Secession

Backers of a plan to have a portion of Oxnard secede from the city have scheduled their next public meeting to explore forming Ventura County's 11th municipality. Boundaries for the proposed city of Channel Islands Beach have been expanded to include much of South Oxnard, effectively doubling the potential number of registered voters in the new coastal community to about 35,000.

Council members will get a preview tonight of a report on the county library system that recommends against the withdrawal of the city's two libraries. The report, commissioned by the Orange County City Managers Assn. library task force, was reviewed by city managers last week in a closed-door meeting and will be made public Thursday at the Orange County League of Cities meeting in Costa Mesa.

The panel that oversees the creation of cities in Los Angeles County will take up the long-disputed question today of who must pay the estimated $1-million cost of studying the feasibility of the San Fernando Valley's secession from Los Angeles. The question comes up as the Local Agency Formation Commission considers adopting a $10,000 processing fee as a down payment for the secession study, which is required by law before an election on the question may be held.

A county agency launched a study Wednesday to determine if breaking up Los Angeles would negatively affect the environment, but secessionists called for an expanded review to avoid possible delays in court. The Local Agency Formation Commission will use its study to determine whether a split might cause negative effects that, under state law, would require a detailed analysis in the form of an environmental impact report.

The co-chairmen of a commission set up to help decide whether Quebec should remain a part of Canada have proposed a referendum on the matter by September in the French-speaking province. The suggestion, contained in an internal working paper, showed a surprising tilt toward sovereignty on the part of the co-chairmen--surprising especially because their group was convened last year by federalists hoping to find ways to keep Quebec in Canada.

Proponents of valley secession announced plans Monday to raise $2 million to $3 million for their campaign. About 100 members of the secession group Valley VOTE met at Galpin Ford in North Hills, where they also announced the date of an Independence Ball. The $100-per-person fund-raiser is scheduled for Aug. 2 at the Warner Center Hilton.

A diverse panel of speakers who gathered in Sylmar on Saturday to discuss the Valley's proposed breakaway from the city were able to agree on this much: Secession is a complicated thing. The symposium at Mission College offered a glimpse at what secession might, or might not, mean from the perspective of academics, politicians and religious leaders, as well as secession supporters and opponents.

The campaign to break up Los Angeles will aim to convince voters citywide that they will be better off if the San Fernando Valley, harbor area and Hollywood secede. Secession proponents, whose numbers include some Valley and Hollywood business leaders, say they will depend heavily on precinct-level volunteers, but will also try to raise up to $4 million for the campaign.

With poll results showing citywide support for San Fernando Valley secession, the onus is on Mayor James K. Hahn to persuade voters to keep Los Angeles together. The mayor's political consultants say that those behind the movement to break up the city are selling snake oil. They also say their planned $5-million campaign against secession in the fall will make voters see the light.

State Sen. Tom Hayden will address San Fernando Valley secession and other issues at a meeting of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. on Wednesday night. Hayden's talk on "The State of the City" is scheduled for 6:30 at Glendale Federal Bank. "Nearly everyone agrees that changes must take place in Los Angeles city, whether it is dividing the city or charter reform," said association president Richard Close. "Sen. Hayden has recently moved from Santa Monica to Los Angeles.