State Government
Just as at the federal level, the state government is comprised of legislative, executive and judicial branches, which are located in Sacramento, the state capitol. California underwent a gubernatorial-recall election in 2003, illustrating the power of our democracy and citizens’ will at the ballot box. Former Gov. Gray Davis, in his second term, was ousted by the electorate and replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger, best known previously as a champion body builder and Hollywood movie star. In addition to the governor, the Santa Clarita Valley is represented by two state senators and two members of the Assembly.

The elected state representatives for the Santa Clarita Valley are:

GOVERNOR

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814 916/445-2841
Los Angeles Office:
300 S. Spring St., Suite 16701
Los Angeles, CA 90013 213/897-0322

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE

Senator George Runner
senator.runner@sen.ca.gov
17th District
State Capitol Room 4066
Sacramento, CA 95814 916/445-6637
Local Office:
Santa Clarita City Hall
23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 250
Santa Clarita, CA 91355 661/286-1471

Senator Tony Strickland
senator.strickland@sen.ca.gov
19th District
State Capitol Room 4062
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/651-4019
District Office:
2655 First St., Suite 230
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805/306-8899

CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY

The California State Assembly has 80 members, each elected to two-year terms. Due to term limits, each member may only serve a lifetime maximum of six years or three terms in the Assembly. Members have both Capitol and district offices. Assembly members are assigned to various committees to review bills according to a particular subject area.

Assembly Member Cameron Smyth
cameron.smyth@assembly.ca.gov
38th District
State Capitol Room 4153
Sacramento, CA 95814 916/319-2038
District Office:
10727 White Oak Ave., Suite 1224
Granada Hills, CA 91344 818/368-3838
Toll-free 800/400-0071

Assembly Member Audra Strickland
audra.strickland@assembly.ca.gov
District 37
State Capitol Room 4208
Sacramento, CA 94249-0037 916/319-2037
District Office
2659 Townsgate Road, #236
Westlake Village, CA 91361 805/230-9167

County Government
At the county level, the Santa Clarita Valley is under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which consists of five elected members. The county government, whose offices are located in the city of Los Angeles, the county seat, operates many programs required by the state and federal governments and some municipal services in the unincorporated areas, or those areas not within or governed by incorporated cities – in our case, the City of Santa Clarita

LOS ANGELES COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich
fifthdistrict@bos.co.la.ca.us
869 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012 213/974-5555
Local Offices: (For City of Santa Clarita)
21949 Plummer Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311 818/993-5170
(Unincorporated Santa Clarita Valley, areas outside city)
23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 265
Santa Clarita, CA 91355 287-3657

City Government
The City of Santa Clarita’s government is composed of the City Council and an appointed mayor from among its ranks. The city manager handles the day-to-day operations of the city. The Parks and Recreation Commission and the Planning Commission are composed of members appointed by members of the City Council. The City Council usually meets every month on the second and fourth Tuesday, although this is always subject to change. Meetings begin at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located on the first floor of City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard. Agendas are available 72 hours in advance. They can be accessed via the city’s Web site, www.santa-clarita.com. For updates call the city clerk’s office at 255-4391. For general information, call the city at 259-CITY.

The next Santa Clarita City Council election will likely occur in April 2010.

Unincorporated portions of the valley – in this case, all areas outside the City of Santa Clarita – fall under county jurisdiction and are governed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Many of the communities in unincorporated areas, such as Castaic and Stevenson Ranch, have their own town councils that act as pseudo-representative bodies for their communities and report to Supervisor Antonovich with their recommendations on issues that affect their communities.

City of Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita City Hall
23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 300
Santa Clarita, California 91355
259-2489 (259-CITY)

City Manager Ken Pulskamp
kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com
255-4900

City Attorney
255-4900

Communications Manager Gail Ortiz
255-4314

City Clerk
255-4391

Public Works Department
255-4942

Office of Economic Development
255-4347

Human Resources
284-1424

City Council
Messages for all council members: 255-4395. Office hours: appointments are a half-hour long and run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month. For an appointment call 255-4395.

