Here's the 2009 Economic and Demographic report on the San Fernando Valley, in comparison to the rest of the City of Los Angeles
http://www.csun.edu/sfverc/2009EconSumitReport.pdf
If LA were to split, its not like a whole lot of Angelenos would miss the Valley anyways. I've kind of noticed a subtle elitism from those over the hill about how the Valley really isn't LA anyways. I always retort with "you can enjoy the real taxpaying parts of LA, you know like Watts, Southeast Los Angeles, South LA"
It's pretty annoying being told how the Valley isn't LA (ironically by those who don't even live in the City of LA). So, in some ways, let it happen and see what would happen to the rest of the city.
San Fernando Valley: 1,766,570
City of Los Angeles: 3,806,003
City of LA's San Fernando Valley (without Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, or Calabasas): 1,399,749
City of LA without SFV: 2,406,524
(Page 22 of the report)
Without the SFV, LA would be the 3rd most populated city in the country after New York and Chicago. The San Fernando Valley parts of LA alone would be ranked 7th, after NY, Chicago, LA, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia.
Not bad!
