Valley Is Ready to Be on Its Own

Re “L.A. in Future Perfect Tense,” Commentary, March 25: Bill Boyarsky’s historical knowledge of Los Angeles seems to stretch back to the “old maps of a city founded in 1781,” but he seems to have missed the fact that neither the San Fernando Valley nor the Los Angeles harbor were part of that map until about 130 years later. When the Valley was annexed, L.A.’s population was 10% of what it is now. The city has now grown beyond its means, beyond its control, beyond its governance.

Reader letters express concern that Los Angeles and a new Valley city won’t have the political clout currently enjoyed with state and federal officials. But news media aren’t splitting by political boundaries. L.A. will remain influential as the No. 2 media market in the country behind New York. Even as separate cities, my estimates are that Los Angeles would still be the third most populous city in the nation, followed by the new San Fernando Valley city at No. 4. Ask the current third-ranking city, Chicago, if it doesn’t have influence.

There will be little or no change in influence or culture should the San Fernando Valley secede from its parent city. The difference will be smaller, more localized government that will provide more control to local residents over issues such as zoning, development and spending.

While Los Angeles may have given birth to the Valley’s incorporation and growth 87 years ago, it was only as part of a scheme to bring water to the area and to fill the pockets of rich and influential Valley landowners. We are now mature enough to grow from being the city’s stepchild to a self-supporting life of our own.

Howard Schlossberg

Woodland Hills