Steven W. Lew

Steven W. Lew, vice president of Universal Studios, is the new chairman of the influential Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. While he assumes his position at a time of renewed economic growth, his organization also will have to deal with the thorny issues of secession, charter reform and myriad local issues including education and transportation reforms.

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Question: One of the major issues of your administration will be the so-called San Fernando Valley secession movement. What is VICA’s position and what is the organization doing about the issue?

Answer: We have not taken a position on the word “secession.” We believe that there is significant information that needs to be discovered and communicated to the residents of the San Fernando Valley, and to the residents of any area within the city of Los Angeles who are thinking about the right of self-determination.

Q: What kind of significant information?

A: The economic impact. The law as written calls for a revenue neutral situation for areas affected by secession. There is, in my opinion, and I believe in VICA’s opinion, no information out there today that would give one any knowledge as to whether it makes economic sense for the Valley or any other area of Los Angeles to take those next steps. And until that information is known, there is nothing to evaluate.

Q: What about the effort that’s underway to separate the Valley from the Los Angeles Unified School District?

A: We’re looking at it very closely. In fact, at our executive committee meeting we took a position supporting that there be standards the LAUSD and their students must adhere to. VICA is very interested in following the whole LAUSD issue, and at some point we will take a position on the breakup, I would imagine, but we have not done so yet.

Q: Besides secession and education, what other issues is VICA involved with this year?

A: One, of course, is transportation. And charter reform is something we’re working hard on as an organization.

Q: What about transportation? Do you believe the subway plan is dead? And what do you see as a solution to the area’s growing transportation needs?

A: VICA has come out with a position that supports an expanded bus transportation system in the San Fernando Valley. We recognize the financial conditions as reported of the MTA and recognize difficulties in getting funding in the years ahead to complete a rail system. We are not giving up the hope that someday there will be money available for additional rail, not only in the Valley, but also in the Los Angeles region. However, recognizing the shortfalls today, and looking ahead realistically, we have endorsed and we support a multitiered bus system in the San Fernando Valley.

Q: Do you support establishing the Valley’s own regional transit agency, which has been suggested

A: VICA supports investigating the feasibility of a Valley transit authority. We realize though that it cannot happen without legislative change. And we also know we need to walk before we run. So, we are looking forward to working with the MTA and our elected officials on the issue.

Q: Is there some urgency involved?

A: Yes, there is, on several fronts, one being the residents of the Valley and the need for better transportation. Secondly, we need to work together to send messages to our local and state and federal elected officials that we are accepting reality and need to move forward financially in a sensible manner, as opposed to continuing to insist or support a steel wheel system that isn’t going to come out right. VICA’s position on transportation leaves all options open for the future, including the use of the Burbank / Chandler corridor and light rail or heavy rail. But at this time, we want to move forward on rubber wheels.

Q: What about charter reform?

A: We are totally behind the need for charter reform, and we have a committee that is very active in working with the two reform commissions, and helping them shape the future. We have joined with the L.A. Chamber, the Hollywood Chamber and a couple other organizations to come up with guiding principles of charter reform because this is an issue that involves the whole city. We believe that if charter reform is done correctly and implemented by the voters correctly, it may reduce the hue and cry from some in the Valley and other areas to secede from the city of Los Angeles.

Q: The whole business about secession, and to some extent charter reform, was born out of the allegations that the city does not provide the services to the San Fernando Valley that it should. Do you agree with that premise?

A: We have had presentations from the mayor’s office, and from the city budget office, that city services, as opposed to the revenues the city gets from the Valley, have not been consistent or parallel. And so there are areas of service that need to be improved. The city is working very hard to reduce those gaps. VICA understands that depending on which part of the city of Los Angeles we’re talking about, not everything may be able to be equal. There may be more libraries in the Valley, and less or more of something else in another part of Los Angeles. But on balance, we in the Valley and VICA are striving for a new city charter that provides services comparable to the revenues throughout the city.

Q: The Valley economy seems to be undergoing a renaissance, with the entertainment industry leading the way. But there have been some concerns expressed that the area needs to diversify its economic base. Aerospace once dominated the Valley and when it fell on hard times, the local economy suffered greatly. Could that happen again if entertainment should falter?

A: We already have a diversified economy in the San Fernando Valley, and in fact through the Los Angeles region. Entertainment has certainly been the shining star in the recent years, not only for the Valley but also for Los Angeles city, county and the Southern California region. But we can’t forget tourism. Tourism is a major economic engine and always has been in Southern California. It can and will continue to grow. In addition, the Valley has a significant health-care industry. We have a significant biotech industry. We have a significant defense industry. It isn’t gone, it’s coming back. We’re not at the levels that we were before, but certainly the defense and the aircraft industries are very important in the Valley. So the Valley already has a well diversified base of industrial components. It’s just that the entertainment industry has gotten a lot of ink over the last few years.

Q: Is VICA doing anything to reach out to the growing number of minority business people in the San Fernando Valley?

A: Yes. In fact, one of the new officers at VICA is an African American. VICA is not a Chamber of Commerce, however. We are a business organization, we’re an advocacy organization. Many of the businesses who consider membership in VICA do so thinking it’s more of a chamber. And as we talk to these businesses and explain that, yes, you have the opportunity to network and meet new business acquaintances and associates, our primary job is not to throw events and to exchange business cards and do mixers. Therefore, some of the potential members that we might attract may choose to place their membership with the chamber. What VICA can do, not only for what are considered minority firms, but for all businesses is act as an advocate. Since the majority of businesses in the Valley are smaller, those businesses may have difficulties in hiring a lobbyist or doing their own advocacy. That’s what VICA’s there to do.

Q: In what direction do you see VICA heading?

A: What is important as we move on toward the new millennium is to work closely with other groups and associations within the Greater Los Angeles region. VICA, over the years, has expanded from primarily a Valley organization to one that’s far more regional. We believe that our reach has expanded to outside of what is normally defined as San Fernando Valley, to Glendale, Burbank. We get involved with some downtown issues from time to time. We’re very active in City Hall and the County Hall of Administration, active in Sacramento, working with our legislators. We work closely with our representatives in Washington, D.C. We want to reach out and work closer with organizations such as the L.A. Chamber, the Central City Assn., the Hollywood Chamber. . . . We all have subjects that are of mutual importance and there are many times that we must join forces and work together to come up with a common agenda.