by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright September 27, 2002
All Rights Reserved.

rom the get-go, something didn't add up about Valley secession. Only a handful of zealous activists, speaking under the umbrella of Valley VOTE, claimed to represent a vast movement seeking to split off 230 square miles and 1.35 million residents from the City of Los Angeles. "Imagine a city that is safer, cleaner and better . . ." said Valley VOTE president Jeff Brain, believing that a determined public relations campaign—not a true groundswell of popular sentiment—could transform impressionable residents into a coherent mass movement, breaking off the Valley from Los Angeles. Promising utopia, Brain and former Assemblyman Richard Katz tried to convince powerful businessmen and wannabe politicians that collecting $1billion in taxes would solve all their problems. Proving that they meant business, they hired a pricey Sacramento political consulting firm Goddard Claussen in April, expecting to pay the bills with successful fund raising. "Goddard Claussen has resigned from both the Valley and Hollywood independence campaigns," said partner Rick Claussen, declining to discuss the reasons.

      Since Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn announced a vigorous fund raising drive last May to counter Valley and Hollywood independence, Valley VOTE also promised to raise millions to wage a vigorous media campaign. Hiring Goddard Claussen backfired in two ways: (1) Hahn retained his chief political consultant Bill Carrick and savvy associate Kam Kuwata to counter Valley VOTE's moves; and (2) Goddard Claussen broke Valley VOTE's fragile piggy bank. Now rumored to be $100,000 in debt, Goddard Claussen pulled the plug on the Valley secession campaign. "The fund-raising fell far short of expectations to run the kind of campaign that needs to be run," said an unnamed source, hitting the nail on the head. Expectations about a groundswell of support were hyped from day one. No matter what the cause or campaign, fund raising tells the whole story. Failed fund raising proves a lack popularity.

      During July, Hahn raised more that $2 million, adding to the hefty war chest of over $3 million with which to fight Valley and Hollywood independence. In contrast, Valley VOTE raised a paltry $75,000, mostly from flamboyant Hollywood Night Club mogul Gene La Pietra. Originally, secession leaders predicted they'd raise between $4 to $5 million, paying Goddard Claussen enough to wage a vigorous broadcast and direct mail campaign. "Campaigns go through different stages and [Goddard Claussen] had done a lot of their work," said Katz, finding a silver lining to the current fund raising disaster. But unlike Katz's optimism, prominent Valley business leaders like Galpin Ford owner Bert Boeckmann aren't ponying up the cash because they already smell failure on election day. Donors don't like to throw good money after bad, especially for causes that aren't going anywhere. Months of Valley VOTE's hype over the vast army of door-to-door grass-roots volunteers haven't added to the coffers of Valley independence.

      Hiring Goddard Claussen last April proved to be Valley VOTE's most successful publicity stunt, seemingly giving secessionists the momentum heading into November. Goddard Claussen's point man on Valley secession Gerry Gunster told the media he had a secret plan to pull off the biggest long-shot since the California Lottery. Leaving opponents guessing, secessionists created tremors at L.A. City Hall. "We learned one thing: They were able to keep their plan secret," said Kam Kuwata tongue-in-cheek, L.A.'s chief political consultant fighting secession. "Because the people of Los Angeles still haven't seen it," expressing doubts that a plan ever existed. Valley VOTE got off to a slow start, not, as some suggest, because Goddard Claussen dropped the ball, but precisely because there was neither fund raising support nor the legions of grass-roots workers banging on doors. "The reason there's no money is that there was no campaign to put together," said L.A.-based G.O.P. political consultant Arnold Steinberg," blaming Goddard Claussen for getting off to a slow start.

      Getting his wires crossed, Steinberg fingered the wrong party, not realizing that Valley VOTE's aggressive public relations campaign convinced Larry J. Calemine and the Local Agency Formation Commission to give secessionist their chance on the ballot. But convincing LAFCO and producing feasibility studies have nothing to do with recruiting activists, motivating volunteers and bending the arms of rich donors. No consulting firm can turn illusions into reality when the "cause" lacks popular support. From the start, it was difficult to digest Brain's argument that changing city halls would create utopia in the San Fernando Valley. "Imagine a city where your tax dollars are not sent off to downtown L.A. . . ." said Brain, asking Valley residents to turn over taxes to a new, unproven city bureaucracy. Few people other than a small group of entrepreneurs and aspiring politicians could get excited about the dicey prospects of starting a new city.

      Diehards like Katz and Brain won't admit that their fund raising failures reflect a lack of popular support for splitting the San Fernando Valley from Los Angeles. No consulting firm can create a legitimate mass movement without a real interest on part of Valley residents. Promising utopia isn't enough to convince voters that divorcing Los Angeles will solve the Valley's problems. "Hiding behind downtown power brokers and lead spin-ster Kam Kuwata is not much of a legacy for the mayor," said Katz, lashing out, but realizing that Valley secession was becoming a fading dream. Sending a loud wake-up call to City Hall, secessionists have reminded Mayor Hahn and the City Council to pay more attention to residents living in the sprawling San Fernando Valley. Regardless of area, all L.A. residents deserve more responsive elected officials and better city services. When the dark cloud of secession finally lifts on Nov. 5, all parties need to get back to the job of making Los Angeles not just the safest big city in America but the best—on both sides of the Santa Monica Mountains.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's a consultant and expert in strategic communication. He's author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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