Mayor Frank Ferry
(Re-elected in 2006)
fferry@santa-clarita.com 255-4309

Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste
(Re-elected in 2006)
lweste@santa-clarita.com 255-4312

Council Member Laurie Ender
(First elected in 2008)
lender@santa-clarita.com 255-4313

Council Member Marsha McLean
(Elected in 2006)
mmclean@santa-clarita.com 255-4311

Council Member Bob Kellar
(Re-elected in 2008)
bkellar@santa-clarita.com 255-4310

Planning Commission
255-4330

Bill Kennedy, Chair
Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Gruber Systems
(Term expires July 2012)

Diane Trautman, Vice Chair
(Term expires July 2010)

Tim Burkhart, Commissioner
Director of Park Operations, Maintenance and Construction, Six Flags Magic Mountain (Term expires July 2010)

Dee Dee Jacobson
(Term expires July 2012)

Dr. Dennis Ostrom, Commissioner
Earthquake Risk Consultant
(Term expires July 2010)

Parks & Recreation Commission
255-4945

LEdward Redd, Chair
Facilities Manager
(Term expires July 2010)

Ruthann Levison, Vice Chair
(Term expires July 2010)

Janell Cornel, Commissioner
(Term expires July 2010)

Matt Halliday, Commissioner
(Term expires July 2012)

Duane Harte, Commissioner
Business Owner
(Term expires July 2012)

So, You Want to Run for Public Office?
To become a candidate for city office, you must first be a registered voter and reside within city limits at the time nomination forms are issued to you. If elected, you must continue to live in the city during your term. All required forms and guidelines to run for office are available in the City Clerk’s Office. Candidates must file all required documents with the City Clerk’s Office by the specified deadline. If any incumbent does not file by this deadline, the deadline is extended for candidates other than an incumbent. The required forms are available in the City Clerk’s Office or online from the California secretary of state’s at www.ss.ca.gov. Municipal code restricts campaign contributions. The current limit is $360 per election contest, and contributions of $100 or more must be itemized.

Any person who is 18 years of age or older and a citizen of the United States or a naturalized citizen can register to vote by filling out an Affidavit of Registration. You need to re-register if you have moved, changed your name or wish to change your political party affiliation. You must register at least 15 days before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. Registration forms are available in the City Clerk’s Office and at most libraries. Check the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Web site at www.lavote.net for more information.

Voter Registration
California residents who are 18 years or older can register to vote. You can pick up registration forms at City Hall at 23920 Valencia Blvd., libraries and the registrar of voters office. You must be registered 29 days before an election in order to vote. For more information, call the City of Santa Clarita at 259-CITY. You can find a downloadable voter-registration form, candidates’ statements and precinct maps on the Internet at www.lavote.net.

Taxes
Taxes in Los Angeles County follow the California system. The state sales tax rate for Los Angeles County has fluctuated in recent years, rising to 9.75 percent in 2009. Personal income tax is based on earnings, and unemployment insurance is currently at 5.4 percent. Residents must pay taxes on real estate, car licenses, cigarettes, wine and liquor, inheritance and hotel beds.

You will be taxed on any property you own based on its appraised value. The average property tax rate in California is 1.25 percent. You may qualify for exemptions if you are 65 or older, or a disabled veteran.

Property tax questions may be directed to the local office of the L.A. County Assessor’s Office at 254-9550.

Public Safety
Santa Clarita is one of the nation’s safest cities. The city has consistently ranked among the safest U.S. cities with populations of 100,000 or more. The city also consistently ranks as either the safest or one of the safest cities in all of Los Angeles County, according to the FBI. Recent FBI statistics put Santa Clarita as the fifth-safest city among cities in California of at least 100,000 in population. Even more impressive is this fact: Based on cities with a population of at least 150,000 people, Santa Clarita is the safest in both California and the country. The city has maintained an outstanding safety record since its inception. Law enforcement officials attribute the low crime rate in large part to community pride, commitment and awareness.

SCV Sheriff’s Station
23740 Magic Mountain Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355 255-1121
Captain Patti A. Minutello

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the provider of law-enforcement services in the Santa Clarita Valley. It covers the unincorporated areas and is under contract with the City of Santa Clarita to provide such services within city boundaries. It is, in effect, the city’s police department. In recent years the department has added motorcycle deputies to patrol city streets.

The main sheriff’s station, located in the county government complex at Valencia Boulevard and Magic Mountain Parkway, is expected to undergo a major expansion in the near future. Both the city and county have established a developer fee system to help pay for the expansion, which is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $20 million. The station would roughly double in size.

The Sheriff’s Department maintains a number of programs to assist with public safety: Community Interaction Teams, Anti-Gang Task Force, Pride Committee, Teen Court, the Sheriffs Advisory Committee, Safe House Program, the SANE program, bike patrols and “Heroes of the Week.”

