177,504 / 28.7% Yes votes ...... 440,684 / 71.3% No votes
   168,522 ( 28.58%) Yes / 421,114 ( 71.42%) No in LA City
   8,982 ( 31.46%) Yes / 19,570 ( 68.54%) No in Hollywood

See Also: Index of all Measures

This measure submits to registered voters within the City of Los Angeles the question of whether or not the Hollywood area should be detached from the City of Los Angeles and incorporated as a separate city.

The new city will be approximately 14.5 square miles with a population of approximately 183,713 persons. The new city will be governed by a city council of 5 members elected at-large.

Property taxes, and other taxes, charges, fees, and assessments currently levied will continue. These revenues will transfer to the new city. As a general law city, however, the new city is not legally authorized to charge the same documentary transfer tax as the City of Los Angeles.

During a one-year transition period, the City of Los Angeles will continue to provide most municipal services. The new city will be required to reimburse the City of Los Angeles for the services provided.

After the transition period, the new city will be responsible for providing municipal services, including general municipal government, law enforcement, fire protection, planning, building inspection, public works, trash collection and animal control. Some of these services may be provided by the City of Los Angeles through contracts, if the new city and the City of Los Angeles agree to such an arrangement. The City of Los Angeles will continue to provide water, power, and wastewater services to the Hollywood area.

The Local Agency Formation Commission has determined that the new city would be fiscally viable during the three fiscal years after incorporation. The new city will be required to make annual fiscal mitigation payments to the City of Los Angeles of $21,320,000 adjusted for inflation and reduced by 5 percent per year for a total of 20 years. That initial payment reflects the difference between the revenue collected in the Hollywood area by the City of Los Angeles in fiscal year 2000-01 over and above the amount expended by the City of Los Angeles in providing services to the Hollywood area in that year, as determined by the Commission. It will be reduced over 20 years to zero.

If approved by the voters, the special reorganization would:
# Incorporate the area as a general law city effective July 1, 2003.
# Establish a provisional appropriations limit of $214.3 million.
# Transfer to the new city local City of Los Angeles assets, such as police stations, libraries, and community parks, without compensation to the City of Los Angeles.
# Require the City of Los Angeles to provide water, power and wastewater services at the same rates for customers of the same class in the new city as in the City of Los Angeles.
# Require the new city to pay its proportionate share of outstanding debt and non-debt liabilities of the City of Los Angeles.
# Detach the Hollywood area from the Proposition K District and form a separate district in the Hollywood area.

Voters who believe that the Hollywood area should be detached from the City of Los Angeles and incorporated as a self-governing city on the terms and conditions set forth in the order approved by the Commission on July 26, 2002, should vote "yes" on this measure. Voters who believe the area should remain a part of the City of Los Angeles should vote "no" on the measure.

The boundary of the proposed new city is depicted below:

click for large pdf file from LAFCO

Hollywood was the entertainment capital, a glamorous place where American cultural icons live forever. It's a national treasure close to our hearts. The sad fact is that Hollywood is neglected by downtown. Graffiti, abandoned buildings and drugs have taken over.

Angelenos can help revitalize Hollywood by simply voting YES on "H."

Hollywood Cityhood for all Angelenos:
# A revitalized Hollywood Boulevard will become a powerful tourist magnet pumping millions of dollars into the regional economy.
# Hollywood and Valley cities create smaller Council districts. LA Council represents 250,000, Hollywood will have 32,000.
# A beautifully restored Hollywood will give all Angelenos a beautiful place to shop and entertain, giving back the dignity to the heart of Southern California.
# Runaway film production will be brought back to Hollywood with tax incentives.
# Hollywood will be a union friendly city.

Hollywood Cityhood for the Community
# Creating a strong, independent school district is easier for an independent city.
# Independent Hollywood keeps its existing resources and tax dollars.
# Hollywood only gets half of the police protection it deserves. Independent Hollywood will have better police protection and response time in the Hills and Flats.
# DWP rates are guaranteed to stay the same as Los Angeles.
# Existing LA Fire protection will stay with the same 5 stations.
# Rent Control remains in Hollywood.
# West Hollywood, Glendale, Burbank and 79 smaller cities function very well, beautiful neighborhoods, booming economies and safe communities.
# Hollywood will have 183,000 residents and 5 City Council members.
# Senior and Youth services will be a priority, under Hollywood control.
# State Agency LAFCO exhaustively studied the issue of a Hollywood city and determined that it will be financially viable.

GENE LA PIETRA
Former State Parks Commissioner

ROSA MARTINEZ
Member, Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council & Teacher

JEFF LUSTER
President Major Properties

GARRY SINANIAN
Armenian Athletic Association

PASHREE SRIPIPAT
Publisher, Inter Thai Pacific Rim Newspaper

Here are some facts about Hollywood Secession you won't hear from the secessionist's propaganda.

Hollywood and Los Angeles are one city. Together we are reviving Hollywood. Alone, it's unlikely Hollywood could sustain this revival.

Separated, Hollywood will have a shaky financial foundation. Separated, Hollywood's emergency and disaster reserve fund will be far less than the average reserve fund level of California cities of comparable size. Alone, Hollywood will lack financial protection against disaster, economic recession, and major public safety threats.

