Supervisor Solis Issues Statement on Motion to Expand Board of Supervisors
LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis released the following statement on the proposal to expand the Board of Supervisors, establish an independent ethics commission, and make the county CEO an elected position.
“I support the proposal to reform Los Angeles County’s government structure to make it more transparent, accountable, and representative to the people we serve.
Los Angeles County is the nation’s largest county with 4,084 square miles and nearly 10 million residents. As Los Angeles County’s population grows and diversifies, we must innovate and re-evaluate how we can best meet residents’ changing needs to ensure we deliver the support they need as inclusively, transparently, and equitably as possible.
This is especially critical for residents in communities who have historically been left out of these conversations and who deserve equal representation and can have confidence in our commitment to deliver it. As of the 2020 Census count, there are over 4.8 million Latinos and 1.5 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County, which combined make up over 60 percent of the County’s total population of 10 million residents. We need to make sure their diverse voices are not only given a wider platform but also better amplified so they are given the representation they deserve in the decisions we make to ensure we direct resources that positively impact all of the County’s residents.
This is about determining how we can most effectively represent the needs of voters in every zip code, in every demographic, and at every income level. The composition of the Board of Supervisors must reflect the increased diversity of Los Angeles County’s population. Moreover, having an elected CEO, including a Director of Budget and County Legislative Analyst, will help us identify and address the specific needs of communities more adequately and ensure that we always direct County resources fairly while ensuring greater independence. And, the establishment of an independent Ethics Commission will guarantee the County continues to make decisions with the highest level of integrity and accountability.
Equal representation is the hallmark of American democracy, and we owe it to the people of Los Angeles County to evaluate whether an expanded Board of Supervisors and elected CEO will allow us to more effectively and efficiently serve the residents who elected us to make sure everyone gets a seat at the table.”
