Fresh off a commitment to spend $25,000 to study annexation options for the western portions of Santa Clarita, the city on Thursday sent warm Valentine’s Day wishes to community residents, business owners, and even annexation opponents on the west side. The heart-warming, feel good campaign, dubbed SCV4EVA, included sky-writings, candy hearts, and a mass-mailed Valentine’s day card to the thousands of residents of Stevenson Ranch, West Ridge, and Castaic.
“With all the back and forth between this side o’ the 5 and that side, we just wanted to take advantage of the holiday and send our love to those unincorporated communities,” said Councilmember Marsha McLean in an exclusive SCVTalk.com interview.
“We here at the city tend to get all hung up in bureaucrat-speak like ‘revenue neutrality’, so it’s important that we remind the west side that they are never far from our heart,” she said.
At around noon on Valentine’s Day, a city-chartered sky writer flew his airplane above the Valencia Marketplace. The warm February weather and lack of winds helped the sky writer compose the words, “WILL U BE MINE?” above the parking lot at Wal Mart.
“My husband is so sweet,” said one shopper.
When told that the sky writer was actually writing a message on behalf of the City of Santa Clarita, the Stevenson Ranch woman asked, “Who?”
West side residents also received a surprise Valentine’s day card from the City in their mailboxes. The bright red cards featured a smiling photo of the City Council outlined in the shape of a heart below words that said, “To my sweetheart. We Luv you. You complete me.”
Reaction to the well-orchestrated campaign from west side business leaders was mixed. Del Holland, Vice President and General Manager of Six Flags Magic Mountain, said, “Shucks, it was just so nice of them. I haven’t gotten such a nice Valentine in years. I’m flattered they went to the trouble for little old me.” Holland then shuffled his feet and blushed.
Max Powers, star realtor and owner of Max Powers Realty, based in Stevenson Ranch, said he was impressed by the unprecedented charm offensive. “I took one look at that box of candy hearts that said, “LET’S MAKE IT LAST!” and just melted. Yeah baby, let’s make it last!” Powers said, while buffing his Hummer H2.
Across town, Marlee Laufer, spokeswoman for Newhall Land and Farming, one of the major development agencies on the west side, admitted that she was tempted by the amorous greetings from the City, but said that the County has been good to her and the Valencia based firm.
“For years, our relationship with the County has been solid, mutual, and loving. Just because the city is now a big-spender doesn’t mean we’ll run to their arms.”
Likewise, popular west side blogger and West Ranch Town Council President Dave Bossert was not impressed: “This is obviously a cheap ploy by Ken Pulskamp to charm our residents and businesses into lowering their defenses.” Bossert then ate one of the candy hearts inscribed with “WE LUV OVOV.”
Bossert and the Town Council have been instrumental in securing their own $25,000 to study whether the west side has the economic might to become a city of its own, a prospect city officials describe as “kind of harsh.” A spokesman from Supervisor Antonovich’s office would not return a call from SCVTalk, but an insider says that the 5th District Supervisor was “jealous” upon hearing of the city’s Valentine’s Day offensive.
The city’s Valentine’s Day campaign to woo west side residents came as a surprise to many in the SCV media. The campaign was apparently discussed behind closed doors before Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Developing….