SAN DIEGO — It's been talked about for years, but now the grassroots effort to make La Jolla a separate city of its own is gaining traction. Organizers are making the final push to gather the 7,000 signatures necessary to qualify for a feasibility study.
“I'm completely for it, yes, I’ve signed the petition and I’m pushing for everybody to do it,” said La Jolla resident Jessica Vizcaino.
Volunteers with the Association for the City of La Jolla told CBS 8 the main advantages for separating La Jolla from the City of San Diego would be small local governance and having more control over things like infrastructure and services.
“We’ve been out knocking on doors. I’m very confident. I’m really excited about the community rallying about this," said signature gatherer, Mark Munoz. "It’s been talked about for decades, but this is truly a grass-roots effort which has a lot of momentum.”
They need just over 6,800 valid signatures, which is 25% of registered voters in La Jolla. The petition is part of the application package that will be submitted to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) in hopes of initiating a feasibility study.
“Everyone needs to have the facts, and we all want to have the analysis done so we can make an informed decision," said Munoz. "And it has to be a win-win for San Diego and La Jolla.”
If organizers meet the signature threshold by Sunday, December 1, LAFCO will hire an independent consultant to conduct a comprehensive fiscal analysis, and the Association for the City of La Jolla will be on the hook for the bill, which could cost up to $150,000.
Priscilla Mumpower, Assistant Executive Officer for LAFCO, told CBS 8 about the criteria they'll be looking at.
“What is the plan of service? And what is the level of that service and who is going to be providing those services?" explained Mumpower. "We want to have an understanding of the land use, and we want to ensure that there’s revenue neutrality given that the intent isn’t for financial gain.”
The study has to prove it’s a good deal for both San Diego and La Jolla. Then LAFCO would vote on it, potentially sending it to the ballot for voters to decide in a future election.
Volunteer Jill Seagren told CBS 8 if the issue makes the ballot, they’ll have their work cut out for them.
“We’re going to have a lot of education to do to let the citizens of the City of San Diego know that this will be a revenue neutral transaction, that we aren’t here to hurt the city," said Seagren. "We are here to support and make this equitable.”
In addition to the consultant's fees, the Association for the City of La Jolla will also be responsible for submitting an initial deposit of $66,000 to LAFCO to cover their staffing hours.
If you'd like to learn more, volunteers will be at the La Jolla Farmers Market on Sunday, December 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.