Molina’s Election to County Board

Molina was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and declared her election a mandate for more government. She has said that she wants to enlarge the Board of Supervisors to seven members--maybe nine.

However, as historic and important as it was, her victory was no mandate. Only 24% of the people in the 1st Supervisorial District voted. Molina’s share of the vote amounted to little more than 13% of the district’s registered voters. If there were a mandate, it can be read in the negative figure: Why didn’t 76% of the registered voters come out to vote? One has to wonder if they think they have enough government already.

The apparent reason for creating more supervisorial positions is that there will be better constituent service. That may or may not occur.

There doesn’t seem to be a clambering for more government from the people. One thing is sure, the new supervisors will come at a cost and people, as a whole, are expressing concern about more taxes.

The resources taken to fund new supervisors, offices, staffs and district offices will consume sparse revenues. The county’s 1990-91 budget shows the cost of the supervisors’ offices, and the executive office that supports the supervisors, totals more than $17 million.

The truth is the trend may be going against Molina’s proposal. There are the unfair demands forced on counties by the state, reducing supervisorial authority to spend as they see fit. Furthermore, talk of need for regional government, pushed most notably by powerful Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), may result in county government being de-emphasized.

Taxpayers cannot afford more levels of government unless government is streamlined, duplicative departments are dissolved and government becomes more efficient.

JOEL FOX, President, Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assn., Los Angeles