Los Angeles County voters will have the final say Tuesday on a proposed charter amendment that would overhaul the county’s governance structure.
Measure G would accomplish this, in part, by expanding the size of the Board of Supervisors and making county CEO an elected position.
If approved by voters, Measure G would expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members after the 2030 census, and the county CEO would be elected by 2028. The measure also creates the positions of county legislative analyst and budget director. management.
The proposal also includes establishing an ethics committee and compliance officer by 2026. The Board of Supervisors has already begun the process of creating an ethics committee, and Supervisor Kathryn Berger said the move does not require voter approval. However, if approved by a vote, its existence will be codified into the charter, with the establishment of a compliance officer, and it will be protected from dissolution without another referendum in the future.
The bill also includes a series of other provisions, including establishing a commission to review county charters every 10 years. Require all county departments to present annual budgets during the period.
Public meeting. Requires that all Board of Supervisors agenda items be posted at least 120 hours prior to the regular meeting. Authorizes the suspension of elected officials charged with felonies related to violations of official duties. Establish a special committee to oversee the implementation of the changes. and require changes to be made at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The charter change was supported by Supervisors Lindsay Horvath and Janice Hahn, as well as by Supervisor Hilda Solis.
Stephanie Perry, NBC News exit poll manager, explains the entire process behind the polls, which are conducted after voters cast their votes.
Horvath and Hahn have argued that the current county charter was adopted in 1912, when the county had a population of about 500,000, and has argued for the need to make changes. However, the county currently has 10 million residents and includes 88 incorporated cities within its boundaries.
There are currently five board members representing the county’s 10 million residents.
However, there was disagreement within the board regarding this proposal. Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Berger both voted against putting the package on the ballot. They suggested the changes were being rushed and questioned whether the expanded board’s number of nine members was appropriate.
They also objected to the concept of electing a CEO, saying during the voting debate for the measure that he would serve without term limits with the power to manage the county’s vast budget and lack accountability. , said it would weaken the authority of the supervisory board. Ability to hold budget and department heads accountable.
Opponents also question the idea that the changes can be implemented without new costs to taxpayers, given the creation of new elected positions and county offices.
Source link
