Topline:
A group of more than two dozen mayors and city council members from around Los Angeles County Thursday announced their support of Measure G, which would nearly double the size of the county Board of Supervisors from five to nine and create a new county executive position that would be elected, akin to a city mayor.
Better representation: The local officials said a bigger board means better representation at the county level.
“As a city that is very, very far from the center of the action, we struggle to get representation,” said Agoura Hills City Councilmember Debra Klein-Lopez. “It's hard for supervisors to come all the way out to see us.”
She added creating a countywide mayor position would create a good check and balance to the Board of Supervisors.
Diversity: Lynwood City Councilmember Juan Muñoz-Guevara said he supported a bigger board because it might open the way for more Latinos and people of color to sit on the board.
“The opportunity to just have more diverse folks potentially serving on this newly expanded board is of course a great benefit.” he said. Right now, there is one Latina, one Black person, and three white people who sit on the powerful board.
Opposition: Various groups oppose Measure G, including the labor unions that represent county firefighters and sheriff’s deputies as well as the LA Alliance for a New Economy, or LAANE.
“It would create a new, elected CEO position, someone who would have to run an expensive race to represent all 10 million County residents,” LANE states on its website. “This change centralizes authority in a position with no term limits.”
Costs: Measure G states adding five new elected positions in county government would be cost neutral and that money for the positions would come from the county’s existing $47 billion budget. Opponents argue it's impossible to create the new positions without there being some cost.
Mayors: Mayors supporting Measure G include those in Cudahy, Downey, Monterey Park, West Hollywood, Artesia, Baldwin Park, West Covina, and La Puente.