By Marlene Hitt

Record Ledger, 11/27/1924: “Fear of Domination by Tujunga Turned Them Against the Plan for Valley-Wide Incorporation.”
The worst of it was that Sunland was to be included in the district plan to incorporate Sunland and Tujunga into one town under the name of Verdugo Hills without the knowledge of the people. This attempt by Los Angeles County and the town of Tujunga shook the people’s sense of security at this seemingly secret government maneuver.
At first, Sunland was pleased until they realized that they would be dictated to by Tujunga. The issues presented themselves to the detriment of Sunland businesses. Citizens were also fearful of the raising of taxes. At that time road tax was 30 cents, the street lighting tax.16 cents, and fire district tax of .50 cents, for a total of 96 cents. Tujunga, then, was a city of the sixth class (size).
Of more importance, new zoning ordinances would prohibit construction or operation of canneries, gravel pits, lumber yards, machine shops, motion picture studios, and other industrial concerns anywhere in the Sunland territory. That would, of course, have eliminate almost all job and business opportunities for residents.
Considered also was the county’s plan to enact a building ordinance, a sanitary district, ($12,500,000 for county sewer bonds), and a fire protection district. Though nothing was presented in legal form and boundary lines had not been set, residents fears were ever escalating..All this would be happening to them without the knowledge or consent of the Sunland citizenry.
Comment: What would we be like if Sunland was still a town by itself without the ordinances and regulations?

Editor’s note: Marlene Hitt is a Director at the Bolton Hall Museum, past Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga and writes for the NVR.