Recently in Valley Vote Category

L.A. Councilman Tom LaBonge recently spoke at a Valley VOTE meeting and affirmed his opposition to a massive office building project on Lankershim Boulevard at the site of the Metro Red Line station, across the street from the main entrance to Universal Studios.

He explained to Valley VOTE that his position is based on two issues, according to the organization's latest meeting report.

First, he opposes it because of the density caused by the proposed construction of two high-rise office buildings and a 10-story parking structure on an unusually small, "banana-shaped" lot.

Second, his opposition is based on the lack of infrastructure in the area to handle the vehicle traffic.

He noted that the thousands of jobs promised don't really reflect new jobs, as they are merely being transferred a few miles westward from the current NBC operations in Burbank.

However, new construction jobs would be needed to build the project. He also noted that the Lankershim site presents a particular traffic bottleneck because, unlike much of the Valley which provides alternative routes via a grid-based street network there, is no possibility of developing an alternative, the report states.

LaBonge distributed to the Valley VOTE attendees a copy of his Oct. 15 letter to Mayor Villaraigosa, in his capacity as chairman of the MTA, expressing his opposition to the project, which is a joint undertaking of the MTA and NBC/Universal.

LaBonge repeatedly insisted that we must "do it right!" He said that improving infrastructure must precede the project, as too often in the past (he cited the Hollywood/Highland Project) developers' promises to upgrade the infrastructure remain unfulfilled, according to the meeting report.

In LaBonge's mind, such improvements for this project should include additional lanes on both the 170 and 134 freeways to eliminate "choke points" and to widen several dozen surface street intersections in the area.

An interesting suggestion made by LaBonge was to extend the Red Line subway from its present terminus at Lankershim and Chandler northward to the Valley Plaza shopping mall at Victory Boulevard and then shift over to an above-ground light rail line down the center of the nearby 170 freeway, then north into the I-5 freeway, all the way to Santa Clarita.

L.A. Councilman Tom LaBonge will be a guest speaker at the next Valley VOTE meeting, to be held from 6:45-8:30 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room at Galpin Ford, 15505 Roscoe Blvd., North Hills.

LaBonge, former chief of field operations for Mayor Richard Riordon, was elected to his first four-year term on the L.A. City Council in 2003 and his second four-year term in 2007.

Jacque McMillan, a principal government and regional affairs representative for the Metropolitan Water District, will also speak at the Valley VOTE meeting.

For more information, visit www.valleyvote.org.

Valley VOTE (Voters Organized Toward Empowerment) is the organization that led a petition drive to place a measure before voters in 2002 seeking to secede the San Fernando Valley from the city of Los Angeles. The measure did not pass.

Today, Valley VOTE's mission is to explore and foster the implementation of programs that empower the people of the Valley and city of Los Angeles in order to improve local governance, education and public participation on policy matters.

L.A. Councilman Dennis Zine and former California Assembly member Cindy Montañez spoke recently at a Valley VOTE meeting. The following is from a meeting report from Valley VOTE about their talks:

Zine plans to run for third and final term in 2009. He said will continue to represent the interests of the Third Council District which encompasses the communities of Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana, West Hills, Winnetka, and Woodland Hills with a population of nearly 300,000 residents.

In reiterating his views on a myriad of issues, Zine kept repeating his theme that overdevelopment is unacceptable and that we must "maintain our city as a livable place, create a business friendly environment where jobs and the environment are protected."

He noted the importance of a good economic environment. "More than a generation ago, a youngster would graduate high school and land a good-paying job at the General Motors assembly plant, eventually buy a home in a nearby community, and live comfortably," Zine said. "Today's generation, though, must have a college degree to have the same comfort level, and good jobs don't seem as plentiful, especially for those with only a high school education."

On various topics . . .

L.A. Councilman Dennis Zine and former Assemblymember Cindy Montanez will be the featured speakers at the next Valley VOTE meeting at 6:45 p.m. Sept. 15 in the second-floor meeting room at Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys.

Valley VOTE (which stands for Voters Organized Toward Empowerment) led an effort a few years ago to separate the San Fernando Valley from the city of Los Angeles, but the measure did not receive enough voter support.

The organization's goal today is to be "commited to exploring and fostering implementation of programs that empower the people of the San Fernando Valley and the city of Los Angeles (and) to improve local governance, education and public participation on policy matters."

LeeAnn M. Pelham, executive director of the L.A. Ethics Commission, spoke at the recent Valley VOTE meeting.

She discussed the Full Public Financing program that is being discussed in L.A. political circles and is currently under review by the L.A. neighborhood councils.

She said the office has been looking into FPF, has drawn some conclusions about it and is concerned about some issues.

Specifically, unlike the "Clean Money" approach - where a new public financing system would be started from scratch - her staff believes that it would be better for the city to build on its already-in-place "Partial Public Finance" system that has been used for many years for citywide offices, such as the mayor, controller and city attorney.

Among the critical issues are determination of how much a FPF program would cost the city and the amount of public funding that should be made available to each of the various candidates.

To read more about the Valley VOTE meeting and Pelham's talk, visit www.valleyvote.org.

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke at the most recent Valley VOTE meeting.

