Malibu : Faster Cityhood Appeal

A cityhood group has asked the California Supreme Court to expedite its appeal of a lower court ruling that upheld Los Angeles County’s authority to delay the community’s incorporation until next March.

Cityhood backers appealed to the Supreme Court after a Court of Appeal ruled in the county’s favor in July. However, Jeff Kramer, a lawyer for the Malibu Committee for Incorporation, said the latest request was warranted because of the haste with which the county is seeking to start construction of a $43-million sewer system in Malibu.

Meanwhile, a measure that would nullify the county’s delay of Malibu’s incorporation, which swept through both houses of the state Legislature last week, awaits action by Gov. George Deukmejian. County officials are urging the governor to veto the bill and have indicated that, if he signs it, they still plan to try to stall cityhood long enough to begin work on the sewer.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita), was approved 29 to 0 in the Senate and 71 to 0 in the Assembly. By law, the governor has 12 days from last Friday, when the bill reached his desk, to act on it. Observers have speculated that if there is a veto, it will come next week, after the Legislature has adjourned, to avoid a possible override.