Supervisors send charter reforms to November ballot
Final vote sets up countywide decision on term limits, oversight powers and governance reforms, as supporters tout modernization and critics warn of expanded political control
SAN DIEGO — The controversial package to reform San Diego County’s charter received final approval from the supervisors during their June 25 meeting.
Led by Chairwoman Terra Lawson-Remer, proponents call it a long-overdue modernization for the county, which executes a $9.1 billion annual budget, while critics have slammed the measure as a self-serving ploy to extend political careers. The supervisors first approved the measure in May during the first reading after the proposal was formally unveiled in February.
Both votes passed 3-2.
Titled “A Transparent, Accountable, Modern County Government,” the item will be on the Nov. 3 ballot and require a simple majority to pass. If approved, it would implement the most sweeping changes to the county government in decades, affecting everything from ethics oversight to how the most senior county employees are hired and fired.
The most controversial element of the reform package is Lawson-Remer’s proposal to extend term limits for supervisors from two four-year terms to three. Opponents have railed against the change, noting voters approved the standard two four-year terms in 2010 and also calling it “self-serving” by Lawson-Remer to extend her political career.
“Key decisions affecting County budgets, programs, and service delivery are often shaped through internal staff-level analysis, with limited independent capacity to verify assumptions,” Lawson-Remer said. “This creates a widening gap between the scale and complexity of County government today and the oversight systems designed to ensure accountability.”