According to a report by David De Voss, Villaraigosa said he's had a good relationship with the organization because, though he was against the San Fernando Valley's attempt to secede a few years ago, he didn't berate the people behind the move.

He wanted to listen to their concerns and fix the problems.

Read DeVoss' entire report follows:

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be the speaker at the next meeting of Valley VOTE (Voters Organized Toward Empowerment) at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the second-floor meeting room of Galpin Ford, 1555 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys, near the 405 Freeway.

Villaraigosa's last visit to Valley VOTE was back in February 2005, when he was a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles.

He made a number of commitments at that meeting on his plans for the Valley.

He stated, "For too long, the San Fernando Valley has been treated as the neglected stepchild of Los Angeles. For me, the message is very simple: 'Slow down, take notice, share with us and include us in the City of Angels' ... As mayor, that is just what I will do."

There will be a question-and-answer session after the Mayor's presentation.

Space is limited, so if you're going to attend, please RSVP to either Joe Vitti at javittisr@cs.com or Richard Leyner at rleyner@socal.rr.com or 818-742-1638.

For more information, visit www.valleyvote.org.

L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich will be the speaker at the next Valley Vote meeting at 6:45 p.m. Monday, April 21.

Next month, the organization will hear from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at 6:45 p.m. Monday May 12.

Both meetings will be held in the second-floor meeting room of Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys.

For more information, visit www.valleyvote.org.

Valley Vote is the organization that led a petition drive to place a measure before voters in 2002 seeking to secede the San Fernando Valley from the city of Los Angeles. The measure did not pass.

Today, Valley Vote's mission is to explore and foster the implementation of programs that empower the people of the Valley and city of Los Angeles in order to improve local governance, education and public participation on policy matters.

L.A.Councilmember Dennis Zine and Board of Works Commissioner Ernesto Cardenas will be the speakers at the next Valley Vote meeting at 6:45 p.m. Monday in the second-floor meeting room of Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd., near the 405 Freeway.

Zine, who has been on the City Council since 2001, said his priorities as an elected official include improving quality of life, reducing crime and increasing public safety, and addressing transportation issues using common sense and practical solutions.

Since his first election, Zine has contributed over $150,000 from his council salary to nonprofit organizations.

Cardenas has been on the board of public works since 2007.

The commissioners are the chief administrators of the Department of Public Works, a department consisting of more than 5,400 employees who are responsible for design, construction, renovation and operation of public projects ranging from bridges to wastewater treatment plants and libraries; curbside collection and graffiti removal; and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, sewers, streetlights and street trees.

There is free parking in the Galpin lot on the west side of Orion Avenue. Please do not park in the customer service areas.

For more information, visit www.valleyvote.org.

L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky will speak at the next Valley Vote meeting at 7:45 p.m. Monday in the second-floor meeting room at Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd., near the 405.

He will give updates on current issues calling the county and city of Los Angeles.

Yaroslavsky has been a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors since being elected in 1994. He has been re-elected three times, most recently in 2006.

As a member of the County Board of Supervisors, Yaroslavsky quickly emerged as a leader on fiscal, health care, transportation, cultural and environmental matters.

He authored the 1996 Proposition 'A' park bond, which resulted in the preservation of rural open space and the development of urban parks throughout the county.

He authored the 2002 Proposition 'B' trauma tax, approved by over 73 percent of county voters, a measure which is largely credited with stabilizing the county's perpetually unpredictable health care finances.

Yaroslavsky was also the driving force behind the Orange Line bus way across the San Fernando Valley, which opened in 2005 to record ridership (22,000 daily boardings.)

He is regarded as the county's fiscal watchdog, insisting that it live within its means.

A Valley Vote meeting will precede Yaroslavsky's talk, beginning at 6:45 p.m.

David DeVoss writes about the recent Valley VOTE meeting where L.A. Daily News Editor Ron Kaye was one of the guests speakers:

LA has the best government money can buy. OK, it's an old joke. But laconic Los Angeles Daily News editor Ron Kaye almost turns this unfortunate truth into a tale in which redemption is possible if honest people will stand up and get organized.

As the leader of the city's perennial No. 2 daily, Kaye's Tantalus-like pursuit of the Los Angeles Times affords him the freedom to speak truth to power. And speak he did earlier this week on the tenth anniversary of the founding of Valley VOTE.

There is a “system” to city government, Kaye concedes, but citizens must be organized, well financed and persistent to make it work for them. “The system doesn't work for the people,” Kaye sighs. “The Police Protective League matters more than any of you because it has money.”

California Assemblyman Cameron Smyth (38th Dist.) will be the guest speaker at the Valley Vote meeting at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in the second-floor meeting room of Galpin Ford, 15505 Roscoe Blvd., North Hills.

He will speak at 7:30 p.m.

Smyth is vice chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, which oversees issues pertaining to the public health and environment. He seeks to direct the committee toward scientically sound policies that promote a healthy environment and a strong economy and opposes those that needlessly burden the business community and drive our workforce to other states.

He will discuss legislative matters of importance to the residents of Los Angeles.

Valley Vote's mission statement says it is a diverse coalition of San Fernando Valley residents, business people, educators, community activists and organizations. It is committed to exploring and fostering the implementation of programs that empower the citizens of the San Fernando Valley and the city of Los Angeles, to improve governance, education and public participation on policy matters.