SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to advance a controversial proposal that would extend how long supervisors are allowed to serve and make other major changes to county government.
The proposal, which passed after a 3-2 vote, would allow supervisors to serve up to three terms, or 12 years, instead of the current two-term limit.
The debate drew strong public comment with citizens speaking for and against the plan.
The proposal was introduced by Chairwoman Terra Lawson-Remer, who said the changes are meant to align San Diego County with other counties across California.
ABC 10News Investigative Reporter Austin Grabish asked Lawson-Remer, who is in her second term, why voters shouldn't believe this isn't about extending her own time in power.
“I love that question. I think if you look at what we're trying to put out, we're really focused on being consistent and consistency in alignment with term limits that have been established across counties across the state of California. We're the only county with a two-term limit," she said.
San Diego citizens voted for County Supervisors to have a two-term limit in 2010. We asked Lawson-Remer what's changed enough to justify undoing that decision.
Lawson-Remer said the decision would ultimately be up to voters.
"I don't know that they will decide that," she said.
In addition to extending term limits, the proposal includes several other changes to how the county operates. It calls for turning the chief administrative officer position into an elected role.
It also seeks to put term limits on the sheriff, district attorney, and other county officials, which is not currently allowed under state law.
The proposal would also create an independent ethics commission and a budget analyst.
Supervisor Jim Desmond voted against the proposal along with Supervisor Joel Anderson.
Desmond said he isn't opposed to supervisors serving three terms, but only if voters put forward the initiative, not politicians.
"To me, this is one of the most political and self-serving agenda items that I've ever seen," he said in an interview.
Desmond criticized how the plan is structured around many other changes that sound good on the surface.
“(It's) sort of like how you give a pill to your pet. You hide it in something. You put it in, you put the chewy, gooey, whatever, sweet things on the outside. And hopefully, they don't notice the pill," he said.
Others voiced support for the proposal.
Dr. Kyra Greene, executive director of the Center on Policy Initiatives, said the changes address concerns about government accountability.
“People are asking questions about where their tax dollars are going and are they being used as effectively as they can be.”
The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the proposal again in May.
If approved, the measure would go before voters on the November ballot, where they would decide whether to extend term limits and adopt the proposed changes.
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