The SCV Sheriff’s Station has added online requests for traffic enforcement and reporting abandoned vehicles. Click the appropriate button on the station’s Web site, www.scvsheriff.com.The SCV Sheriff’s Station has added online requests for traffic enforcement and reporting abandoned vehicles. Click the appropriate button on the station’s Web site, scvsheriff.com.

Sheriff’s Programs
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit offers various programs in its effort to improve safety and security in the valley. Some of them are:

Neighborhood Watch — The purpose of this program is for neighbors to network with each other to maintain a thorough awareness of activity in their neighborhoods, decreasing the likelihood of a crime occurring undetected. With the assistance of a crime prevention deputy, residents learn how to protect themselves from burglary, assault, theft and vandalism.

Safe House — The Safe House program is designed for residents who are at home during school travel hours to act as safe havens for children who need help on the way to or from school. Volunteers offer their homes as safe houses for our children. To participate, contact the Crime Prevention Office at 255-1121.

Business Watch — Similar to Neighborhood Watch, this program helps protect local businesses from thefts and burglaries, and teach employees about shoplifting prevention, credit card fraud and robbery prevention. Security reviews are also conducted of business premises.

Street Safety — This program provides safety tips for people who are driving or walking from one place to another. Information is provided on how to decrease the likelihood for becoming a street crime victim.

Teen Court — This program is an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system. Suspected juvenile offenders are tried, acquitted or convicted and sentenced by a jury of their peers from local high schools. The intent of the program is to use positive peer pressure to foster law-abiding behavior. Thus far, the recidivism rate is less than 1 percent.

Community Advisory Committee — This committee, composed of Santa Clarita Valley residents and business people, was formed to develop a better understanding between the community and the Sheriff’s Department via education and communication. Members advise the station captain about community concerns and potential ways the Sheriff’s Department can participate. The committee also takes on projects such as crime-prevention programs, parental responsibility ordinances, Neighborhood Watch and Safe House recruitment. The committee is involved with special programs such as procuring new equipment for patrol vehicles and acting as a liaison between sheriff’s deputies and the community.

Community Academy — This program is open to all residents or business people living or working within the Santa Clarita Valley. It is offered to foster a better understanding between the community and the deputies who serve them. Attendees have the opportunity to learn more about the Sheriff’s Department via classroom instruction, field trips and activities, and expert guest lecturers. Some of the topics include criminal and traffic law, department policies and patrol procedures, tours of department facilities, firearms safety and training, and current events/incidents involving law enforcement. The class is free to those who attend and is offered several times throughout the year. For more information call 799-5158.

Vacation Security — Contact the SCV Sheriff’s Station (255-1121) prior to leaving home when vacationing, and station personnel will check your home during your absence. It’s one way that sheriff’s deputies can provide peace of mind so you can enjoy your vacation.

Ride-Alongs — This provides an opportunity to go on patrol with Santa Clarita’s sheriff’s deputies. Participants become familiar with the patrol car and procedures, and get a first-hand look at a sheriff’s deputy’s workday on the streets of Santa Clarita.

Sheriff’s Station Tour — Tours of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station are available to all civic groups, clubs and organizations, and groups of children. Tours include an overview of station operations, the 911 emergency system, the station’s roof-top helicopter and landing pad, patrol cars and the station’s holding cell and jail area.

Haunted Jailhouse & Open House — This annual event is held at the end of October in conjunction with Halloween. The station’s jail is transformed into a haunted house, and the parking lot is the site of displays and carnival-type games that benefit local charitable organizations.

COBRA — COBRA, an acronym for the Career Offenders Burglary Robbery Apprehension team, helps the station’s Detective Bureau tracking down and arrest known criminals who continue their illegal activity. COBRA is also heavily involved with anti-gang education in the valley’s schools and helps suppress local gang activity. COBRA deputies conduct follow-up investigations on crimes occurring in the valley and routinely organize special operations – bicycle patrols, surveillance, curfew violation patrols and truancy sweeps – in their on-going efforts to prevent crimes.

For more information about these and other programs, contact the SCV Sheriff’s Station’s Crime Prevention Office at 255-1121.

California Highway Patrol
28648 The Old Road
Valencia, CA 91355 294-5540
The California Highway Patrol also patrols the valley, but most of its efforts are concentrated on the area’s highways and freeways.

