As L.A. County prepares for the Nov. 5 election, voters are faced with Measure G — a proposal that could fundamentally transform the structure of local governance and its accountability mechanisms.
If passed, Measure G, whose official title on the November ballot is the “Los Angeles County Government Structure, Ethics And Accountability Charter Amendment”, would introduce several key reforms to the L.A. County Charter, according to the board motion.
Notably, it proposes establishing an elected county executive officer, moving away from the current system where supervisors appoint a nonpartisan CEO. Additionally, the measure aims to restructure county districts to support the expansion of the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members, according to the board motion.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors — one of the most influential local governing bodies in the nation — gathers every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown L.A. This five-member board oversees a complex network of 38 departments, collectively serving over 10 million residents, according to the board’s website.
Each supervisor represents approximately two million constituents, playing a vital role in proposing legislative items regarding social services, public health and the overall operation of county government among other things, according to the Board of Supervisors website. Additionally, the board has the authority to pass laws for the county with a majority vote and collectively manage the county budget of around $43 billion, according to the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors.
For the 2023-24 term, the board is composed of: Hilda Solis from the 1st District, Holly Mitchell from the 2nd District, Lindsay Horvath from the 3rd District, Janice Hahn from the 4th District, and Kathryn Barger from the 5th District.
Following L.A. County elections in March, the three supervisors who were up for re-election have won their district by achieving the necessary thresholds articulated by the California Secretary of State. This positions the board to continue their work in addressing the needs and challenges faced by their constituents, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Now the board is grappling with a controversial proposal: Measure G, a proposal aimed at overhauling the governing structure of the County of Los Angeles Charter.
On July 9, Supervisors Horvath and Hahn presented a motion entitled “Increasing Effectiveness, Responsiveness, and Accountability of County Government Through Charter Reform.” The motion directed the County Counsel to draft the necessary documents, including an ordinance, for a proposed Charter amendment that would be placed on the November ballot. The motion passed with a 3-0 vote, with two abstain votes.
On July 23, the County Counsel presented their analysis of the motion in their letter to the board.
On July 30, the second reading of the proposal was approved in a 3-2 vote.
As the election approaches, the implications of Measure G have sparked debate among residents and officials alike regarding its implementation, cost and effectiveness– highlighting the ongoing discussions about governance and accountability in L.A. County.
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Contact Jacqueline Justiss via email: jacqueline.justiss@pepperdine.edu
