Valley Secession

* Re “Wilson to Pen Last Chapter of ‘Textbook’ Secession Bill,” Sept. 14.

Those of us who live in the San Fernando Valley should be allowed the opportunity to decide our own political destiny. Conditions that existed when the Valley joined its fate to that of the city of Los Angeles not only no longer exist but are radically different.

The Valley has a core of educated, able citizens who are fully capable of governing us. It has more than an ample financial base with which to provide a full range of services for its residents.

The current chief of police in Los Angeles, Bernard Parks, has publicly stated that the unique factor involving police response in the Valley is distance.

The problem for Valley residents in being able to obtain meaningful input into our political processes is distance. The “for show” occasional meetings of the Los Angeles City Council and school board that are held in the Valley are not substitutes for meaningful access at the most basic levels of government. Without meaningful access, the bedrock of representative democracy upon which our whole system rests becomes a hollow promise.

Gov. Pete Wilson should return meaningful and significant representative democracy to the residents of the San Fernando Valley by signing the bill permitting us to vote on secession.

DOLORES BENDER WHITE

President, Reseda-Tarzana

Republican Women’s Federated

Sherman Oaks