Fire Protection
Los Angeles County Fire Department
259-2111 (business line; non-emergency calls)
Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman

Los Angeles County Fire Department stations are located throughout Santa Clarita Valley – within close proximity to every home and business facility. This world-class firefighting department contracts its services to 57 cities. It boasts 163 engine companies, 31 truck companies, 79 paramedic units and numerous other pieces of specialized apparatus. The department is credited with the creation of the nation’s second Fire Fighter Paramedic Program and the nation’s first 911 Emergency Calling System. Throughout its history, the department has emerged as a leader in fire service on local, regional and national levels, growing to become the nation’s second-largest fire protection agency. Operating nine divisions, 20 battalions, 157 fire stations and 11 fire-suppression camps, the department answers responds to more than 234,000 emergency calls annually. Additionally, the department has Lifeguard, Forestry and Health Hazardous Materials divisions that provide services to the more than 3.5 million people who reside in the 1.1 million housing units located throughout its 2,278-square-mile area of responsibility.

California Department of Forestry
The California Department of Forestry responds to fires in forest areas, and can call in borate helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to combat fires locally if they are needed. If local fire stations need help, additional firefighting equipment can be called in from the Antelope Valley, Ventura and outlying areas.

Other Emergency Services
American Red Cross
Santa Clarita Valley District
23152 Valencia Boulevard
Valencia, CA 91355 259-1805
The Red Cross offers disaster relief assistance and disaster preparedness training and information; training in first aid, CPR, water safety and sport safety; and international inquiry and tracing services.

Disaster Preparedness

Emergency Notification
The City of Santa Clarita recently implemented an automatic emergency notification system that will send telephone notifications to homes and businesses that could be impacted by an emergency or disaster. This system will be used by emergency response personnel to notify those homes and businesses at potential risk with information on the event and/or actions (such as evacuation) that the city and public safety officials are asking them to take.

The system utilizes the region’s 911 database, provided by the local telephone companies, and is able to contact land-line telephones whether listed or unlisted. It is TTY/TDD capable. If the call is picked up by an answering machine, the system will leave a voice message. If the telephone called is busy or does not answer, the system will redial that number up to three times in an attempt to deliver the message.

The system can also notify those with cellular service or Internet-based telephone service, as well as send emergency notifications to email addresses. Cellular and Internet-based phone numbers and email addresses must first be registered with the city. Online registration is available on the city’s Web site, www.santa-clarita.com.

Fire Prevention
Fire is a deadly threat to any household. It can strike anywhere, at any time. The frightening truth is that residential fires are now occurring at an estimated rate of 2.6 million per year in the U.S. You must be prepared, and you need a warning and a weapon for total fire protection. Smoke detectors provide that warning. They are the easiest, most cost-efficient way to alert your family of a developing fire. The more smoke detectors you have installed in your home, the more your chances increase that you will survive the fire.

Installing and maintaining smoke detectors dramatically increase your family’s chances of surviving a fire.

For more information on smoke detectors and general fire safety, call the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Community Relations Division at 323/881-2411.

Earthquake Preparedness
Planning for an earthquake is always a smart move in quake-prone Southern California. Doing so will help you and your family cope with and survive such an emergency.

Before the Earthquake Strikes develop earthquake-specific planning for your home to ensure your family’s best chances of surviving a major earthquake.

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit

Earthquake-specific supplies should include the following:
• A flashlight and sturdy shoes by each person’s bedside
• Portable radio – Look for models that that have a hand-crank generator and solar power
• Extra batteries
• First-aid kit and handbook
• Fire extinguisher (check with your local fire department)
• Tools
• Drinking water – three gallons per person
• Food – Non-perishable and that don’t require water for preparation
• Cooking source: charcoal, fuel, matches
• Manual can opener
• Chlorine bleach or purification tables
• Sanitation supplies
• Cash
• Blankets
• Extra clothing – Suitable for any season
• Gloves – Regular and rubber
• Extra-sturdy shoes for all members of the family
• Extra prescriptions and medication (check with your doctor or pharmacy)
• Extra glasses and contact lens
• Supplies for your pets

PRESIDENT

Barack H. Obama
president@whitehouse.gov
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500 202/456-1111

UNITED STATES SENATE

Senator Barbara Boxer
Senator@Boxer.senate.gov
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202/244-3553
Local Office:
312 N. Spring St., Suite 1748
Los Angeles, CA 90012 213/894-5000

Senator Dianne Feinstein
senator@feinstein.senate.gov
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 202/224-3841
Local Office:
11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 915
Los Angeles, CA 90025 310/914-7300

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon
tellbuck@mail.house.gov
2242 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515 202/225-1956
Local Office:
26650 The Old Road, Suite 203
Santa Clarita, CA 91381
661/254-2111 or 818/885-1032