Supervisor votes against Brown

Last week, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district includes La Cañada Flintridge, was the only one among his colleagues to cast a symbolic vote against Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed government realignment.

The governor’s plan would direct counties to take on what have historically been state responsibilities, such as housing non-violent prisoners and providing other social services. The shift would be funded by Brown’s proposed extension of current sales, property and vehicle taxes.

The tax proposal has been bogged down in Sacramento with the governor unable to muster enough support to put the proposal on the June ballot despite weeks of negotiations with legislative Republicans.

“There is no constitutional guarantee that the state won’t back out funding from existing programs to fund new programs,” Antonovich said in a statement March 23. “The state’s track record is full of empty promises and hollow reform.”