La Jolla's quest to be a city independent of San Diego is moving forward following the submission of thousands of signatures to begin the formal process for secession.听
The movement for La Jolla's independence has been a long-standing goal for the ACLJ, which was established in September 2021. Their vision, as per their mission statement, includes enhancing local governance to better address infrastructure needs, public safety, and community-specific projects. The ACLJ has already raised $66,000 to support their application, demonstrating significant community backing.听
Supporters of La Jolla's independence believe that becoming a separate city would allow for better allocation of funds, particularly for听improving the community听which they feel are currently neglected by San Diego. They argue that despite La Jolla being a听major tourist attraction, it doesn't reflect the standard of a听world-class city听due to these issues.
The process of seceding is complex and has historical precedents; in California, only听Coronado听has successfully detached from another city, back in the 1800s, highlighting the difficulty of the task. However, the effort has gone further than previous attempts in recent decades.
For the La Jolla's proposal to advance, LAFCO needs to verify that at least 6,800 of these signatures are from legitimate La Jolla voters, a process that involves contracting with the County Registrar of Voters. This verification can be fraught with challenges, as evidenced by recent legal disputes over signature validation for other local initiatives, where even minor errors in addresses could disqualify signatures.
Should the ACLJ fall short of the required number, they have a 15-day window to collect additional signatures. If they succeed, the path to cityhood becomes more intricate. LAFCO would then hire a consultant, at the expense of La Jolla residents, to perform a detailed fiscal analysis. This study would evaluate potential revenue sources, service costs, and financial obligations to San Diego, akin to a 'divorce settlement' between the two entities.
Negotiations would follow, focusing on financial arrangements and service provisions, culminating in a vote by the LAFCO board. If this stage is cleared, La Jolla residents would vote on their independence, followed by a citywide vote in San Diego, including La Jolla. Despite the momentum, the timeline suggests that this process is unlikely to reach the ballot before 2026.
From San Diego's perspective, the secession could be financially advantageous, relieving the city of La Jolla's maintenance costs while potentially establishing a new revenue stream through service contracts. However, the proposed boundaries for the new city notably exclude UC San Diego, a decision that has sparked debate. Trace Wilson, president of ACLJ, argues for this exclusion due to the transient nature of the university's population, aiming to focus on the interests of the local, permanent community.
Wilson believes independence could foster a stronger relationship between La Jolla and UCSD, allowing for more tailored governance that could benefit both. He envisions La Jolla as a self-governing entity making decisions that enhance its connection with the university, particularly in addressing housing needs for students in a more flexible manner than current San Diego regulations allow.
The process of seceding is complex and has historical precedents; in California, only听Coronado听has successfully detached from another city, back in the 1800s, highlighting the difficulty of the task. However, the effort has gone further than previous attempts in recent decades.
For the La Jolla's proposal to advance, LAFCO needs to verify that at least 6,800 of these signatures are from legitimate La Jolla voters, a process that involves contracting with the County Registrar of Voters. This verification can be fraught with challenges, as evidenced by recent legal disputes over signature validation for other local initiatives, where even minor errors in addresses could disqualify signatures.
Should the ACLJ fall short of the required number, they have a 15-day window to collect additional signatures. If they succeed, the path to cityhood becomes more intricate. LAFCO would then hire a consultant, at the expense of La Jolla residents, to perform a detailed fiscal analysis. This study would evaluate potential revenue sources, service costs, and financial obligations to San Diego, akin to a 'divorce settlement' between the two entities.
Negotiations would follow, focusing on financial arrangements and service provisions, culminating in a vote by the LAFCO board. If this stage is cleared, La Jolla residents would vote on their independence, followed by a citywide vote in San Diego, including La Jolla. Despite the momentum, the timeline suggests that this process is unlikely to reach the ballot before 2026.
From San Diego's perspective, the secession could be financially advantageous, relieving the city of La Jolla's maintenance costs while potentially establishing a new revenue stream through service contracts. However, the proposed boundaries for the new city notably exclude UC San Diego, a decision that has sparked debate. Trace Wilson, president of ACLJ, argues for this exclusion due to the transient nature of the university's population, aiming to focus on the interests of the local, permanent community.
Wilson believes independence could foster a stronger relationship between La Jolla and UCSD, allowing for more tailored governance that could benefit both. He envisions La Jolla as a self-governing entity making decisions that enhance its connection with the university, particularly in addressing housing needs for students in a more flexible manner than current San Diego regulations allow.
There's a concern that La Jolla's independence might leave a听financial gap听in San Diego's budget, requiring听La Jolla to compensate San Diego听to maintain听financial balance. Some residents worry that La Jolla becoming its own city could change the feel of visiting the area, as it would no longer be part of San Diego in the same way.
Originally published on February 5, 2025.听
