Breakaway Fight Can Be Roller-Coaster Ride

SHERMAN OAKS — It was an old tune that the lounge singer in the black evening gown belted out for the party, but a tune that appealed nonetheless: “On a clear day, you can see forever.”

Indeed, for many in the crowd--there to celebrate Gov. Pete Wilson’s approval of a bill to make San Fernando Valley secession easier--it had felt like it took forever to get the measure through the state legislature.

“Everything that could happen to this bill, happened,” said Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), one of its co-authors.

About 50 people, mainly the politicians, their aides and constituents who support the session movement, gathered at the Ventura Club banquet hall Monday afternoon to savor their legislative victory. They also sampled hors d’oeuvres and the heady taste of power.

Now that the bill is law, several secession supporters vowed to use the legislation to pressure City Hall to pay more attention to the Valley.

“No longer can bureaucrats and City Hall take communities for granted,” said Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge), another co-author.

The bill eliminates the power of the City Council of any city in the state to veto a secession effort. In its place, however, the bill establishes a series of expensive and time-consuming steps that must be completed before a community can secede.

Valley VOTE, a community group that has long backed the bill, promised to complete the first task: collecting signatures from 20% of Valley voters to call for a study on the effects of a secession.

Most of the bill supporters acknowledged that a secession vote is still years away.

“This is not going to be an easy fight,” McClintock said. “Power is never easily relinquished.”

McClintock likened the new law to the American Constitution, saying the legislation gives “the people the power to create a new government” when the existing government no longer works.

Former Assemblywoman Paula Boland, who unsuccessfully pushed for a similar bill last year, thanked Hertzberg and McClintock for continuing her battle. But she suggested that the true hero of the day was Wilson, who she said should be named “honorary mayor” of the proposed Valley city.

In a speech he made via telephone, Wilson echoed the sentiments of others who said the new law will provide communities leverage to demand more from their government.

“Some critics have described this as a breakup bill,” he said, “but it’s much more of a wake-up bill.”

Also during the party, Valley VOTE leaders passed around a map of Los Angeles. Within the boundaries of the map, they super-imposed the maps of eight other large cities to demonstrate the size of Los Angeles.

Outside the hall, Gary Hendrickson, who described himself as “pro secessionist,” began the campaign to break up the city by decorating his 1915 Ford Model “T” with a picture of the city seal with a line crossed through it.

He also strung empty cans from the rear axle. A “Just Married” sign on the back of the car had been rewritten to say “Just Seceded.”

“I know it’s premature,” Hendrickson said. “I guess it’s wishful thinking.”