Law on expanding official’s power ordered
After a long philosophical debate, the Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to instruct county counsel to draft an ordinance that would dramatically expand the county administrator’s power.
The law would grant the appointed county executive hiring and firing ability and oversight of department heads. The board also approved preparing a county Charter amendment that would go before voters in 2008 and, if approved, would make the executive’s power expansion permanent.
Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who cast the lone dissenting vote, criticized the move as a “muzzle” on elected officials’ authority.
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