Oppressed La Jollans Explore Secession
Idea about beach community has been floated for years
By BRITT PETERSON
Updated 5:54 PM PST, Thu, Jun 18, 2009
A small group of La Jolla residents is mulling a legal challenge to state law that, if successful, could be the first step to making the wealthy enclave its own city, according to a published report.
The activists involved in Independent La Jolla believe “local management would improve [La Jolla’s] quality of life [and] operate it more cost effectively for the benefit of San Diego and the state of California now, and for generations to come,” the organization’s mission statement reads.
Sound familiar? It’s not the first time the idea has been proposed. However, this time there is the possibility of challenging state law that establishes rules for secession, the La Jolla Light reported.
The people of La Jolla seem to have mixed feelings about the idea, which could cost the new “city” $4.6 million from four to eight years in order for San Diego’s “jewel” (payable as “exit alimony”) to break away from the pack.
One La Jolla resident likes the plan.
“We should be separate, and I’d like to see the tax dollars stay here and be used for our own fire, police and overall infrastructure,” Steve Severin said.
Not everybody’s a fan, though
“People need to be together,” Lisa Smith said, “You don’t need to separate the little entity of La Jolla.”
So far the groundswell is a mere bump: About 100 people have signed up in support of the proposal and want to be involved in making it happen, organizer Melinda Merryweather told the paper.
First Published: Jun 18, 2009 3:47 PM PST
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