HAHN FOR MAYOR
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Hahn Woos Valley's Leaders

JULY 04, 2001
LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

VAN NUYS -- In his first community appearances since taking office a day earlier, Mayor James Hahn visited the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday to meet with community leaders and plant trees at a Van Nuys elementary school.

The events, Hahn said, were symbolic of his intent to strengthen the city's commitment to Valley issues -- as well as other neighborhood issues throughout Los Angeles -- and to try to keep the city together.

"I was downtown yesterday, but I wanted to start the week off showing how important I believe it is to connect all the parts of the city -- and the Valley is very important," Hahn said. "It's a great collection of communities that have people who are very interested in improving the quality of life out here."

Hahn met with about two dozen community leaders at the Van Nuys Civic Center in an event that continued a tradition he began as city attorney about five years ago.

The Valley leaders listed many of the problems they were having with the city's implementation of neighborhood councils, as Hahn took careful notes and acknowledged that the city needs to strengthen the councils while simplifying their procedures.

The councils were created in the new charter that voters passed in 1999 as a means of giving local communities a greater voice in city government, but the program remains in the planning stages amid complaints that the city is moving too slow.

Also, some say the city has created too many rules for operating the councils, making it too difficult for volunteers who will be working only part time. Other complaints center on the limited power of the councils, which were proposed as having only an advisory role.

"The thing is, we don't really have any power," said Wayde Hunter, a member of the North Valley Coalition. "They gave us no power -- I'm kind of perturbed about this."

Hahn said he supports giving neighborhood councils some budgetary power -- perhaps $100,000 each to do some special projects in their neighborhoods, as well as budgets for office work and mailings.

"There ought to be some way to get neighborhood councils a way to see they're having an impact in their own neighborhood," Hahn said.

The Valley leaders said Hahn's meeting was an important gesture.

Richard Close, head of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and chairman of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment, said Mayors Richard Riordan and Tom Bradley never met with community leaders in such a town-hall style forum open to the media.

Close was the one who suggested five years ago that Hahn have the meetings several times a year as city attorney.

Earlier in the day, Hahn visited Kittridge Street Elementary School in Van Nuys to help kick off a tree planting effort under the Cool Schools program, a joint venture between the city and school district.

Cool Schools encourages the planting of trees and other greenery to help campus buildings stay cooler in summer and to save power costs.

Hahn helped plant two Hong Kong orchid trees, the first of what will eventually be 100 trees around the school.

The events happened on the same day Northeast Valley Councilman Alex Padilla was elected council president, highlighting again the clout some expect the Valley to have under the new administration. The Valley civic leaders broke out into applause after Hahn announced Padilla's election.

Valley moderates and conservatives, along with African-American voters in South Central L.A., formed the key coalition that helped Hahn win election to the mayor's office over former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa.

Padilla was a strong supporter of Hahn, and Hahn administered Padilla's oath of office Sunday.

Hahn also has hired one of Padilla's former aides, Felipe Fuentes, as deputy mayor for Valley issues.

Tuesday was also Hahn's 51st birthday, and he received cakes, birthday wishes and songs at both Valley events as well as at a morning event at City Hall.

Tony Swan, a member of the North Hills Coordinating Council, said when Hahn was city attorney, his follow-up work after meetings was generally good.

"When he's heard about issues, he's done the best with his office to address them," Swan said. "If he continues to do the same as mayor, we'll have a changed city."

If that happens, Swan added, there will be less desire in the Valley to secede.

Close noted that while Hahn is off to a good start, the Valley will be watching carefully. A vote on Valley cityhood is tentatively scheduled for November 2002.

"He will be judged on results more than intent," Close said. "Valley cityhood is based upon delivery of services and local control. If he can solve the problems, then that will diminish the need for Valley cityhood. But he only has 15 months to do it."