---

by Ana Mascarenas

Over the past year, a grassroots effort led by the East Los Angeles. Residents Association (ELARA) has been underway to create L.A. County's 9th largest city. I am personally moved by this Cityhood drive -- it's a rare example of a true grassroots effort driven by the hope for community empowerment.

Contrary to what many assume, East L.A. is not part of the City of Los Angeles. Instead, we are a community of nearly 140,000 residents who have no form of local government; no city council, no mayor, no local boards or commissions. As an unincorporated area, all municipal services are provided by L.A. County. East L.A. is within the 1st County Supervisorial District, which has over 2 million residents.

At other levels of government, political representation is extremely fractured – the 7.4 square mile area is represented at the federal level by three Members of Congress (CA 32 – Solis, CA 34 – Roybal-Allard, CA 38 – Napolitano), at the state level by four Assembly Members (45 – de León, 46 – Nuñez, 49 – Eng, 58 – Calderon), three Senators (24 – Romero, 22 – Cedillo, 58 – Calderon), and is split between two school districts (LAUSD and Montebello).

If incorporated, East Los Angeles would be the largest newly formed city in the history of California, and possibly the nation. This means that countless other communities have found it imperative to form a local government long before they reached the population size and level of development of East L.A.

To get a sense of what our campaign is about and see how it has brought people together, here's an excerpt from an article written by Oscar Gonzales, President of ELARA.


==================

The talk of the presidential campaign is how to best restore hope in our federal government. For a group of East L.A. residents this fall, the talk is also about how to build a city…from the ground up.

California was built by thriving communities and residents who understood the importance of hard work and sacrifice. East L.A. has contributed more than its fair share toward strengthening our region. Today, we have a major influence on California's cultural, social, economic and political scene. We believe East L.A. can provide leadership on some of the pressing challenges facing our region.

The Process
On July 4, 2008, ELARA announced its signature gathering drive. The goal of the drive is to collect signatures from 25% of the registered voters in East L.A. by the second week of December. These signatures will allow the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to conduct a Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA) that would in part determine exactly much East L.A. pays in taxes and how much we receive in services. After the study is completed, the question of Cityhood could be placed before the voters of East L.A.

Prior to our signature gathering effort, ELARA took the preliminary step of commissioning an Initial Fiscal Analysis (IFA) of East Los Angeles, which is a recommendation set forth by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. This report can be found on our campaign website, www.CityhoodForEastLA.org. The results show that a future City of East Los Angeles would be economically viable, giving us the boost we need to move forward with the process.

The Cityhood process embraces the spirit of one of the most basic principles of democracy -- that the people should decide what is best for them. Our democracy functions best when the electorate is well-informed of the issues that affect them. Once the more than 9,000 signatures have been collected, East L.A. residents will finally have access to basic information about their community that residents of any surrounding area can simply ask of their respective City Halls.

Local Inspiration
There are many East LA residents who have devoted themselves to the incorporation effort, and I wish I could name them all, but two in particular have collective experiences indicative of the dedication from our community, and diversity of volunteers. Their experiences tell the stories of East L.A. community identity, commitment, and pride.

A Community Activist
Diana Tarango was born in East Los Angeles in 1935 and has never moved. One night, while splitting up a list of voters to collect signatures from, Diana told me a story about how she had recently been asked by someone if she still lives in East Los Angeles. Asking this question of a well-accomplished East L.A. community activist was clearly meant to imply that she should have moved to a different neighborhood by now. Proud of her decision to always remain in East L.A., and her steadfast commitment to her community, she confidently responded, "Yes, I still live in East Los Angeles, and my motto is: 'Don't move – Improve!'"

Diana's history of activism in East L.A. runs long and deep. In 1980 she found herself very displeased with the conditions at Safeway supermarket in her community. She led United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), a community organization in East L.A. at the time, to address this disparity. More recently, she was a member of the Committee to Save Belvedere Park and organized residents to help create the Evergreen Jogging Path. She is also a member of the Community Advisory Committee for the Sheriff's Department (CAC) and is the Chairpseron for both the Review Advisory Committee (RAC) Gold Line into East Los Angeles, and the Building and Safety Commission for the County of Los Angeles.

Diana remembers organizing and campaigning for Cityhood in 1974, and barely missing it – and that's how she knows that this time is different. In her own words, "East LA community leaders are behind our movement, and we're doing real grassroots organizing to achieve real self-governance."

A Student
Come rain or shine, Miguel Haro, Jr. can be found knocking on his neighbors' doors and collecting signatures whenever he can. Miguel has been a resident of East L.A. his whole life. He's a student at East Los Angeles College, works with Southern California Edison, and is an enthusiastic Obama supporter and volunteer. On top of all that, he's dedicated many hours to the Cityhood movement.

As a favorite memory, he recounts playing football for Garfield High School during "The East Los Angeles Classic" homecoming game against Roosevelt High School, which turns out hundreds upon hundreds of loyal supporters each year. The rivalry goes on from generation to generation, and is the kind of community identity and pride building tradition that East LA is known for.

If you ask Miguel why he's involved with Cityhood, he'll explain: "The reason I have chosen to volunteer for this effort is because I am very proud to be from East Los Angeles. This is my community and it deserves to be treated better than it has for many years now. It is time for a change. For many years representatives have made decisions of what is best for the county rather than what is best for East Los Angeles. This is why I seek representation at a local level… I want to volunteer my time to give back to a great community who has given me a lot."

It's Simple
The great State of California was built on the ability of its residents to create a governance structure that would give them a voice. Imagine if a century ago the door was closed on residents who wanted a local government that could meet their needs. After so long, the residents of East L.A. are ready for self-governance, ready to chart a path for their community's future. When it comes down to it, the principle is simple -- let East Los Angeles decide.

What Can You Do?
Get involved! You can help by making sure your family members and friends who live in unincorporated East Los Angeles know about the effort and have signed the petition to order a Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA). Also check out the volunteer opportunities on our website: www.CityhoodForEastLA.org.

Sign onto an important letter: Senate Bill 301 (Romero) was approved by the legislature and is headed to the governor's desk – this bill affects communities all across California wishing to officially incorporate after 2009 by ensuring that portion of Vehicle Licensing Fees are given to newly established cities. ELARA is sending a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger, urging him to sign this bill. Each additional signature on this letter will send the message to Governor Schwarzenegger asking that he needs to leave the door open for future cities and a community that simply wants a local government. Adding your name to this letter as a supporter of SB 301 will strengthen the future City of East Los Angeles' financial viability. Visit our website to add your name to the letter.

==================

An effort towards community driven governance is something any democratic club can, and should, be proud of. It's about self-determination. If you want to improve your community, the proper tools of governance should be available to you.

As the campaign moves forward, I'll keep you up to date, and feel free to contact me anytime if you'd like to discuss Cityhood for East Los Angeles.

By Ana Mascarenas

Ana Mascareñas is 3rd Vice-President of the Northeast Democratic Club and is a Member of the Board of Directors of the East Los Angeles Residents Association (ELARA). She is the Membership Coordinator with Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, an organization that brings together health professionals and the diverse communities of Southern California to reduce threats to public health related to war and environmental toxics.

---