Issue: Issue Winter 2002

From the Editor

I write this on the eve of secession and by tomorrow night we’ll know if the attempt to break away from Los Angeles was successful.

It’s been an interesting campaign.  Many points made by the secessionists were valid.  We have evidence all around us that smaller may be better.  Better that is if you’re willing to go through the growing pains to make it so.  Burbank, Glendale, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena have all been cities much longer than our closest and newest neighboring city, West Hollywood.  Yes, WeHo is entering its teenage growth years and new public works projects and a successful Creative City campaign is reaping rewards, but it took ten years to get there.

But like Greenwich Village tucked within the boundaries New York City, would Hollywood be “Hollywood” without Los Angeles.  Like it or not, our great city is the sum of its parts.  That is what gives us our richness as well as our problems.  Yes, I have complaints about L.A., but I don’t know if it would be nearly as much fun to play the “ain’t it awful” game if my city councilperson is a part timer who actually has to have a real job in order to make ends meet rather than a career politician doing his/her best to address the needs of their 250,000 constituents.

I, for one, will be very happy to put this to rest, and get into a holiday mood, and come January 1^st start the new year.

So, in the spirit of the season, there’s not much more that can be said except “God bless us everyone…and to all a good night.”