Local News in Brief : No County Mayor Vote

Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday rejected a proposal that would have placed a proposition on the November ballot calling for an office of county mayor and asking voters if they wanted to add four more county supervisors.

The proposal for a county mayor, which voters have defeated in the past, was opposed by Supervisors Mike Antonovich, Pete Schabarum and Deane Dana, all of whom also rejected the suggestion of expanding the present five-member board to nine.

Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, who along with Supervisor Ed Edelman backed the county mayor proposal, said it would allow for a separation of powers between a county executive and county supervisors. Hahn also said four more supervisors were needed to provide better representation and to enhance the prospects of a minority winning a supervisorial seat.

Opponents of the proposals, however, said the changes would add to the county bureaucracy and drain resources that could be used for public safety and other concerns.