‘S’ Word Is Left Off the Menu at Lunch

The iced tea was poured and the ground rules were set: Just because six Los Angeles City Council members were on hand Monday to face more than 100 San Fernando Valley business leaders didn’t mean the conversation had to be about secession.

“The first elected official who brings up the ‘S’ word ... you’re buying lunch,” said George Stavaris, a Van Nuys real estate broker who moderated the meeting of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn.

It’s not that the business group’s leaders think proposals for new cities in the Valley and Hollywood are dead in the water, they said. They’re simply tired of seeing every issue debated through the filter of secession.

“We’re going to have plenty of opportunities to talk about secession,” said VICA Chairman Fred Gaines. The group has invited representatives from both sides of the debate to make their cases on Aug. 22, after which members will be polled to determine the association’s official position.

Organizers of Monday’s lunch said they had never seen such a turnout of “the electeds” for VICA’s annual event for local government leaders. All but one of the council members representing the Valley showed up--Councilman Hal Bernson sent an aide--and Mayor James K. Hahn sent a deputy to the meeting at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys. And it wasn’t for the chicken piccata and raspberry cheesecake.

“I think the threat of secession” explained the officials’ showing, said Jill Barad, a VICA board member.

Representing areas with a smaller stake in the secession debate were the mayor of the city of San Fernando, the vice mayor of Simi Valley and a councilwoman from Santa Clarita.

For the most part, the panelists managed to sidestep secession. They endorsed Hahn’s proposals to alter Los Angeles’ methods for taxing businesses and they agreed that Los Angeles should do more to prepare for terrorist attacks. One person asked whether a professional football team would move into downtown, to which officials responded maybe, but not with taxpayer money. Another asked how Los Angeles would accommodate growth.

“Our infrastructure is basically collapsing” under the weight of so many residents, said Councilman Dennis Zine, using the opportunity to oppose the 3,050-home Ahmanson Ranch development proposed near the Ventura County border.

“Ahmanson is not the answer to our housing crisis,” Zine said.

All of the issues raised will remain relevant whether the Valley becomes its own city or not, so “it’s a good discussion to have in any case,” said James Stewart, who was in the audience. A parliamentarian in Panorama City, he supports Valley independence and is running for the council of the proposed city.

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel fielded a question about her proposal to divide the city into boroughs. As Greuel delicately discussed the alternative to splitting Los Angeles, she wondered aloud, “Am I jeopardizing my lunch?”