LA COUNTY GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS REFORMS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE
Charter amendments will increase representation, create distinct executive and legislative branches, and advance an Independent Ethics Commission
Los Angeles, CA — At today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board approved the next step in bringing Los Angeles County governance and ethics reforms to a vote of the people this November. The Supervisors approved an ordinance amending the County Charter on first reading. If approved on second reading next Tuesday, July 30, voters will decide on the most comprehensive governance and ethics reforms for Los Angeles County in 100 years. The charter amendments create an elected County Executive; expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine; and establish common-sense ethics reforms. The proposal was introduced by Chair Lindsey P. Horvath and Supervisor Janice Hahn.
“The time for change is now, and it is time to put this decision in the hands of the voters. Only they hold the power to answer whether they want a Los Angeles County government that adapts to keep up with the times, or a government from 1912 when there were more cows than people,” said Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “They hold the power to reshape how the County serves our most vulnerable and our unincorporated communities, as well as how the County delivers the services on which so many of our communities rely. A more representative, responsive, and accountable Los Angeles County government is possible. With the adoption of the governance reform ordinance changes proposed today, voters are one step closer to the most meaningful structural reform LA County has seen in more than 100 years.”
“Since we unveiled this reform package, I have heard an overwhelming amount of support from people for this effort – whether that is my neighbors, constituents I meet at events, or people I run into at the supermarket,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “People are hungry for change, and they see how these reforms will make LA County government more representative, accessible, transparent, and responsive to their needs and concerns. These are big changes for the County, but they are not radical, and people I talk to are telling me they are long-overdue.”
The Los Angeles County Charter has not changed since it was adopted in 1912 when the population was 500,000, and segregation was the law of the land and women didn’t have the right to vote. If approved on second reading next week, and approved by voters this November, the charter amendments would kick off a public process led by the Governance Reform Task Force to implement governance and ethics reforms.
The charter amendments would create distinct executive and legislative branches of the government through a directly elected County Executive. The elected County Executive would function much like a Mayor, Governor, or President with the Board of Supervisors serving as the legislative branch like a City Council, State Legislature, or Congress.
The charter amendments would also expand the Board from five to nine to increase representation and create opportunities for a Board that better reflects the diversity of Los Angeles County. A Board of nine Supervisors has been studied for decades. It is a measured approach to bring the public closer to their elected representatives by cutting districts nearly in half.
“Following the now infamous leaked tapes scandal at City Hall, my colleagues and I set to work to truly curb the power of city councilmembers so as to best represent the interests of constituents, not themselves,” said LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman. “Seeing the County follow suit — and go even further than the City has — should give hope to Angelenos everywhere that their voices are being heard loud and clear. I applaud Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn for leading the way toward a more representative Los Angeles.”
“The creation of an elected County Executive and a modest but meaningful expansion of the Board of Supervisors would be the most transformative improvement in county governance in more than a century,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, former Supervisor for the Third District. “If it was its own state, Los Angeles County would be one of the most populous states in the union. It would be unthinkable for Michigan, Ohio, or North Carolina to rid themselves of their Governors and replace them with a five-member board. When five people are in charge, no one is in charge, and this has been the primary weakness of county governance since World War II. The more than 10 million people of our county deserve to have one elected official accountable to all of its residents from Lancaster to Long Beach and from Claremont to Calabasas.”
“This is an opportunity to create a more representative and effective Los Angeles County government – an endeavor attempted multiple times before,” said Herbert K. Hatanaka, Executive Director, Special Services for Groups, Inc. “It’s rare for a government as large and complex as the County to recognize the need for reform. I applaud Supervisors Horvath and Hahn for leading bold change and hope the Board will support the next steps to bring more diverse voices into County work.”
Ethics reforms are central to the charter amendments. Both through an Independent Ethics Commission and common-sense reforms, including prohibiting County officials from lobbying the County two years after leaving service.
Beyond the three key pillars of the proposal, additional reforms include establishing a commission to review the County Charter every ten years; creating a Director of Budget and Management and a County Legislative Analyst; requiring departments to present their annual budget in open hearings; creating a Governance Reform Task Force to oversee reform implementation; and that all changes come at no additional costs to or taxes imposed on taxpayers to implement.
“The Ethics Commission will hold our elected Supervisors and County staff responsible for their own actions and remind them there are standards we must observe and abide by,” said Artesia Councilmember Melissa Ramoso. “This creates trust, accountability, and public confidence that many resident voters are entitled to. I commend Supervisors Horvath, Hahn and Solis for their leadership and dedication to advancing these necessary changes and moving our County into the 21st century.”
“California Community Foundation believes that for a government to be effective it must be accessible and representative at every level,” said Miguel Santana, President and CEO of California Community Foundation. “These reforms pave the way for much-needed change and outline a path toward more representative, equitable, and effective governance. CCF will continue to support community organizers, academics, and leaders to ensure that residents across this county play a vital role in creating a more inclusive future.”
Nearly nine in ten voters think the Los Angeles County government requires reform. To learn more about voter sentiment, read this voter survey summary.
For more information, visit www.lindseyhorvath.lacounty.