Hollywood Secession has nothing to do with breaking up the Los Angeles School District. Legally, breaking up the school district is a different process governed by the State Board of Education.

Secession could result in higher water and power rates for everyone. Additionally, the uncertainty of Hollywood's finances could result in cuts in fire protection, police protection, and city services for youth and seniors.

Rent control protection will expire in 120 days should Hollywood seceded and there is no legal guarantee that a separated Hollywood will have any rent control. The same is true for living wage protections.

According to independent financial analysis, secession could cost Los Angeles taxpayers $4 Billion over 20 years, resulting in tax increases and cuts in essential services.

Together, Los Angeles and Hollywood are one city, stronger and more prosperous. Separated, we face an uncertain financial future.

The League of Women Voters, LA's Firefighters and Paramedics, and the LA Chamber of Commerce urge you to VOTE NO ON H.

TOGETHER WE'RE STRONGER.

ARCHBISHOP VATCHE HOVSEPIAN
Primate, Armenian Church of North America, Western Diocese

TERRY HUGHES
President, Los Feliz Improvement Association

KERRY MORRISON
Executive Director, Hollywood Entertainment District Property Owners Association

RUSS JOYNER
Chairman of the Board, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

CHRISTINE MILLS O'BRIEN
Past President, Hollywoodland Homeowners Association

VOTE NO ON SECESSION.

The self-appointed group fighting to split Hollywood from Los Angeles has failed to disclose the serious financial risks of Hollywood Secession.

After September 11th, Los Angeles was hit with $69 Million in emergency costs to meet potential terrorist threats. We were able to meet those costs because Los Angeles has a $101 Million disaster and catastrophe fund. The proposed separated Hollywood city's reserve fund would be far less than the average reserve fund level of California cities of comparable size. It will lack financial protections against disaster, economic recession, and major public safety threats.

WITH HOLLYWOOD SECESSION, EVERYONE LOSES.

The separated Hollywood will have to pay additional annual fees for the next 20 years, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. An independent financial analysis shows secession costing taxpayers of the remaining City of Los Angeles $4 Billion over the next 20 years, resulting in increased taxes and cuts to essential services, like police and fire.

When brownouts and energy price increases hit the rest of California, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power provided reliable service at reasonable rates. Secession's impact on DWP's finances is likely to result in higher water and electric bills for everyone. Protections, like Rent Control and The Living Wage, will be jeopardized in the separated Hollywood.

HOLLYWOOD SECESSION IS JUST TOO RISKY. THE FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY COULD DESTROY HOLLYWOOD'S REVIVAL AND LEAD TO HIGHER TAXES AND CUTS IN SERVICES FOR EVERYONE.

The League of Women Voters, L.A.'s Firefighters and Paramedics, The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Mayor James Hahn, Former Mayor Richard Riordan, and Former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa oppose dividing Los Angeles and urge you to VOTE NO ON SECESSION.

ERIC GARCETTI
Los Angeles City Councilmember

TOM LABONGE
Los Angeles City Councilmember

JOHN W. GRANT (JOHNNY)
Honorary Mayor of Hollywood

GLORIA MOLINA
Los Angeles County Supervisor

CHRISTINE MILLS O'BRIEN
Past President of the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association

Hollywood cityhood means strong commitments to RENT CONTROL, UNION JOBS and a LIVING WAGE and a BEAUTIFUL HOLLYWOOD. Hollywood revival will happen once we are free of City Hall's neglect! Vote Yes on Measure "H" for Hollywood.

Everyone Wins With Hollywood Independence

A new city of Hollywood benefits Los Angeles and all of Southern California. The new city of Hollywood will enjoy responsible economic development and housing to improve quality of life and boost the economy of the entire region.

County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Yvonne Burke along with state, county and local agencies have thoroughly studied Hollywood cityhood. Read the report at http://www.lalafco.org/lafco_topics.htm . These independent officials say:
# Hollywood cityhood imposes no new taxes
# Hollywood will be a financially viable city with strong reserves
# Hollywood residents will NOT pay new fees, only existing funds Hollywood already pays--that will be REDUCED by 5% each year to zero
# Hollywood will inherit mutual aid agreements with federal, state and local emergency management agencies handling disasters, keeping us protected.

City Hall abandoned Hollywood to drug dealers and neglect. This community is overrun with vice and trash. Residents and tourists are appalled by the neglect.
# Hollywood residents pay taxes for 396 police officers and get far fewer and NO NARCOTICS OFFICERS.
# City Hall spends millions on boondoggle development projects. Hollywood businesses tax themselves to start the revitalization process.

Vote Yes On H For Hollywood!

BOB JIMENEZ
Former Anchorman for KCBS-TV2, KCAL-TV9, KFWB-AM

GEOFFREY L. GARFIELD
Executive Director, Los Angeles Elected Charter Reform Commission

ANDY MARDESICH
Harbor Study Foundation

DAUDE SHERRILLS
Board Member/Project Director, Watts Community Self-Determination Institute

ROSA MARTINEZ
Educator, Hollywood Little Red School House