Valley Secession Pitched to Blacks

The leader of the San Fernando Valley secession movement told a gathering of African Americans in South-Central Los Angeles on Wednesday that their clout would increase if the city breaks apart. But some at the town hall meeting worried that the city’s resources would be reduced as well.

Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close said Valley secession would create a smaller Los Angeles in which minority groups would have more council districts and better access to City Hall.

“A smaller L.A. will allow more groups to participate in the government,” he said.

Former Police Chief Bernard C. Parks told the audience that a smaller city could increase minority clout, but he added, “The other side of the issue is more political clout over what, if you have fewer resources.” Parks said he is studying the issue and hasn’t taken a position on it.

Close said studies have shown that the rest of Los Angeles would not be harmed in the breakup.

More than 250 attended the forum hosted by black leaders at the Brookins Community AME Church in South-Central.

The meeting was the second in a series exploring the pros and cons of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood--which together account for about 40% of the city’s population--breaking away.

The Valley cityhood measure is on the Nov. 5 citywide ballot. A state commission will decide next week whether to put the Hollywood independence attempt on the same ballot.

Wednesday’s forum also drew pro- and anti-secessionists from the Valley. The Local Agency Formation Commission decided earlier in the day to keep a harbor area secession proposal off the ballot this year so that financial problems in the plan can be analyzed further.

Secessionists are working hard to cultivate alliances in the African American communities south of Mulholland Drive, arguing that a split would increase black clout and representation on the Los Angeles City Council.

Close said his group is challenging Mayor James K. Hahn to 10 secession debates, with the first to be held July 4 in South-Central.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, a South-Central community activist and author, said he worries that voters in the area are uninformed about secession and might support it to protest Hahn’s decision earlier this year to oust Parks.

“Secession is absolutely an unmitigated disaster for the African American community” because it would decrease black political power and economic resources, said Hutchinson. But the Rev. Frederick O. Murph of Brookins Community AME Church said: “We’re not listening more to any one group. We’re listening to everyone so we can make an intelligent move forward and decide what’s best for the community.”

Murph also said he has encouraged Hahn to take part in future forums in South-Central.