Voters could decide on major change for LA County government: expanding board from 5 members to 9

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles County Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn announced a proposal Wednesday that would revamp county government by expanding the Board of Supervisors from its current five members to nine. "Five elected leaders serving 10 million people as both the executive and the legislative branches of government simply makes no sense," said Horvath during a press conference. Their proposal would also establish an independent ethics commission to promote transparency and make the county CEO an elected position.

Since the measure requires a change to the County Charter, the proposals would have to be approved by voters. "We've talked to voters and they overwhelmingly support expanding the board at this moment," said Hahn. "They see a bigger board not as a bigger government but as a closer government, more accessible government, a more representative government.



" L.A. County is bigger than many states with a budget of $46 billion.

"Separating out the executive authority from the legislative body is typical in most governments throughout the country, and this allows for accountability in a check in balance on the process," said Horvath. The proposal would appear to add a lot to the county government, but supervisors said doubling the size of the board would not double the size of the budget. Horvath and Hahn both stressed that the proposed changes would not involve any sort of tax hike.

"We are not raising the taxes to pay for this government reform. T.