It’s less than a week until election day, when voters in Los Angeles County will decide on a measure that will have an even more direct impact on their daily lives than who wins the presidency.
We’re talking about Measure G, which would radically transform how the nation’s most populous county is governed. The proposal would expand the Board of Supervisors from five members to nine, make the county CEO an elected position, and implement other reforms to increase transparency and accountability.
Earlier this month, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath told KNX News’ Countdown 2024 that Measure G would create desperately needed checks and balances and bring government “closer to the people,” all without raising taxes.
But Supervisor Kathryn Barger told Countdown 2024 she’s “very disappointed” in how the ballot measure has shaken out.
Listen here:
“This is a measure that's supposed to be about transparency and actually accountability, and it was done in secret with no transparency, but more importantly with no input by stakeholders or even the public,” she said.
Barger alleges that Supervisor Holly Mitchell and another unnamed supervisor crafted the proposal behind closed doors without consulting her about the details, particularly the idea of an elected county CEO.
Rather than offering checks and balances on the Board of Supervisors’ power, Barger fears that a CEO with an eye on reelection would give priority to wealthier and more populous areas and neglect communities like the Antelope Valley where there are fewer votes and donor dollars at stake.
“I truly do believe that this elected CEO is going to politicize the county in a way that no one's ever seen, and it's going to actually marginalize disenfranchised communities, especially unincorporated areas,” she said.
Barger also expressed qualms about the potential costs of implementing Measure G, which she says were initially underestimated.
“The estimate right now is it's $8 million in one-time startup funds to pass Measure G and implement it,” she said. “We just found out the ethics commission is going to cost about $21 million, and that's ongoing … And that's not including the CEO and the staff needed for this elected CEO who, oh, by the way, has full veto power, no term limits.”
Listen to the full interview above to hear Barger talk about some of the other propositions on the ballot, and catch new episodes of Countdown 2024 live at 2:30 p.m. every weekday through Election Day.
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