly 97,000 residents vs. the roughly 250,000 in each existing Los Angeles council district.