Los Angeles County Supervisors Advance Proposal to Expand Board From 5 to 9

LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles County supervisors July 9 advanced a proposal for revamping county government, in part by expanding the Board of Supervisors from its current five members to nine and making the CEO an elected position. The package of proposed County Charter changes, which ultimately needs approval from voters, advanced on a 3–0 vote, with Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Barger abstaining. With the board vote, county attorneys will draft ordinances that will return to the board to be formally placed on the November ballot. During a lengthy and sometimes impassioned discussion, Ms. Mitchell questioned whether the package of proposed changes had been fully vetted, and how the motion had settled on the number of nine for the expanded board. She also questioned whether the changes could, as the proposal contends, be enacted with no cost to taxpayers....