L.A. County Board Supervisor Hilda Solis rallied community members at an event in El Monte Wednesday to support Measure G, a proposed charter amendment that would expand the Board of Supervisors.
If approved by voters on Nov. 5, the measure will increase the number of supervisors to nine, instead of the current five. The county would also create a county executive, similar to a mayor, selected by L.A. County voters.
Solis was joined by other L.A. Latino leaders at Mariscos La Palma, where she affirmed that expanding the board would benefit diversity and representation and help reflect L.A. County’s nearly 50% Latino population. “It’s hard for even one Latina to represent almost half the 10 million people in L.A. County. It should not happen. We are in 2024. We need more representation,” she said.
Solis represents District 1, serving nearly 2 million residents across 20 cities, as well as unincorporated communities like East L.A., and L.A. city neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights. Her role as supervisor is to manage essential services like police, street maintenance and libraries.
Under Measure G, the chief executive officer would work under the direction of the Board of Supervisors to manage the county’s day-to-day operations and carry out its policies and initiatives. The CEO would manage multiple county functions, including social, public health, and fire services.
“There are so many people here in Los Angeles. How can we possibly do it with only five?” said Sen. Bob Archuleta, who joined Solis at the event. “It’s unfair, not equitable, and not right for so many services needed in the county of Los Angeles.”
Opponents of the measure, which include County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Holly J. Mitchell, argue that creating the county executive position would concentrate too much power on one individual.
“It completely alters the balance of power between either five or nine or whatever number of board of supervisors, and this singular person who would be responsible for all 10 million Angelenos,” Mitchell said in an interview with NBC4.
Additionally, a nonpartisan legislative analyst would be created to review proposed county legislation, mirroring similar roles at the city and state levels. The bill would also establish an independent ethics commission to impose stricter lobbying regulations and investigate misconduct. Supporters say there would not be any additional cost to taxpayers to implement the reforms, as language from the measure states funds would come from the county’s existing budget.
If passed, the board expansion would take effect after the 2030 redistricting process and establish the office of an elected county CEO by 2028. By 2026, an independent Los Angeles County Ethics Commission, an Office of Ethics Compliance, and the position of Ethics Compliance Officer would need to be established.
