County Reforms
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County, thank you for the excellent articles, columns and editorials reporting on and supporting the need for Los Angeles County government reform.
The revealing stories on the policy-making power of the chief administrative officer, particularly on budgetary matters, are further evidence that the office should be an elective one, accountable and responsive to the voters. We have also seen that five supervisors cannot tend to the administrative needs of 9 million residents and at the same time fulfill their responsibilities as a legislative body with a $12 billion budget.
For over 20 years our members throughout Los Angeles County have supported and worked for the enlargement of the present five-member board. However, we believe that first or simultaneously there must be a separation of the legislative and executive powers. This would be achieved by the election of a county chief executive officer. Checks and balances are an essential but missing element in the structure of Los Angeles County government.
Our special thanks to Bill Boyarsky, Richard Simon and Fred Muir for their outstanding articles.
GEORGANNE THOMSEN, President, LWV, Los Angeles County
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