Dana Backs Swift Vote on Malibu Cityhood

Malibu may not have to wait for the election of a new county supervisor to have its long-delayed incorporation move forward. Deane Dana said Tuesday that he will ask his colleagues on the County Board of Supervisors to vote next week to make Malibu a city as of March 28.

The announcement by Dana, who had previously voted to delay cityhood so the county could try to install a Malibu sewer system, followed by one day Supervisor Ed Edelman’s announcement that he would bring the March 28 cityhood date to a vote early next month.

Edelman’s plan would allow the successor to retiring Supervisor Pete Schabarum to vote on the issue. Both candidates--Gloria Molina and Art Torres--have said they favor the March 28 incorporation date. Supervisor Kenneth Hahn said he would provide the third vote needed. Malibu voters overwhelmingly approved cityhood last June, but the supervisors, with only Edelman dissenting, voted to delay it.